Summary report - National consultations about the harmonisation of disability parking permit schemes in Australia initiative 

• Permanent permit
• Temporary permit
• Overall statements about proposed nationally consistent eligibility criteria

Permanent permit

The discussion paper identified that there are currently a diverse range of eligibility criteria applied across the existing state and territory disability parking permit schemes. The criteria proposed in the discussion paper were drawn from these existing eligibility criteria.

Criteria 1: You are unable to walk and always require the use of a manual wheelchair or powered mobility device, or

125 comments were made in 16 per cent of submissions and highlighted the following issues:

• hidden or invisible disabilities/medical conditions should be eligible (54 per cent of comments);
• the terminology used in the criterion needs to be defined (16 per cent of comments);
• the following issues each represented less than 2 per cent of the comments:
• the term ‘wheelchair’ should be included but the term ‘powered mobility device’ should be excluded and the eligibility should be assessed based on functional ability;
• the criterion should include a reference to age;
• people should be automatically eligible if they receive the Disability Support Pension;
• there should be a two tier system;
• people who use walking sticks should be eligible;
• there should be a reference to walking distance;
• the existing criteria used in each jurisdiction should be retained;
• the criteria should be based on eligibility already used;
• children should be eligible;
• people with vision impairment or intellectual disability should be eligible;
• the criterion is too broad; and
• the criterion is too narrow.
  

Criteria 2: Your ability to walk is permanently and severely restricted and you sometimes require the use of a mobility or medical aid. This does not include a walking stick, shopping trolley or pram, or

557 comments were made in 51 per cent of submissions and highlighted the following issues:

• hidden or invisible disabilities/medical conditions should be eligible (36 per cent of comments);
• people with walking sticks and who lean on shopping trolleys should be eligible (36 per cent of comments);
• people with vision impairment, and children and people with intellectual disability, should be eligible on the basis of safety (4 per cent of comments); and
• the terminology used in this criterion needs to be defined; specifically ‘sometimes’, ‘mobility or medical aid’, and ‘permanently and severely restricted’ (24 per cent of comments).

Criteria 3: You do not use a mobility or medical aid but your ability to walk is permanently restricted by a significant medical condition or disability, which sometimes requires the physical assistance of another person and limits your access to the community.

457 comments were made in 51 per cent of submissions and highlighted the following issues:

• hidden or invisible disabilities/medical conditions should be eligible (45 per cent of comments); and
• the terminology used in this criterion should be defined; specifically ‘significant medical condition or disability’ and ‘which sometimes requires the physical assistance of another person’ (55 per cent of comments).

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Temporary permit

The minimum period for temporary permits is 6 months duration.

197 comments were made in 29 per cent of submissions and highlighted the following issues:

• the minimum period is too short (30 per cent of comments);
• the minimum period is too long (43 per cent of comments);
• 40 per cent of comments noted that both:
• temporary permits should be issued and renewed at the discretion of the medical professional assessing the applicant; and
• the recovery time experienced by individuals after surgery or an accident varies.

The maximum period for temporary permits is 12 months duration.

179 comments were made in 27 per cent of submissions and highlighted the following issues:

• the maximum period is too short (48 per cent of comments);
• the maximum period is too long (52 per cent of comments);
• 24 per cent of comments noted that both:
• temporary permits should be issued and renewed at the discretion of the medical professional assessing the applicant; and
• the recovery time experienced by individuals after surgery or an accident varies.

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Overall statements about proposed nationally consistent eligibility criteria

The eligibility criteria are clear and easy to understand.

The proposed eligibility criteria will help the right people.

There is a need for consistent eligibility criteria across Australia.