What is accessibility value?

Accessibility in Australia is the principle that buildings, public spaces, transport, services, and digital systems should be usable by everyone, including people with disability, older Australians, parents with prams, and people with temporary injuries. It is supported by specific federal accessibility standards, by state-based building and transport legislation, and by the broader Disability Discrimination Act 1992 framework.

The Disability (Access to Premises - Buildings) Standards 2010 set accessibility requirements for new and substantially refurbished buildings, including step-free entries, accessible bathrooms, lifts, signage, and emergency exits. The Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport 2002 require trains, buses, ferries, and stations to be progressively made accessible, with older infrastructure being replaced over phased compliance schedules. The Disability Standards for Education 2005 address physical and procedural accessibility in schools and universities.

Digital accessibility is governed by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), now at version 2.2. The Australian Government Digital Service Standard requires federal websites to meet WCAG 2.0 Level AA at minimum. Most state and territory governments have adopted similar standards. Private websites and apps can be subject to complaints under the Disability Discrimination Act, with several Australian Human Rights Commission matters and Federal Court cases (notably the 2000 Maguire v SOCOG case about the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games website) establishing precedents.

Specific accessibility programmes complement the standards. The federal Department of Social Services funds the Inclusive Sport Programme. The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman handles complaints about phone accessibility. The 100 Per Cent Accessible Communities programme supports local councils to improve footpaths, parks, and public buildings. About 4.4 million Australians (about 18 per cent of the population) have some form of disability, with about 5 per cent having a profound or severe limitation in core activities. Accessibility benefits this group directly and also benefits the much larger group experiencing temporary limitations through pregnancy, injury, ageing, or pushing prams or luggage.