2.5.1 Lack of access to the built environment and information
We want to contribute to Australian society but we usually find that we can’t access the workplace, can’t access public venues, can’t have a holiday because there is no suitable accommodation.
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There are a number of so-called ‘wheelchair accessible’ toilets on my campus, but there is only one on the entire campus that I can fit in with my motorised scooter.
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Many professional services [such as dentists] are based on secondary levels with stair access only. Many cafes have step entry. My family or carer and I are forced to utilise outdoor street seating which on many occasions is the colder or less desirable alternative. Cinemas and swimming facilities are still often inaccessible. This prevents me from participating in these recreational activities with family and friends.
The impact of people on the environment is an issue currently being given considerable attention. But the impact of the built environment on people is something many rarely consider. For many people with disabilities the built environment acts as a powerful barrier to their full inclusion in the community. It affects their day-to-day functioning in ways few others can appreciate. The inability of people with disabilities to access the facilities that everyone else in the community takes for granted—cafes, public buildings, swimming pools, libraries, sporting facilities and movie theatres—limits their independence and compromises their quality of life. More than 27 per cent of respondents said that lack of access to the environment acts as a barrier to their full participation in the life of the community.
It is hard for people without a disability to imagine the difficulties many people with disabilities encounter as they move around the community. Organising to meet a group of friends for dinner only to discover the restaurant is inaccessible. Being unable to attend a child’s end-of-year ballet concert because the venue has no access. Not being able to go to the movies because there are no screens with technology to assist people with a hearing impairment. Playgrounds that contain accessible equipment but that are routinely locked and can only be accessed with a key.
And, as a number of submissions noted, accessibility issues rarely end at the front door. Once inside, many people with disabilities encounter further barriers such as a lack of accessible bathrooms or lifts without Braille signage. Uneven surfaces, reflective surfaces, narrow doorways, and a lack of clear signage all affect the ability of people with disabilities to successfully negotiate the interiors of many buildings. As these submissions highlighted, there appear to be multiple barriers to change, including a lack of understanding and awareness in the community about access issues and a lack of comprehension of both the economic and social benefits of implementing universal design principles. Many submissions noted that as the Australian population ages the need for accessible buildings, facilities and spaces will only increase. Yet people in the community still tend to regard accessibility as someone else’s problem.
But as the following submission illustrates, even when business owners grasp the benefits there are other barriers.
An Adelaide entertainment business recognised that a number of its customers with disabilities were having great difficulty in getting up stairs at the entry and that a ramp was too steep for people using a wheelchair unless they had a lot of help.
The proprietor had a plan made of an accessible entrance and found that this would cost tens of thousands of dollars. He couldn’t afford this unless he could expand his revenue. He applied to the local council to develop an outdoor dining area and made a number of adjustments to minimise the impact of noise on the neighbourhood at some extra cost.
The local community was invited to comment on the proposed plan and nearby residents objected to the potential for more noise in the area. The council decided to reject the application because of this and the access plan didn’t happen.
The business is profitable and could have made the access changes with a low interest loan from a National Access Infrastructure Fund. The improved access would have increased patronage and profits over time and the loan would have been paid back.
Many submissions noted that a complex web of regulations, policies and processes across all three levels of government determine the accessibility of the environment. The complexity of the area itself acts as a barrier to change. And despite the overall complexity, there are still significant legislative regulatory and policy gaps that allow parts of the built environment to remain inaccessible.
But for people with a sensory impairment or an intellectual disability, access issues go far beyond structural features. For these groups, access to information remains problematic. Information is rarely provided in alternative accessible formats, including plain English. And yet as many submissions argued, information is essential to meaningful participation in a range of activities, as well as essential to understanding and exercising basic rights.
Proposed solutions
Proposed solutions focused primarily on the need for greater regulatory and legislative oversight to ensure existing and future infrastructure complies with universal design principles, including public buildings, public spaces, private businesses and private dwellings. The House of Representatives Inquiry into the draft Disability (Access to Premises—Buildings) Standards was well supported. Submissions also argued that more resources should be made available for upgrades, modifications and retrofitting. A number also suggested creating a fund for low-interest loans for businesses and facilities to enable them to become more accessible. Another suggested modifying government procurement practices to ensure all facilities and equipment purchased by government are fully accessible.
Make all levels of sustainability—environmental, social and economic—part of the brief of the Built Environment Industry Innovation Council. Encourage integration and universal design principles across government planning stages
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2.5.2 Lack of access to transport
The cost of transport or the lack of availability of transport often means that people with disability cannot access education, employment services or the community. It is a pivotal support service which is often not available which then excludes the person from many or all aspects of their community.
Few things are more fundamental than the ability to get where one needs to go. Without access to transport, participation in such critical activities as education, employment and health care is difficult, if not impossible. Yet this is the situation many people with disabilities find themselves in. Submissions consistently reported that lack of access to transport significantly curtails the ability of people with disabilities to participate fully in community life—more than 29 per cent of submissions argued that difficulties with transport act as a barrier in their day-to-day lives. And while most agreed some progress has been made, all said that the timetable for change is far too long. As many noted, the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport (2002) has a 30-year timetable. These same standards stipulate that only 50 per cent of buses have to be accessible by 2012.
For most, the inaccessibility of public transport leaves them reliant on family or friends or on the taxi system. Both compromise their ability to live independently. And while most states operate a taxi voucher scheme, few provide enough assistance to meet day-to-day needs. This leaves people with disabilities and their families with no other option but to meet all additional costs. As one respondent noted,
Although many individuals are provided with access to cab vouchers, the limited number of vouchers means that clients must limit travel or alternately have to pay significant transport costs.
Another noted that lack of transport has a significant impact on her university studies.
The transport system as it now stands is very stressful. The biggest issue I have is not being allowed to use my tertiary vouchers at any other time other than lectures. It means I have to stay at home struggling with my assignments on my own. I need to be able to move around Uni on other days within the confines of my courses to achieve the best result. I need the support from other students and to be able to bounce ideas off them—to be part of a team. These restrictions cause isolation, low self-esteem and one is made to feel that we are different.
The additional expense of taxis was not the only reported problem. Submissions also detailed difficulties in accessing taxis, with the lack of availability of accessible taxis a particular problem for people with a physical disability. Poorly trained staff and inflexible services were other common complaints.
Many respondents noted that poorly trained staff are also an issue on public transport. Staff refusing to provide access or assistance despite being required to do so is a particular problem. People with disabilities are clearly still at significant risk of discrimination at the hands of individual operators. Participants at consultations also expressed concern over safety issues when using public transport.
The difficulties confronting people with disabilities in accessing transport are clearly compounded in rural and regional areas. There are even fewer alternatives in non-metropolitan areas, which severely curtails the independence of people with disabilities and compromises their quality of life. Ironically, transport is even more critical in these areas to counter social isolation.
A small number of submissions detailed continuing concerns about travel by air. Despite considerable attention to the issue, people with disabilities are still unable to access air travel in the same way as other members of the community. The inability or unwillingness of staff to assist travellers and the requirement to purchase additional tickets for carers are two issues that remain unresolved. The significant costs associated with pursuing a case through the Australian Human Rights Commission against airlines with significant resources at their disposal can act as a deterrent to achieving change through the legal system.
Proposed solutions
Most of the proposed solutions focused on increasing access and affordability. A number of submissions suggested that the current schedule of change conducted under the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport is in need of significant review, while others suggested that creating a central authority responsible for overseeing compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act would improve accessibility. Others argued for an expansion of the fleet of accessible taxis. Most submissions also noted the need for improved education and training of transport operators, including taxi drivers.
There should be a bonus system for taxi drivers if they do their job well—they are not well paid.
Other suggestions included introducing a nationwide travel concession card and extending the current subsidy cap for people with disabilities living in rural and regional areas.