Disability Inclusion Guide

A comprehensive text version of the Disability Inclusion Guide for Australian Local Government. This version presents all guide content in a single, linear document suitable for reading, printing or assistive technology.

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Disability in Australia

Key statistics and context about disability in Australia. ALGA acknowledges there are gaps in data about the experiences of and outcomes for people with disability in Australia. The following statistics are based on the best information currently available.

Definition of disability

To use the Guide, it may be helpful to consider the definition of disability. The term disability is broad. It can be used to describe people who have physical, sensory, cognitive, neurological and/or psychosocial conditions or impairments. It can also include people who are neurodivergent, who have mental health concerns and/or who have chronic illness. Disabilities can be visible and invisible and can include fluctuating conditions.

The definition of disability from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) is:

Persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers [environment, economic] may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others (Article 1, UN CRPD)

Note

Australia’s Disability Discrimination Act includes a definition of disability. This definition is being reviewed and will be applied to this Guide once any definitions within the Disability Discrimination Act are updated.

Policy and legislative contexts

Disability inclusion planning in Australia

Different terms are used to describe disability action plans in local government, depending on which state or territory councils are located in. This includes Disability Action Plan (DAP), Disability Access and Inclusion Plan (DAIP), Disability Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP), or similar.

In this Guide, when we describe these plans by local government, we will use the term Disability Action Plan (DAP).

You can refer to our list of key terms used in this Guide.

Key statistics

About 5.5 million Australians (21.4% of the population) have a disability.
Almost 90% of disabilities are 'invisible', such as chronic pain disorders, diabetes or depression.
1 in 10 people with disability reported experiencing discrimination.
52.3% of people aged 65 and over had disability.
56.1% of people with disability were employed, compared with 82.3% without disability.
Almost one-third avoided situations because of their disability.

In the Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC), a person is considered to have disability if they have any limitation, restriction or impairment which restricts everyday activities and has lasted, or is likely to last, for six months or more. Statistics are from Australian Bureau of Statistics (2022), Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia: Summary of Findings.

Legislative and strategic framework

The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities sits at the top of Australia's disability framework, flowing through the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and Australia's Disability Strategy 2021–2031, to state legislation and plans, and down to local government disability action plans — all working towards inclusive communities for all people with disability.

Principles

Principles help to guide inclusion planning, and to embed inclusion in everyday work.

This section helps councils establish a shared understanding of disability inclusion across council teams.

The principles were developed through a desktop review of disability inclusion policy in the context of local government, and informed by stakeholder engagement.

Embedding these principles across council work demonstrates a commitment to the rights and inclusion of people with disability in every community. These principles support informed decisions, policies and actions that uphold human rights and promote belonging.

Principle 1: Respecting and upholding disability rights

We all have rights as human beings, regardless of nationality, sex, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, language, or any other status. In Australia, we have laws to uphold the rights of people with disability.

UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD)

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) is an international human rights convention. Australia is a signatory to this Convention. It promotes, protects and ensures full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, promotes respect for their inherent dignity (refer Article 1 - CRPD).

This Guide includes references to specific articles from the Convention for some of your council’s core areas of practice.

Disability Discrimination Act

In Australia, disability rights are upheld by the Disability Discrimination Act 1992. This Act must be followed by duty holders, which includes local governments. It applies to services, facilities, premises and other activities local governments are responsible for.

Every state and territory also has legislation prohibiting discrimination on the basis of disability.

Australia’s Disability Strategy

Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021-2031 calls on all Australians to ensure people with disability can participate as equal members of society. The Strategy reflects a collective commitment by all levels of government – Commonwealth, state, territory and local – to build an Australia where people with disability are valued, included and empowered to thrive.

State and territory disability inclusion planning and laws

All states and territories in Australia have acts which require that government agencies including in most cases, local government, provide for the inclusion of people with disability.

Many states also have their own Disability Inclusion Plans or similar. You can find out more in the State and Territory requirements page.

Why a disability rights approach matters

Disability has been explained through many models over time. Historically, society often focused on the impairments of people with disability – sometimes called ‘the medical model of disability’ - rather than acknowledging barriers in social systems, services, infrastructure, attitudes and environments that disable people.

There have been big shifts in the way disability inclusion is understood. Applying a human rights and disability rights approach is one major development in the way we design inclusive communities.

Current good practice centres on the social and human rights models of disability. These models help us understand disability as a matter of fairness and equity, rather than treating it as a personal limitation.

The social model of disability says that people with disability experience limitations because social systems, environments and attitudes are inaccessible and exclude them. It makes it harder for people to take part in everyday life. This moves away from the medical model of disability which sees disability as an individual deficit and contributes to ableist attitudes and behaviours.
The human rights model of disability advances the social model further and underpins the UN CRPD. This model considers all aspects of a person’s experience, both internal and external. It emphasises that people with disability have the same rights as everyone else, and their disability is not an excuse to deny or restrict their rights. It places obligations on society – including governments – to remove barriers and uphold dignity, autonomy and inclusion.

What councils can do

Having a rights-based approach to disability inclusion supports councils to build environments and systems that are inclusive, fair, welcoming and accessible from the outset.

These models offer a strong foundation for thinking about rights and inclusion. For councils, they can encourage you to look at where there might still be barriers for people with disability in your community. For example, this could be in:

policies
service design
public spaces
communication
managing employment, recruitment and career progression.

Using these models helps councils ask:

‘What might make this difficult for someone to access or take part in?’

‘What can we change to improve opportunities and participation for people with disability?’

Principle 2: Centring people with disability in decision-making

Note

The motto ‘Nothing About Us Without Us’ reflects the principle of participation. It has been used by Disabled Peoples Organisations throughout the years as part of the global movement to achieve the full participation and equalisation of opportunities for, by and with persons with disabilities.

Centring people with disability means recognising their expertise and leadership in decisions that affect them. They help drive change through planning, design and decision-making. Full participation of people with disability places lived experience at the heart of disability inclusion. It shifts inclusion from something done for people with disability to something designed with people with disability. This includes having lived experience in council decision-making roles.

What councils can do

Councils can create safe and supportive ways for people with disability to participate in decision-making.

Employing people with disability. Employment within councils is a practical way to make sure people with disability are at the centre of decision-making. This includes employing people with disability in leadership positions.
Representation of diverse people with disability. Establish advisory groups or other ways to get direct and ongoing input from people with disability in policies, planning and service design.
Involve people with disability in planning and design. Councils with planning responsibilities are required to consider impacts on people with disability. This includes consulting with the community in areas such as infrastructure and service design. When doing this, it’s important to have accessible ways for people with disability to take part.
Recognise the expertise of people with disability. Respecting and recognising lived experience often include payment for time and expertise, in the same way other specialist contributions are valued. This should also be recognised with acknowledgements on council websites, in newsletters and other outward-facing communications.
Partner with local organisations. Disability advocates in your community are important stakeholders and often have the networks and experience to help councils engage with people with disability. Councils could consider partnerships with disability organisations and peer groups to collaborate on engagement.

Principle 3: Applying an intersectional approach

What is intersectionality?

Intersectionality recognises that a person or group of people have different experiences. They can be affected by multiple forms of marginalisation, discrimination and disadvantage due to different parts of their identity, such as:

race
sex
gender identity
sexual orientation
disability
class
religion
culture and linguistic diversity
age.

Intersections can occur between multiple parts of a person’s identity. There can also be intersections within a person’s experiences of disability, as it is common for people to have multiple disabilities.

These overlapping identities can influence how people move through their community, how they are perceived and the opportunities available to them, in ways that are different from experiencing identities separately.

What councils can do

Think about how you can help to remove additional barriers for people with disability who are from marginalised or intersectional groups.
One way to do this is making sure your disability action plan supports and aligns with other council plans for the inclusion of diverse groups in your community — for example, Reconciliation Action Plans or action plans for multicultural communities, LGBTIQA+ communities, young people and older people.
Reflect the diversity of people with disability in the community in your communications, planning, engagement and service design.
Have diverse representation on advisory groups and in activities that inform the policies and work of councils.

Aligning with Closing the Gap

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have a higher prevalence of disability compared with non-Indigenous Australians. First Nations people with disability may also face a range of barriers accessing culturally safe and inclusive services across many systems. Recognising this helps councils plan services to address overlapping needs and barriers.

‘Disability’ is also not recognised by many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, so programs in communities need to consider access for the whole community. This acknowledges ‘disability inclusion’ may not be a familiar term.

Councils should align their disability inclusion and action planning with Closing the Gap commitments. The Closing the Gap National Agreement includes a disability cross-cutting outcome that recognises the need to tailor actions for First Nations people with disability. Councils can support this by partnering with local Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations and tailoring programs, spaces and engagement to reflect local culture, languages and community priorities.

Principle 4: Using trauma-informed practice in planning

Warning

Content note: This section contains words and information about trauma, discrimination and abuse.

Many people with disability have experienced discrimination, exclusion, neglect, exploitation, violence and/or abuse. This can cause ongoing trauma.

Trauma-informed practice in councils is very important to protect people with disability from further harm, particularly in areas such as emergency management, community engagement and customer service.

Findings of the Disability Royal Commission

The Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability recommended how governments and institutions can improve safety and respond to the trauma and exclusion people with disability have experienced over many years. Their final report and guide are useful resources for councils to refer to when considering the impacts of, and possible changes to prevent violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation of people with disability in our communities.

What councils can do

Being trauma-informed means paying attention to emotional, cultural and psychological safety.

Think about how your council interacts with community members. Trauma-informed practice should encourage staff to communicate clearly, offer choice, explain processes and check in respectfully throughout interactions.
Provide clear, safe options for raising issues. Be clear about how a person with disability or their supporters can raise issues or complaints when they feel their rights are not upheld or have problems accessing things in the community. Complicated or unclear reporting processes can re-traumatise people or prolong their concern.
Promote local advocacy and support services. Councils can help people become aware of local supports and advocacy services available to them in the community.
Practice trauma-informed engagement. This means:
- using the principles of safety, trustworthiness, choice, collaboration, empowerment and respect for diversity
- reducing barriers to participation linked to fear or trauma. For example, having lived experience facilitators and different ways for people to participate (e.g. use of chat or anonymous feedback).
- following a trauma-informed events checklist
Support staff through trauma-informed practice. Council employees with disability may have experiences of trauma, abuse, neglect and discrimination. Human resources and workplace policies should recognise this to make sure local government is a safe workplace for all. This may include:
- clear reporting pathways prioritising safety, privacy and access to support, including options for anonymous reporting
- training managers and teams in trauma-informed communication, recognising signs of distress and preventing re-traumatisation
- ensuring staff involved in community-facing work have access to debriefing and supervision, acknowledging the risks of vicarious trauma.

Principle 5: Using respectful and inclusive language

Disability inclusive language recognises people with disability as experts in their own lives and values the terms they choose for themselves. It avoids deficit-based language that focuses on what a person ‘can’t do’, outdated or clinical labels and euphemisms. Inclusive language also acknowledges the diversity of disability without grouping different experiences together. It keeps the focus on rights, dignity and participation, rather than diagnosis or limitation.

What is person-first and identity-first language?

Person-first (‘person with disability’) and identity-first (‘disabled person’) language are both used in Australia. Government, non-government and institutional language in Australia predominantly use person-first terms. Many people have strong preferences for one term or the other, and these preferences can differ across communities and contexts. A respectful approach is to follow the lead of the person or group you are speaking with - and it’s always okay to ask.

The Australian Government Style Manual has an overview of person-first and identity-first language.

Looking for more language guidance?

The PWDA Language Guide provides clear and contemporary advice on respectful wording and inclusive language choices.

What councils can do

To use respectful and inclusive language, aim to do the following:

Listen to people with disability and follow their lead. Make sure people with disability help to inform the language your council uses.
Use clear and contemporary wording to help people feel represented and welcomed.
Use inclusive language consistently across your communications. This helps people with disability feel more comfortable taking part, such as in events.
Provide disability awareness training to council staff and elected officials to help them understand the importance of inclusive language and create confidence in their communication with people with disability.
Stay open to conversations about different preferences and changes to language.
Share advice about language with others in local government, stakeholders or partners.

Principle 6: Inclusion through Universal Design

Universal design is an approach to planning, building and communicating that aims to make things usable for as many people as possible, from the outset. It removes barriers before they appear by considering a wide range of accessibility needs. For councils, universal design is both good practice and good governance. It can improve safety, usability and inclusion for the whole community. Universal design principles are also part of the minimum requirements in some Standards and Codes councils use, such as building codes.

Universal design should also be guided and supported by ‘disability specific design’ to meet the diverse and specific needs of people with disability. This means having adjustments to ensure people with disability can participate on an equal basis - for example, specific access requirements like Changing Places facilities, Auslan interpreting and screen reader compatible systems. When universal design and disability specific design approaches are considered together, it supports equity, dignity and genuine participation for people with disability across diverse contexts.

Find a summary of the 7 Principles of Universal Design Quick Guide.

You can find more guidance on these under Accessible Infrastructure and Services.

Designing for the whole community

While universal design benefits people with disability, the impact extends to many others.

For example, installing kerb ramps at road crossings makes it easier for wheelchair users and people using mobility aids, which can include older people and people with temporary injuries. It also improves safety and convenience for people with prams, wheeled suitcases and trolleys, and for cyclists or delivery people when they transition between roads and paths at crossings.

Communicating in plain language and using images can help people with intellectual disability or cognitive issues understand information, but it’s also important for people with limited English or low literacy. Providing a variety of contact methods gives everyone the ability to choose how they want to communicate with council.

When councils apply inclusive design to buildings and facilities, there are many social and economic benefits for the whole community. For example, it can:

reduce long‑term maintenance and retrofit costs by ensuring that community needs are anticipated from the start
increase local economic activity through boosting visitor and tourist numbers, and strengthen the vibrancy of local main streets and town centres
support social connection for families and build children’s confidence through having more accessible, family-friendly and inclusive play spaces and recreation facilities.

What councils can do

Universal design principles encourage – and in some cases, require – councils to look at barriers across physical, digital, sensory and social environments. It supports council teams to ask in the early stages of planning:

‘Who might find this difficult to use?’

‘What have we done to make sure people with diverse needs can access and use this space or service?’

‘What else could we do to make this easier, safer and more comfortable for everyone?’

Councils can also:

embed steps to consider the 7 universal design principles in planning and development across council areas, such as infrastructure, technology, communication and engagement
build in early and ongoing engagement with people with disability to make it easier to identify barriers, test ideas and create solutions
ensure compliance with universal design principles when they are in legislation and standards.

Find out more about applying universal design principles and disability specific design in the Planning section.

Case study: Inclusive Brisbane Plan - Intersectional Approach

Brisbane City Council's Inclusive Brisbane Plan 2019-2029 demonstrates an intersectional approach to disability inclusion, recognising that people have different experiences based on multiple parts of their identity.

Community input into council planning is critical to make sure decisions reflect local needs, values, and lived experience.

Brisbane City Council’s A City for Everyone: Inclusive Brisbane Plan 2019-2029 covers the council’s policies and actions toward inclusion in areas such as travel, work, community spaces, health and wellbeing, tourism, governance and community connection. The plan incorporates inclusion across community groups, identities and needs, as part of an overarching vision of Brisbane as ‘a city where everyone feels they belong’.

Development of the plan involved community consultation with ‘residents of diverse age, cultural background, ability, gender, various socio-economic backgrounds and those with different levels of wellbeing’. Community feedback directly led to an expansion of the plan to ensure that services and programs were not limited to specific groups but supported inclusion for all. By providing an integrated Plan, this approach allows room for intersectional needs and experiences and does not require community members to segregate their identities when seeking information, support and services.

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Inclusion in council work

This section includes 5 key focus areas for disability inclusion in council work. They reflect areas which councils often have responsibility for. They align closely with Australia's Disability Strategy 2021–2031.

Leadership and decision-making

Why this is important for councils

Councils play a vital role in making sure disability inclusion happens in their local communities. This is only possible through:

strong leadership that ensures disability action plans are implemented effectively, and include involvement of people with disability
strong governance that supports councils to navigate complex planning, infrastructure and service decisions and acknowledge that decisions in one area can affect accessibility across the whole community
partnerships that strengthen community leadership in decision-making, including establishing disability advisory committees.

Internal leadership, culture and champions

Leadership is a strong lever that influences how disability inclusion is understood, valued and practised across council. Disability champions can also help embed inclusion into everyday processes and influence peers to adopt inclusive practices.

What councils can do

Strong internal leadership could include:

making inclusion visible in strategic plans, policies and day-to-day operations
mayors, councillors and executives modelling inclusive behaviours in their own work
embedding accessibility expectations across all directorates, including planning, engineering, infrastructure, customer experience and community services
reinforcing that inclusion is ‘everyone’s business’ by sharing responsibility across teams.

Councils can support leadership champions by:

identifying staff who naturally lead, model or advocate for inclusive practice, including people with disability in council
providing training, peer support and time allocation to support staff leaders in influencing change
sharing and celebrating practical examples of inclusive work to build organisational momentum
offering leadership opportunities and development for staff with disability.

Leading disability inclusion in local government

To champion inclusion in local government, you can follow these practical, everyday actions:

Link inclusion to council priorities and use evidence – such as community feedback or accessibility audits – to demonstrate how inclusion can improve outcomes for councils.
Build alliances by working with leaders and other staff across departments – inclusion initiatives succeed when they are shared, not siloed.
Centre planning and design on lived experience by involving people with disability.
Implement smaller changes to start, such as accessible formats, flexible recruitment, or inclusive events – small changes make a big difference over the long run.
Promote the use of inclusive language.
Communicate clearly, positively and regularly, by sharing success stories, celebrating inclusive projects, and maintaining visibility of disability inclusion in reports and meetings to help shift organisational culture.

Lived experience leadership in local councils

When people with disability are involved in leadership positions and decision-making it helps ensure:

planning, design, policy and service outcomes reflect the realities of people most affected
alignment with the UN CRPD’s requirement for people with disability to participate in decisions that affect their lives
accountable, transparent and rights-based governance.

This is one of the key principles for disability inclusion in local government.

What councils can do

Create paid roles for people with disability in project teams, access and inclusion work or specialist advisory roles. Roles may be ongoing or short-term.
Offer positions to people with disability on boards, reference groups, advisory groups, design panels or precinct planning committees.
Support early inclusion of disability representatives and leaders in key decisions, reviews and consultations.
Make sure adjustments are in place so people with disability can fully participate in leadership, advisory and other roles.
Build pathways for lived experience leadership through employment, volunteering, mentoring or community advisory programs.

Implementing good governance and clear roles for inclusion

Governance provides the structures and processes that make disability inclusion consistent, coordinated and sustainable across council operations. Strong governance helps councils meet their responsibilities under the UN CRPD and Australia’s Disability Strategy. It turns commitments into practical, organisation-wide action. It also ensures DAPs remain active and accountable, even as staff or leadership change.

What councils can do

Establish clear roles for disability inclusion delivery and monitoring across directorates.
Set up a governance group across your council functions involving planning, engineering, community services, HR, communications and customer experience.
Integrate accessibility expectations into policy development, procurement, budgeting, work programs and project lifecycles.
Report regularly to executive leadership and elected members to maintain oversight and accountability.

Governance built on co-design and feedback loops allows councils to respond to emerging needs, new policy directions and lessons learned over time. The Planning for disability inclusion section includes more information about governance and leadership when developing and implementing your disability action plan.

Supported Decision-Making Directory

Inclusion Australia’s Supported Decision-Making Resource Directory provides practical tools, guidance and examples to help councils support people with intellectual disability participate in advisory groups, committees and co-design processes.

https://www.inclusionaustralia.org.au/resource/supported-decision-making-resource-directory/

Disability advisory committees

Disability advisory committees can provide invaluable insight to councils in a range of areas by giving active and ongoing feedback from a lived experience perspective. This empowers people with disability to be involved in decision-making and gives them a voice to inform council decisions.

Disability advisory committees require resourcing. Where a council’s capacity or resourcing is limited, they may want to use other forms of engagement to help inform council decisions.

What councils can do

Invest in establishing a disability advisory committee to support disability inclusion across council business.
When establishing a committee, develop clear terms of reference. It’s important to think about who should be represented, how meetings will run, how advice and feedback will feed into decision-making and what support members may need to participate fully.
Provide adjustments to support people with disability to be able to participate in the committee and all types of meetings.
Where appropriate, pay disability advisory committee members for their time.
Share information with the wider community about the role and membership of the committee.

Considerations for councils when establishing a disability advisory committee

Consider size and meeting frequency

Committee size can vary depending on the council, but many work well with around 8-16 members.
Meetings are often held bi-monthly or quarterly, with flexibility to seek advice outside formal meetings when needed.
Meeting times should be accessible and consider support needs, caring responsibilities, transport and other commitments.

Membership and representation

People with disability should make up the majority of members, including community members and council staff with disability. Inclusion champions across councils’ areas could also be members or observers on the committee.
In most cases, the Chairperson should be a person with disability.
Members should reflect a diverse range of disabilities and lived experience. For example, representation of physical, sensory, cognitive and invisible disabilities should be included. It’s also important to have diversity of other demographics (age, culture, where they live in your community).
Recruitment to the committee should be open, accessible and transparent. This means advertising the opportunity in a range of ways (online and in the media) and making sure promotions use accessible formats.

Terms of reference (ToR), role and decision-making influence

A clear ToR help set the committee’s purpose, scope and influence within council.
The role of the committee should be clearly defined and at a minimum should include:
- providing leadership and advice on the development of DAPs
- guiding how councils consult and engage with people with disability
- offering advice across council planning and capital work projects – from early scoping and design through to delivery, launch and evaluation.
The ToR should also include membership arrangements, meeting processes and how progress will be reviewed or monitored.

Support, access and recognition

Clearly outline any payment and reimbursement for participation time, travel or access-related costs.
Provide accessible meeting formats and materials, including accessible venues, hybrid options, captioning or interpreters. Make sure you ask about any adjustments needed.
Offer clear information and promote the committee’s role through council channels.

Improving community attitudes and connection

One of the outcome areas of Australia’s Disability Strategy (ADS) is Community Attitudes. This includes improving the public’s understanding of disability and attitudes towards people with disability.

Councils play a critical role in this as they can influence attitudes through leadership and community programs. Councils also have responsibilities for community cohesion and inclusion in their region and local neighbourhoods.

Improving community understanding and attitudes can also help to improve safety for people with disability in the community.

What councils can do

Promote disability inclusion widely throughout the community. This includes sharing and promoting your disability action plan.
Share information with the community about accessible infrastructure and why it’s important for improving access and inclusion for all.
Recognise and celebrate achievements of people with disability and disability organisations in the community.
Include people with disability in council imagery, stories and promotions as part of everyday community life.
Share inclusive initiatives and a range of community stories that reflect diverse experiences and contributions.
Promote local disability peer groups and networks to the community.
Develop or support tailored programs to improve community attitudes for different disability types, including invisible disabilities such as autism and ADHD. Design these initiatives in consultation with local disability organisations, peer groups and individuals with lived experience.
Lead or participate in training for professionals, including council staff, to develop disability awareness and understanding. This includes making sure local services and council staff know how to respond appropriately if they witness or receive disclosures of harm.

Developing partnerships for inclusion

Partnerships strengthen capability and support councils to deliver practical, community-driven inclusion. They can be especially valuable for rural and regional councils with smaller teams or limited specialist roles. For example, partnerships may allow the sharing of resources, tools and training.

What councils can do

Build long-term relationships with disability organisations and relevant community groups in your area.
Support peer-led activities and disability-run groups. This might include partnering with disability advocacy organisations on inclusion initiatives.
Collaborate on co-design, engagement or public space design initiatives with local organisations.
Maintain regular contact with disability services to stay aware of community needs and emerging issues.
Identify opportunities to co-fund accessible programs and infrastructure with community groups and local businesses.

Working with other councils and government agencies

Partnerships with other councils and government bodies can help coordinate regional or cross-boundary inclusion efforts and make sure councils respond to changing policy and service environments.

Councils might also partner with different levels of government to co-fund infrastructure, initiatives and programs that have shared outcomes for national, state/territory and local government.

These partnerships can also help foster the valuable exchange of insights. By sharing successful initiatives and lessons learned, councils can strengthen their own inclusion strategies.

A Disability Inclusion Community of Practice has been established with representatives of a selection of local councils to help share learnings and advice back to all local governments. Find out more on the ALGA website and access our case studies.

Reflection questions

Consider these questions for your council:

How do our leaders show and support inclusion in their everyday work, and where is strong leadership already happening?
How are we recruiting and developing leaders with disability in our council?
Where are staff already championing inclusion, and how can we recognise, support or grow this?
Are our governance systems clear, coordinated and easy for staff to follow?
Do we give people with disability real opportunities to lead and shape our work?
Which partnerships are helping our inclusion work, and where might we need new ones?

Case study: City of Sydney: Strategic planning

To make sure community voices genuinely inform decisions, the City of Sydney supports a range of advisory panels and committees within a clear governance framework.

When it comes to planning ahead for how to support, service and include people with disability in the community, who better to involve than people with disability.

The City of Sydney covers more than 26 square kilometres of central Sydney and surrounds, including iconic landmarks like the Opera House, established institutions like the University of Sydney, and bustling residential suburbs. With heritage buildings, narrow streets, public transport on road, rail and water, as well as a packed schedule of big public events, the City of Sydney has a lot of different requirements to achieve genuine access and inclusion across all areas and meet the ideals of its community.

To make sure community voices genuinely inform decisions, the City of Sydney supports a range of advisory panels and committees within a clear governance framework, guided by its Community Engagement Strategy and Community Participation Plan 2025–2029 and other Council-endorsed policies.

One such panel is the Inclusion (Disability) Advisory Panel, which played an advisory role in developing the Inclusion (Disability) Action Plan 2025–2029, alongside a broader engagement process.

The Action Plan was developed through a two-stage engagement process over just under a year. Stage 1 focused on early engagement and co-design, involving over 350 people, including people with disability, families and carers, disability organisations, the City’s Inclusive City disability employee network, and the Advisory Panel. Engagement methods included surveys, focus groups and a co-design roundtable.

Stage 2 involved public exhibition of the draft plan, including an Auslan video, with feedback invited through an online survey and written submissions. Sixteen formal submissions were received during public exhibition.

By having a dedicated strategy in place, with buy-in from the community it serves, the City of Sydney can be confident in meeting future needs and having a solid base to evaluate their progress. This approach provides a practical example of how councils can combine strong governance with lived-experience engagement to shape inclusive, place-based policy.

Learn more and read the Inclusion (Disability) Action Plan 2025–2029 on the City of Sydney website.

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Inclusive employment and procurement

Why this is important for councils

Councils are often among the largest employers in the region. How councils recruit, support and promote people with disability sends a powerful message about the role and importance of inclusion.

Inclusive employment and procurement matters in local government because of:

Representation – Councils reflect the communities they serve. Inclusive workplaces reflect local diversity, improve decision-making and contribute to innovation.
Workforce sustainability – Inclusive employment widens the talent pool and can help councils address skills shortages and retention issues.
Equitable employment – Equitable and fair employment is part of legislation. The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) requires fair access to employment and reasonable adjustments. The Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) protects employees with disability from adverse action and requires employers to provide safe and flexible working arrangements.
Supporting economic participation of disability-led business and organisations – Councils purchase goods and services from a range of businesses and suppliers. Through this, they have the opportunity to support the economic participation of people with disability and disability organisations using council procurement strategies.

Inclusive recruitment

What councils can do

Accessible job design
- Review position descriptions to focus on genuine inherent requirements — the tasks and skills that are truly essential to do the role
- Avoid listing non-essential requirements that may create barriers (e.g. a driver’s licence when travel can be arranged otherwise).
- Use Job analysis and customisation tools from JobAccess to help tailor roles to candidate strengths, or split duties to create meaningful part-time work.
Inclusive advertising
- Use clear, inclusive language.
- Include a statement in job advertisements encouraging and welcoming applicants with disability and invite applicants to request adjustments.
- Provide a named contact for accessibility queries.
Barrier-free application processes
- Offer multiple ways to apply, including online, by phone, or through a support organisation.
Supportive onboarding
- Make information available in accessible formats.
- Provide clear, structured introductions to the workplace.
- Encourage new employees to share any access needs and make sure they know they can do so privately.

Did you know?

There are hundreds of disability employment providers across Australia. You can find disability employment providers in your area at Inclusive Employment Australia’s Find a Provider page.

Building an inclusive workplace

What councils can do

Have early and ongoing conversations with employees with disability about the adjustments and supports they may need.
Provide adjustments that are physical (equipment or layout), procedural (flexible hours, hybrid work) or relational (mentoring, communication style). Revisit needs as roles change and new responsibilities are taken on board.
Access the Employment Assistance Fund for workplace modifications, assistive technology and Auslan-English interpreting.
Provide accessible induction materials and mentors for new starters.
Adopt accessible meeting practices – both for in‑person and online meetings.
Provide training for all council staff in disability awareness and adjustments.
Consider a Disability Employee Network (DEN) or identify inclusion champions within council business units to advise on barriers and solutions to increase employment of people with disability.

Did you know?

According to JobAccess, more than 60% of employers underestimate how simple and low-cost most workplace adjustments are, yet these small changes make the biggest difference in attracting and retaining staff with disability.

JobAccess provides checklists for managers and HR teams on how to make and record workplace adjustments efficiently. Visit https://www.jobaccess.gov.au/

Career pathways and development

What councils can do

Create structured work experience, internships, traineeships or targeted graduate programs for people with disability.
Support progression through mentoring programs and opportunities for employees to participate in short courses or other forms of micro‑learning.
Provide leadership development programs that include people with disability.
Work with staff members with disability to understand and address organisational barriers to career development.
Work with specialist disability organisations to develop leadership pathways and promote Local Government employment opportunities.

Promoting inclusive employment in the community

What councils can do

Promote and highlight stories of success through community newsletters or business forums to show that inclusion benefits everyone.
Partner with local chambers of commerce, disability networks and training providers to build employer confidence.
Use procurement processes to encourage suppliers to demonstrate inclusive employment practices.

Disability inclusive procurement policies and processes

What councils can do

Embed inclusion into procurement policies and contracts
- Make commitments in purchasing policies and procurement guidelines.
- Require suppliers to meet relevant accessibility standards (e.g. Premises Standards, and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) for digital products) and demonstrate accessibility compliance or improvement plans.
- Make sure Universal Design principles are applied in infrastructure, public or service design contracts.
- Introduce inclusion-focused outcomes for procurement, such as inclusive employment, accessible services or partnerships with disability social enterprises.
- Train procurement and contract staff in accessible procurement.
Build inclusion into supplier capability
- Provide clear guidance during market briefings about accessibility expectations and the benefits of inclusive products and services.
- Integrate accessibility questions and social value criteria into tenders and contract templates, and ensure disability employment, accessibility and inclusion are appropriately weighted in procurement scoring.
- Encourage suppliers to partner with disability enterprises and show how they involve people with lived experience of disability.
- Encourage suppliers and local contractors to actively use JobAccess.

Reflection questions

Consider these questions for your council:

Where do candidates or employees currently encounter barriers in your recruitment, onboarding, meetings or systems, and what steps could you take to remove them?
When might a targeted recruitment strategy be appropriate for your council, and how could you document and communicate it?
What supports are you using to make workplace adjustments sustainable?
How are you modelling inclusion to influence local employers and suppliers?
How can you incorporate small changes to improve inclusive procurement, such as updating Requests For Quotes into your standard practice as a low-cost start?

Case study: Empower Ryde employment program — Ryde, New South Wales

Empower Ryde, initiated by City of Ryde's Economic Development team, provides peer-led employment and skills development to support people with disability to build confidence, develop practical job skills and connect with community.

Meaningful employment opportunities for people with disability help to create more inclusive and thriving communities. Local councils play a key role in enabling these opportunities.

City of Ryde created the Empower Ryde program through its Economic Development team. The program supports people with disability to build confidence, learn job skills and connect with community.

Empower Ryde provides accessible and inclusive learning. Sessions focus on:

employability
business exploration
speaking up for yourself
wellbeing.

People with disability were actively involved in the design, delivery and leadership of Empower Ryde. Participants helped shape the content, format and focus areas based on their lived experience. Council staff made sure content was in line with employment and skills development goals.

The program remains peer-led, meaning participants help guide the topics and activities in the program.

Empower Ryde supports the City of Ryde Disability Inclusion Action Plan 2022–2026, particularly in its focus on providing access and pathways to meaningful employment. It also supports the key goals in the City of Ryde’s Economic Development Strategy.

The program was developed because many people with disability face barriers to mainstream job programs. These barriers can make it harder for them to find and keep work.

Program funding supports tailored learning sessions that help people build job skills, gain confidence, understand their rights and connect with supportive peers. The funding specifically goes towards travel reimbursements for participants, allowances for peer leaders for their contribution to the planning and delivery of the event, and catering to ensure the gathering is accessible and welcoming.

Learn more about Empower Ryde.

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Engagement and communications

Why this is important for councils

Communities are more inclusive and welcoming for people with disability when councils:

apply inclusive community engagement to involve people with disability in shaping their community. This includes developing strategic plans, planning processes and service design.
hold inclusive and accessible events that everyone in the community can take part in.
make sure information is accessible and reaches people with disability.

Tip

Communication and engagement is often required as part of legislative requirements and must be implemented, such as in planning and development notifications.

Inclusive community engagement

Inclusive engagement with people with disability enables meaningful and effective community input to prioritise disability inclusion actions. It also improves attitudes and awareness of disability inclusion across the whole community.

In some states and territories, consultation with people with disability is required by law, for the creation of disability action plans. There are also a range of other council activities that require — or are improved by — community consultation, engagement and co-design (find out more about co-design). Genuine engagement of people with disability goes beyond simply seeking information, allowing for meaningful, ongoing conversations to take place. This means people with disability can provide feedback and ideas to influence council decision-making and help design programs and initiatives.

Engaging across all parts of the community is important to promote disability inclusion. Community stakeholders who deliver services and support people with disability are well-placed to help councils make sure people with disability are included in community life. They might also be involved in developing and delivering council and other community actions to improve disability inclusion.

Tip

For guidance on designing accessible engagement activities, visit the Good Practice Guidelines for Engaging with People with Disability.

What councils can do

When planning engagement:

Engage people with disability early and often — ideally before decisions are made.
Partner with local disability organisations, networks or advocates to hold engagement activities and make sure communication reaches people with disability.
Identify people with disability in the engagement plan and consider the most meaningful ways to engage. Choose a mix of different engagement methods to make sure your engagement is accessible to all.
Consider intersectionality and how this might impact people’s ability to participate in engagement activities. Designing engagement activities for different people, including activities that reach people where they are, helps make sure you achieve appropriate representation of the community in your engagement process.
Budget for accessibility (e.g. Auslan, real-time captioning) when planning engagement activities.

When undertaking engagement:

Offer multiple engagement modes: face-to-face, online, phone, small group, drop-in sessions, surveys in multiple formats.
Ask participants what supports they may need (e.g. regular breaks, support person, smaller groups, visuals, Auslan, agendas and materials in Easy Read formats). For example, you might include a specific question about this on event registration pages.
Consider all elements of venue accessibility. This can include, for example, physical access, quiet rooms, clear signage, and sensory considerations (such as reducing smells).
Make sure facilitators understand trauma-informed practice and the importance of culturally safe engagement. Consider using or hiring a facilitator who has lived experience of disability.
Where appropriate, pay people with disability for their time and expertise when they join advisory committees or co-design activities.
Acknowledge the time and effort of people to engage.

When evaluating and reporting on engagement:

Consider co-designing your evaluation approach with people with disability (focusing on what success looks like and what data should be collected).
Include questions in engagement feedback forms that aim to understand inclusion and access of activities, with options for people to provide ideas for improvement.
Capture accessibility barriers and consider how these can be addressed in future.
Where possible, share results with participants. Report back findings in accessible ways and formats.

Quick guide to inclusive engagement methods

Inclusive community programs and events

Councils hold and facilitate events, activities and programs for community members. These include activities like:

community events and celebrations
training and education sessions, like at libraries
holiday programs for young people
active lifestyle programs for people including seniors.

These initiatives aim to build relationships, connect people in the community and support local strengths. It’s important they’re inclusive of people with disability.

What councils can do

Engage people with disability in the design of community programs and events.
Make sure council staff and community organisations know how to plan an inclusive event from start to end. Many councils have their own inclusive event guides and checklists.
Update community grants guidelines to prioritise, reward and set standards for inclusive practices.
Apply <InfoDrawer label="Universal Design principles" contentId="universal-design-principles" variant="link" /> so programs and events are accessible and effective for as many people as possible, benefitting the whole community.
Promote inclusive neighbourhood initiatives with options for low sensory hours/times and having quiet zones at council-run facilities and activities.
Have multilingual, culturally appropriate communication for First Nations and CALD communities, acknowledging that understanding of disability differs across cultures.
Consider grant programs for holding accessible community events that specifically encourage people with disability, family, friends and carers to take part.

Volunteering

Volunteering and civic participation offer meaningful ways for people, including people with disability, to contribute skills, experience and perspectives to their community. Councils play an important role in providing safe and supportive environments for volunteers. Councils can be a popular place to volunteer, with opportunities across areas like libraries, events, programs and community services.

Ensuring volunteering opportunities are accessible and inclusive helps support the participation of people with disability.

What councils can do

Review volunteering and participation processes to identify opportunities to improve accessibility for people with disability.
Make sure volunteer workplace health and safety requirements are in place, with adjustments to meet the needs of people with disability.
Promote opportunities through accessible channels and community networks.
Recognise and value the contributions of volunteers with disability through channels such as newsletters and social media.

Accessible communication

Accessible information and communication support awareness of council services, programs and initiatives. It is the foundation for achieving equal participation.

It also makes sure that everyone who lives in or visits your local government area has access to the information they need about what’s available in your city or region. Having information in accessible formats is a requirement under the Disability Discrimination Act. This applies to councils when sharing critical public information and notices.

Find out about accessible communication formats

What councils can do

Accessible communication should include the following actions:

Recognise people with disability may need information in different formats to access and understand it. Read the summary of accessible communication formats.
Make sure online and digital information and platforms are accessible using web accessibility standards (WCAG) and following the AHRC’s guidelines on equal access to digital goods and services.
Make sure your social media and visual communication is accessible by using alt text or image descriptions on photos and graphics and captioning on videos and social posts.
Make sure communication like social media posts, online forms, newsletters and signage follow inclusive principles. This includes making sure photos or art about the community regularly features people with disability.
Provide a contact person for accessibility support on public communications, wherever possible.

Reflection questions

Consider these questions for your council:

How early and how well do we involve people with disability in planning and infrastructure decisions?
Do we provide the right supports for people to genuinely be involved and help shape decisions?
Do we make sure there is a feedback loop to share council decisions back with participants and the community after an engagement process?
How do we ensure engagement is culturally safe for First Nations and CALD communities with disability?
What systems or templates can we standardise (e.g. event checklists, engagement guides) to reduce barriers to engagement?
Have we embedded inclusive design into all community programs, not only large events or infrastructure?
Are people with disability encouraged and able to participate in our events and community programs?
Do we work with community organisations to make sure events and programs, including in sports, recreation and arts are inclusive and accessible?
Is information about our city and region as accessible as it can be?
Have we sent notices about important information, like road changes, rates notices and emergency information, in multiple and accessible formats?
Do we have a place on our website for people to ask for information in different formats?

Case study: Disability at Dusk – Casey, Victoria

Disability at Dusk is a joint initiative by City of Casey, Cardinia and Greater Dandenong Councils to create a truly inclusive and accessible event for people with disability.

Community events add to the social and cultural fabric of places and spaces. Making sure these events are inclusive and accessible ensures everyone can participate, which leads to stronger and more connected communities.

Disability at Dusk is a joint initiative by City of Casey, Cardinia and Greater Dandenong Councils to create a truly inclusive and accessible event for people with disability.

From design to delivery, the event puts inclusion front and centre by making sure barriers to participation by people with disability are addressed directly.

An Access Guide to the event is in place
Volunteers are on hand to help people find and move around the event
Quiet spaces are available for those who need time away from the crowds and noise.

Public community events can be inaccessible for people with disability for many reasons, including noise, crowds, sensory overload, limited accessible facilities or a lack of tailored support. A key challenge for event organisers is ensuring safe pedestrian access, clear wayfinding during events, and event communications that are accessible for everyone.

By forming a council alliance (Southern Region Disability Alliance), the councils from Casey, Greater Dandenong and Cardinia were able to leverage funding of $25,000 and establish a Community Reference Group to guide accessibility, planning and onsite support.

The event now attracts over 1,000 attendees from across Victoria, and it is supported by more than 20 volunteers. Organisers have received glowing feedback!

The key lesson is that inclusive, accessible events can be achieved through collaboration between councils and direct engagement with the community to understand what is needed. This approach also shows how strong connections can be built between councils, business partners and local disability communities.

Learn more about City of Casey’s Disability Inclusion Action Plan 2025-2029 & the Southern Region Disability Alliance’s Disability at Dusk event.

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Accessible infrastructure and services

Why this is important for councils

When places, infrastructure and services are accessible, people with disability can participate more independently. They can travel safely, engage in civic life and enjoy their community on the same basis as people without disability.

Councils have to follow the laws under Australia’s Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) to make sure places, infrastructure and services are accessible. The DDA applies to all organisations in Australia (public and private). Services, amenities and policies provided by councils are covered by the DDA. For example:

planning approval processes
recreation and cultural facilities
community services (e.g. childcare, aged care or accommodation)
parking facilities
infrastructure (e.g. local roads, bridges, footpaths and waste collection)
public toilet facilities.

There are also Disability Standards under the DDA that set rules and guidance for what organisations like councils must do. They cover areas like access to public transport, buildings and facilities. The Standards are:

The National Construction Code (NCC) translates these Standards into technical provisions that apply to many council projects and planning approvals.

States and territories also have their own legislation and requirements in place for public spaces and infrastructure. It’s important to check legislation and requirements for your council area.

Inclusion in infrastructure and services design

Universal design means designing products, environments and services so they can be used by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation. The 7 principles of universal design emphasise:

equitable use
flexibility
simplicity
perceptible information
tolerance for error
low physical effort
appropriate size and space.

Where councils have planning, design or approval responsibilities, they should support the design and delivery of buildings, places and services in ways that remove barriers to access and participation for people with disability.

What councils can do

Make sure planners and construction teams have access to the rules and guidance under the Disability (Access to Premises – Buildings) Standards 2010 and Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport 2002.
Use practical universal design guidelines and checklists from Australian sources, such as the Centre for Universal Design Australia practice guidelines and state-based universal design policies (e.g. the Victorian Whole of Government Universal Design Policy).
Require planning and design teams and consultants to demonstrate how they have applied universal design principles and complied with Disability Standards. This should include design that ensures access for people with physical, sensory, cognitive, neurological and psychosocial disability.
Integrate universal design into planning legislation and development assessment guidance. This ensures developers understand how accessibility expectations go beyond minimum compliance.
Design, construct or install specialised equipment in council-run and managed facilities:
- Add ramps, use pool hoists and aquatic wheelchairs, and make quiet areas available in recreation and aquatic facilities. Quiet areas do not always have to be purpose-built spaces — existing spaces can often be adapted through sensory adjustments.
- Include accessible adult change facilities such as Changing Places in key destinations such as town centres, regional parks, civic squares, community hubs, libraries, aquatic centres and event spaces. Consider Master Locksmiths Access Key (MLAK) systems for some toilets and other facilities to ensure they remain available to the people who need them.
- Install accessible beach and nature infrastructure, such as beach matting, and beach access programs that loan equipment at no cost.

See the case studies section for examples of implementing inclusion and accessible infrastructure in council facilities.

Funding disability specific design and facilities

Look for specific funding opportunities for local government at the national or state level to support the construction of fixed and portable facilities for people with disability.

The Commonwealth Government’s Accessible Australia program is one example of funding for inclusive beaches, parks, facilities and play spaces.

Councils could also partner with local organisations to sponsor or fundraise for accessible equipment for parks, beaches and other facilities. For example, local RSLs and Lions Clubs often partner with councils to do this.

Accessible housing and local government

Housing is a human right under the United Nations CRPD (Article 19 - the right to live independently and be included in the community and Article 28 - the right to an adequate standard of living and social protection, including housing). Having appropriate, accessible and inclusive housing is also a commitment in Australia’s Disability Strategy.

While state and territory governments predominantly set the legislative and policy frameworks for housing outcomes, councils are responsible for local decisions about zoning, planning, infrastructure, capital works and other areas that can impact where housing is available. Some local councils also provide or lead affordable or social housing and other types of accommodation.

Councils can play an important role in supporting housing outcomes aligned with community need. The Australian Local Government Association Guide for Local Councils: The Delivery of Affordable Housing identified that around 60% of Councils include housing in their strategic plans and 39% have dedicated Housing Plans.

Standards for accessible housing

The National Construction Code sets minimum accessibility standards, particularly through the Livable Housing Design Standard. This Standard has been adopted in all states and territories except WA and NSW. In WA, meeting the Standard is encouraged through relevant Residential Planning codes.

Why is this important?

People with disability experience disproportionate housing disadvantage. The AIHW People with Disability in Australia report (2024) shows that, as of June 2022, 36% of social housing households included a person with disability and 33% of Disability Support Pension (DSP) recipients receiving rent assistance were in rental stress. According to AIHW data on ADS outcomes, households with disability also wait longer to access social housing; in 2024-25, these households had to wait an average of 652 days for public housing, and 722 days for state owned and managed Indigenous housing (SOMIH).

Community spaces including parks and playgrounds

Councils are often responsible for planning, designing and building community spaces for public use. This includes parks and playgrounds or urban centres and spaces within cities and neighbourhoods. Councils can apply universal design and disability specific design principles in their planning stages, to build spaces that are accessible to all.

What councils can do

Look at examples of accessible parks and playgrounds from other councils.
Consider setting up a short-term co-design group that includes people with disability and people with other access needs (e.g. new parents, older people) to help you design an accessible space.
Engage contractors that put accessibility front and centre in their planning and design stages.
Make sure council teams and contractors know the requirements for community places and facilities in legislation.

'Whole of journey' approaches to connected and accessible networks

While many councils don’t operate public transport, they play a central role in how people travel to, between and from stops, interchanges and key destinations.

Giving people safe and accessible routes to walk, ride and/or use a range of mobility and navigation aids, is important for disability inclusion in the community.

When planning for and supporting travel through the community, it is important to think about every part of a trip. This includes ‘hard’ infrastructure, such as pathways, signage, bathroom facilities and seating, and ‘soft’ infrastructure, such as staff and driver interactions.

What councils can do

Have an inclusive Active Travel Strategy in place to support all members of the community to move about with ease and enjoy the benefits of walking, wheeling and cycling.
Work with diverse disability advisory councils and community members to design and test active transport and whole of journey planning in your neighbourhoods.
As much as possible, provide continuous, step-free, well-lit and maintained paths of travel between homes, parking, bus stops, interchanges, shops, services, health facilities, schools, parks and community facilities.
Design kerb ramps, tactile ground surface indicators, crossing points, seating and shade in line with the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport 2002, Disability (Access to Premises – Buildings) Standards 2010, the NCC and relevant Australian Standards and collaborate with state road agencies where responsibilities overlap.
Plan accessible parking, drop-off and pick-up zones, taxi ranks and set-down areas close to key entries, with connections to doors and lifts.
Work with transport agencies on wayfinding strategies that use multiple formats (clear, easily understood signage at accessible heights, tactile and braille information, audio and digital tools).
Prepare contingency plans and guidance for issues like lift outages or unexpected obstacles at council-owned and run transport interchanges. This includes having clear temporary signage, staff support and immediate communication about any changes to planned routes.

Whole of journey thinking

The Whole Journey: A guide for thinking beyond compliance to create accessible public transport journeys shows that people experience travel as one continuous journey, where each step matters. It highlights that accessibility relies not only on transport but also on the surrounding spaces people move through. When councils plan precincts and civic places with the whole of journey in mind, people can move confidently between stops, services and local destinations.

When designing a main street, councils can ask:

Does the route include clear signage, sun-safe resting points, safe crossings and an accessible toilet along the way?

Accessible council and community services

Councils provide services in the community such as libraries, recreation centres, waste collection and disposal and community programs. Everyone in the community has the right to be able to access and use these services. It’s important councils make sure they are accessible to people with disability, considering the wide range of access needs.

What councils can do

Use the principles, guidance and practical steps listed throughout this guide to review council services and make sure they are accessible to people with disability.
Implement accessibility across all council-run service centres and facilities, including:
- physical accessibility, such as ramps, rails, wide access and accessible bathrooms
- accessible signage (e.g. high contrast colours and possibly braille)
- information about the service in multiple accessible formats
- sensory safe spaces and quiet rooms.
Develop policies for supporting people with disability to access services across your main council functions (e.g. waste management, community programs etc).

Trauma-informed and accessible complaints processes

Trauma informed practice ensures people are empowered to engage with complaints systems in a safe way.

Councils should be clear about how a person with disability or their supporters can make a complaint to council if they have concerns about being treated unfairly. This includes if there are accessibility issues in community services that council is responsible for.

When making a complaint, a person with disability must be treated with respect, and consideration to past and continuing trauma and any experiences of discrimination occurring in a person’s life.

Councils should make sure people are aware of the advocacy services available to them.

Making digital infrastructure and services accessible

Digital access is becoming increasingly vital and should be prioritised alongside physical access. Digital services need to be accessible and inclusive of diverse communities. This includes:

websites
apps
online forms, including for issues and complaints processes
payment systems
booking platforms
public Wi-Fi
digital kiosks
social media.

Accessible digital services can expand reach, improve user satisfaction and reduce complaints and costs over time.

What councils can do

Adopt an organisation-wide digital accessibility policy aligned with AHRC guidance and WCAG accessibility requirements.
Include accessibility in procurement for websites, apps, customer request systems, ticketing and information displays, including requiring testing with diverse users.
Provide communication and information in multiple formats. Go to the guidance on accessible communication formats.
Ensure digital tools are part of your council’s service system, so people can access services without having to use the phone or visit service centres. This includes services such as libraries.

Guidelines for equal access to digital goods and services

The AHRC Guidelines on Equal Access to Digital Goods and Services explain how obligations under the DDA apply to technology, such as using the WCAG.

Maintain, renew and manage accessible assets

All council assets and infrastructure should have a maintenance plan and budget to make sure they remain accessible to all. Common things that need regular maintenance reviews include:

lifts
ramps
tactile indicators
lighting
shared paths
beach access
public toilets
digital systems.

What councils can do

Build accessibility checks into regular asset inspections for roads, footpaths, parks, buildings, toilets, signage and digital platforms.
Prioritise fixing barriers that have high impact on safety and participation, informed by feedback from people with disability.
Use renewal programs and asset management plans as opportunities to improve accessibility beyond original standards, rather than like-for-like replacement. This can be done over a phased roll-out to help with budget management.
Monitor and respond to both positive and negative feedback about accessibility to identify issues and improve future asset accessibility.

Partnerships for more accessible infrastructure and services

Planning for accessible infrastructure and services works best when councils partner with people with disability, disability organisations and local access and inclusion advisory groups. It’s also important to work with other levels of government who may be involved in delivery.

What councils can do

Some practical ways to engage in partnerships for more accessible infrastructure and services include:

use your disability advisory committees to provide input into infrastructure and service planning
work with local advocacy and disability organisations to better understand community needs and design places and facilities with their input
conduct site experiences with community members with disability
design and test digital products and services with assistive technology users
use inclusive engagement processes (consultation and co-design, if possible) to involve people with disability in major projects
partner with other councils or local government disability inclusion networks to share information and designs for accessible infrastructure and services, including what works and what doesn’t.

Councils can also work with local partners to advocate for upgrades to infrastructure, assets and services in community that are the responsibility of other agencies.

Reflection questions

Consider these questions for your council:

How well do your current infrastructure and service strategies demonstrate Universal Design and disability specific design beyond minimum legal compliance? Can this be incorporated in your asset management plan to assist with a phased implementation?
How have the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport 2002 and Disability (Access to Premises – Buildings) Standards 2010 been used and communicated to council staff and external suppliers?
When planning improvements for town centres or precincts, how do you consider the whole journey from people's homes, through public, community or active transport, to their final destination? Is this in your neighbourhood plans? Where are the current gaps?
How accessible are your digital services? Do you have a clear plan to meet or exceed AHRC guidance on equal access to digital goods and services?
How are people with disability involved in setting priorities for infrastructure upgrades and helping to design solutions, and how do you close the feedback loop by showing what has changed as a result?

Case study: Accessible changing places — Greater Geelong, Victoria

The City of Greater Geelong has installed multiple Changing Places facilities and operates 'Marveloo', a portable fully accessible change facility that can be taken to events and community sites across the municipality.

Inclusive public spaces and amenities help people take part in community life. Local councils can improve access by making sure facilities meet the needs of everyone. These facilities can be fixed infrastructure or mobile options.

One such mobile facility has helped transform how Greater Geelong delivers inclusive, accessible events for its community. That facility is a toilet…

Greater Geelong is one of Victoria’s fastest growing regions. About 22% of people in the area have a disability. That’s about 54,985 people. The council runs many community events. These events attract large numbers of locals and visitors. As events grow, the Council needs facilities that work for everyone.

The council introduced the ‘Marveloo’. The Marveloo is a portable changing places facility. It includes a track hoist and adjustable adult changing table.

The Council’s local inclusion advisory group advocated for the portable solution, which has now been used at major community events like The Royal Geelong Show and Ability Fest.

Because Marveloo is portable, the council can use it at events and temporary sites. They don’t need to build new structures each time, saving time and money. Marveloo shows how one simple, flexible design can be used to greatly improve access across the region.

The Marveloo joins the permanent Changing Places locations across Geelong, some have been in place since 2009.

It’s one example of how councils can make events more inclusive. Where everyone has access and feels welcome.

Learn more about Marveloo on the City of Greater Geelong’s website.

Case study: Northern Rivers Rail Trail — Tweed Shire, New South Wales

A multi-council inclusive trail in regional NSW, designed for mobility, vision, hearing and cognitive access, with smooth surfaces, accessible toilets, a social script and assistance-animal-friendly paths.

Public spaces work best when everyone can use them. Inclusive trails, parks, and shared outdoor spaces help communities come together, stay active, and feel connected.

Local councils play an important role in creating these spaces. The Northern Rivers Rail Trail in regional New South Wales is an example of what’s possible when inclusion is considered from the planning stage.

The trail is a multi-use path for walking, cycling, and other activities. It follows a historic railway line through towns, farmland, and natural landscapes. The trail has received national recognition, winning Silver at the 2025 Qantas Australian Tourism Awards.

The trail meets recognised standards for inclusion across mobility, vision, hearing and cognitive access.

The Northern Rivers Rail Trail is delivered through a partnership between Tweed Shire Council, Byron Shire Council, Lismore City Council and Richmond Valley Council.

When complete, the trail will span 132 km. Two sections are currently open, including a 24 km northern section between Murwillumbah and Crabbes Creek and a 29.7 km southern section between Casino and Lismore.

Key accessible features of the trail include:

smooth surfaces suitable for mobility scooters and devices
accessible parking, rest areas with seating and accessible toilets at key locations
a social script to support people with cognitive disability or autism
assistance animals welcome along the trail

Tweed Shire Council have also partnered with Cycling Without Age to offer free trishaw rides on an approved section of the trail at Burringbar. This allows older people, people with disability or anyone with reduced mobility to still experience the trail. Access and inclusion have not only been considered in the design of the trail, but also in how the space can be activated after completion through community partnerships and programs.

The Northern Rivers Rail Trail shows how councils can work together to create inclusive outdoor community spaces.

Read the Northern Rivers Rail Trail accessibility statement or learn more about the trail on the Northern Rivers Rail Trail website.

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Case study: Accessible playground — Melville, Western Australia

The City of Melville's Piney Lakes Sensory Play Park demonstrates how community engagement, partnerships and co-design can place accessibility at the heart of inclusive play spaces.

Inclusive play spaces help support people of all abilities to play, connect and belong. Local councils play an important role in delivering these spaces through thoughtful design and community engagement.

The City of Melville’s Piney Lakes Sensory Play Park, set within a 67-hectare reserve within Western Australia, is designed to support a range of needs, enabling people with disability to play/be and interact alongside family, friends and community.

Key to the design process for this staged redevelopment, was the City’s engagement, collaboration and partnerships with community, organisations, designers, contractors, specialists and artists to place accessibility (creative and playful) at the heart of design considerations.

Engagement methods, ongoing relationships, shared experiences and onsite testing by people with disability, all helped shape the creation of unique quality play experiences, with layered opportunities and healthy levels of risk and challenge for this park.

The result is a flexible, welcoming space that supports a wide range of play preferences.

Key features of the park include:

Wide paths, ramps and tunnels connecting play pods.
Views and connections to lake, mature trees, wildlife.
Slides, swings, roundabout, transfer and transition edges, turtle play dome, rope climb, rock clamber, balance and upper body play.
Art discovery, raised gardens, sand and water play, sound elements, elevated and enclosed experiences, interactive sensory elements.
Quiet areas.
Picnic tables, drink fountains, bathrooms, and BBQ.

City of Melville Mayor Katy Mair said the City’s Disability Access and Inclusion Plan (DAIP) 2024 – 2029 is an important document in helping achieve its vision of an inclusive community.

‘We aim to build neighbourhoods where all members have strong social connections and part of that is ensuring those who live with a disability and those who share their lives are supported to participate in the community equally and fairly and in ways they choose.’

Learn more about the Piney Lakes Sensory Play Park on the City of Melville website.

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Community safety and emergency management

Why this is important for councils

It is a requirement of national and state legislation and policy, including the Disability Discrimination Act, that every person has the right to safety.

Councils should consider how their community safety actions and programs include and support the safety of people with disability in the community. This applies to areas that councils lead or play an important role in, such as:

emergency management and recovery
crime prevention – for example, through environmental design, lighting in parks and reserves, CCTV and neighbourhood watch programs
road safety programs and safe active travel
safe and inclusive public spaces
maintaining community cohesion.

Councils can work in partnership with people with disability, advocates and service providers to strengthen community safety, plan for safer public spaces and make sure emergency management considers the specific risk factors and needs of everyone in the community.

Emergency and disaster management

Note

Important note: Emergency management responsibilities vary across states and territories, and not all local governments have formal response or control functions. However, all local governments play an important role in reducing risk, supporting preparedness, communicating with their communities, and facilitating accessible local supports before, during and after emergencies. Use the following information as a guide to apply what is needed in your council area.

During emergencies and disasters, people with disability can face increased risk when usual supports, infrastructure and communication systems are disrupted. This could include:

physical barriers restricting mobility
chronic health conditions that are worsened (e.g. respiratory problems impacted by smoke from fires, extreme heat etc)
stressful, unpredictable or overstimulating emergency environments, which can create additional barriers and communication difficulties for people with neurodivergent, cognitive or psychosocial disability
challenges communicating or receiving information for people who are deaf or hard of hearing or who have intellectual disability.

Councils often play a role in preparing and responding to emergencies to keep everyone in the community safe. Emergencies most often refers to natural disasters like fires, floods and cyclones and public health emergencies.

Councils with responsibilities for emergency management should co-develop mechanisms with people with disability across all stages, from preparedness to recovery. This helps embed safety, accessibility and shared responsibility within systems, rather than adding them retrospectively.

Even councils who don’t have key responsibilities in emergency management still need to consider safety and responses in:

managing important community facilities that are often a lifeline in disasters
communicating about access in the community during and following an emergency.

Important guidance for improving disaster preparedness, response and recovery with people with disability

Disability Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction (DIDRR) Framework: The DIDRR Framework and Toolkit for Collaborative Action provides a shared foundation for improving disaster preparedness, response and recovery for people with disability across Australia. It was co-designed with people with disability, community organisations, researchers and emergency services to ensure the guidance reflects real experiences and practical barriers. Councils can use the framework to review local emergency plans and identify gaps and design actions that better support the safety and wellbeing of their community before, during and after disasters. There are two practical tools produced in this work to help councils activate DIDRR at the individual, organisational and community level:

National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Toolkit for Disability Inclusive Emergency Management (DIEM): The Disability Inclusive Emergency Management (DIEM) Toolkit shares good practice tools and resources for disability inclusive emergency management developed in Australia. It includes Principles and a Practical Action Guide, Organisational Emergency Preparedness Profile, and a Resource Map. Each component of the toolkit works together to facilitate self-assessment, collaboration, and tailored action planning for emergency preparedness. Councils can use the toolkit to assess their emergency preparedness and capabilities, identify strengths and areas for improvement, and foster strategic partnerships with other emergency planners and responders.

There are free eLearning modules for Disability Inclusion Emergency Management on the NEMA website.

Prevention and mitigation

What councils can do

Use the DIEM Toolkit’s Organisational Emergency Preparedness Profile to understand how current council policies and systems consider disability inclusion.
Apply universal Design Principles when planning or upgrading council facilities and public infrastructure. This helps make sure facilities are accessible and more resilient in times of emergency.
Involve people with disability and representative organisations in local risk assessments, hazard mapping or emergency planning activities.
Plan for mitigating risks in natural disasters and other emergencies for people with disability as part of broader climate adaptation and community resilience initiatives.

Preparedness

What councils can do

Work with disability organisations or community services to support personalised emergency planning, including through P-CEP workshops.
Make sure emergency information and community education materials are accessible, including in multiple formats.
Review emergency plans, websites and apps to ensure they are accessible and user-test them with people with disability.
Support staff and volunteers with training on respectful, inclusive communication and assistance during emergencies, including making sure they’re aware of what specific supports are available.
Strengthen partnerships with emergency services, disability networks and local providers to ensure coordinated assistance for residents who may have higher support needs.

Response

What councils can do

Ensure warnings and updates are clear, timely and accessible. This means delivering updates in accessible formats, including information in plain English, Auslan and captions where possible.
Ensure evacuation centres and community relief hubs are as accessible as possible, with adequate access into buildings, accessible bathrooms and charging points for mobility or medical devices.
Stay connected with disability organisations and local support providers to support connections with residents who may need additional support.
Make sure all council teams and volunteers involved in emergency response are clear about procedures and specific supports available to help people with disability with access needs, including during evacuation procedures.

Recovery

What councils can do

Draw on P-CEP insights to shape recovery supports that respond to individual needs.
Involve people with disability and representative organisations in community consultations and recovery planning.
Apply Universal Design principles to rebuilding projects to ensure public spaces and buildings are more accessible than before.
Work with disability and community organisations to deliver recovery hubs that offer information, mobility aid repair, peer support and wellbeing services.
If possible, put in place programs to support people with disability during community recovery. This includes things that help to address isolation and social or psychological impacts people with disability may be more likely to experience during and after disasters. For example, distress caused by change and uncertainty during and after disasters, which can be more prominent for people who are neurodivergent or have a cognitive disability.
Work across systems to provide vital temporary services or facilities that may be required for people with disability while recovery efforts are underway. This may include ensuring there are accessible temporary or short-term accommodation options available.

Communicating during disasters

What councils can do

Provide key information in accessible formats such as plain language, Easy Read, captions, Auslan or screen-reader friendly content
Share updates through a mix of channels — SMS alerts, social media, websites, radio and local networks
Keep messages concise, practical and action-focused
Collaborate with disability organisations and support providers to help ensure information reaches residents who may need targeted support

Reflection questions

Consider these questions for your council:

How has your council involved people with disability in the design of public spaces to make sure they're safe?
How does your council make sure community facilities and evacuation centres can be accessed by people with disability?
Are people with disability and their representative organisations part of your community safety and local emergency management committees?
How were people with disability impacted in recent hazards or disasters that have affected your community? Were these impacts anticipated or unexpected?
How do your communication and recovery plans ensure accessibility and inclusion?

Case study: Preparing for emergencies in partnership with people with disability — Mackay, Queensland

Mackay Regional Council introduced Disability Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction practices and Person-Centred Emergency Preparedness (P-CEP) to make sure people with disability, and other high-risk groups such as seniors, have the capability and access to the resources they need to plan for their needs in emergencies.

Local councils help communities prepare for and stay safe before, during and after disasters. Inclusive disaster planning helps make sure no one is left behind.

Mackay is a coastal city in Central Queensland. It sits near major river and floodplains. The area often faces floods and extreme weather. For people with disability living in Mackay, emergency planning is essential.

Barriers in everyday life can become dangerous in a disaster. When Cyclone Debbie hit in 2017, many of the usual supports were disrupted. Shelters, evacuation centres and emergency messages didn’t meet the needs of many people with disability in the community.

In response, Mackay Regional Council introduced Disability Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction practices and Person-Centred Emergency Preparedness (P-CEP). This means making sure people with disability, and other high-risk groups, such as seniors, have the capability and access to the resources they need to plan for their needs in emergencies. It means focusing on preparing ‘with’ residents, not ‘for’ them. It recognises that people with disability have their own expertise and lived experience to bring to disaster preparedness planning.

P-CEP is a process co-designed with people with disability, carers, community organisations, emergency services and researchers. It helps people create emergency plans to their own strengths and needs.

P-CEP starts with conversation, not checklists, and helps people think about the support they need before, during and after an emergency.

The council promoted P-CEP across the community. It shared the P-CEP Workbook widely and encouraged people to create their own plans. They also provided screen reader friendly and fillable forms of the workbook to support access. The workbooks were in high demand. The Council had to order extra copies.

In 2020, the council brought people together through events, meetings, and information sessions for hands-on learning about emergency preparedness and to share ideas. They also started ‘P-CEP @ Libraries’. This pop-up service ran at the start of cyclone season. It helped reach people who are not linked to disability or aged care providers.

Mackay’s work shows how councils can lead inclusive disaster planning. By working alongside people with disability, councils can help communities feel safer, more confident and better prepared.

Learn more: Mackay Regional Council – P-CEP

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Resources for this section

Planning for disability inclusion

This section guides you through the process of developing a disability action plan for your council.

A disability action plan helps translate a council’s commitments to disability inclusion into practical actions, timeframes and responsibilities. They often include local contexts and factors that might be specific to a local government area and incorporate locally led needs and solutions.

Many councils already have disability action plans. In some states and territories, it is a requirement.

What is disability action planning?

Developing a disability action plan is a proactive way for councils to:

make sure facilities, goods and services are accessible and inclusive to people with disability
make sure you are complying with the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA)
demonstrate your commitment to go beyond compliance. This includes addressing attitudinal, physical, communication and social barriers for people with disability in the community.

Many councils already have disability action plans. In some states and territories, it is a requirement.

Action plans can be registered and submitted to the AHRC’s public register. This register helps councils and other organisations learn from each other. It also helps track progress towards disability inclusion planning in Australia.

What's in a disability action plan?

Use our checklist to help develop your plan.

What’s in a disability action plan might change depending on a council’s population size, location, needs and priorities. However, here are some common elements for the structure of a plan.

Checklist for disability action plans

A message from the Mayor.
An overview of council and the community.
Vision for disability inclusion.
Guiding principles.
Policy and legislative context and how it links with other council plans.
Achievements you have made in your last disability action plan.
How the plan was developed, including the consultation and/or co-design process.
Identification of barriers and opportunities.
Outcome areas, strategies and actions.
Implementation and governance.
Monitoring, reporting and review.
Case studies and examples – throughout your plan it’s a good idea to include examples, case studies or stories from the community. This helps people relate to the plan and see the practical actions council is taking.

State and territory requirements

Across Australia, many councils develop disability inclusion or access plans under a range of frameworks. Some plans are mandated through state or territory legislation or policy. Others are developed voluntarily to strengthen inclusion and meet obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth).

View a summary of state and territory requirements.

Note

State and territory requirements can change. It is important to review the latest requirements for your state or territory. Information is available at the links provided in this section of the Guide. Contact the relevant department in your state or territory to find out more about the requirements that apply to your council.

This information is current as of April 2026.

Developing a plan

This section outlines the common steps for developing and implementing an effective disability action plan. Not all of these steps may be relevant, depending on the size of your council. Some states and territories provide templates and guidance for you to develop your action plan. A summary of each step is provided below and you can get detailed information by clicking on the relevant headings.

Eight steps for developing a disability action plan

Determine responsibility, governance and accountability. Allocating ownership of the plan and clear responsibilities. This includes decisions about how the plan will be developed with stakeholders and the community.
Define clear goals and objectives. Know your local context, strategic priorities and what the council wants to achieve with inclusion planning.
Plan for engagement. Develop an engagement plan for how you will involve people with disability, staff and the community in creating the plan. Define how each of these groups can get involved in reviewing and implementing the plan.
Map and understand the operating environment, including through community engagement. Identify key barriers, touchpoints and opportunities for improving disability inclusion in the community. Do this with the input of community members with disability.
Develop strategies, specific actions and policies. This includes ways to monitor and report on performance. This is often guided by an advisory group or internal council working groups.
Draft, test and refine an accessible plan. Before finalising your plan, it’s important to get feedback through public consultation.
Endorse, publish and operationalise the plan throughout council. Make sure council staff are aware of and trained in the principles and key aspects of your plan relevant to their role.
Monitoring, evaluation and reporting. Make sure processes are in place to monitor and track the actions in your plan. Communicate progress and promote and celebrate successes.

As you develop your plan, keep in mind there may be specific state and territory requirements. Plans should also be responsive to the needs and circumstances of different councils.

Step 1. Determine responsibility, governance and accountability

Council leadership should endorse development of the plan, with a champion in the executive to help lead the process.

Developing governance arrangements at the start of developing the plan encourages a whole-of-council approach. It means those responsible for implementation can engage in the planning process. It helps them to be clear about what is expected or how this might impact them.

Governance should include opportunities to involve people with disability and advisory committees from the start, to help shape the approach and priorities for the plan.

It’s also important to identify funding and resource requirements as early as possible in the planning process, including opportunities for state or federal government grant assistance.

Practical actions councils can take

Review responsibilities under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) and identify any state and territory requirements for DAPs/DIAPs/DAIPs.
Appoint an executive sponsor to champion the planning process and inclusion across council.
Identify a project lead or manager to lead the planning development process.
Develop a cross-council working group, with a multidisciplinary team to drive consultation, planning, development and communications.
Decide how you will involve the community and the level of engagement they will have in developing the plan. This might be determined based on resources, priorities and community need. During step 1, this might include:
- setting up a new (or using an existing) disability advisory committee to guide the process
- considering representation and diversity on the committee
- establishing a process to co-design the plan with the community and stakeholders, where this is appropriate
- informing the community that council is developing a plan and providing updates on progress and opportunities to be involved.

Step 2. Define clear goals and objectives

Be clear from the start about legislative or policy requirements, local context and expectations about what the plan should achieve. Consider how your disability action plan will integrate and align with other council plans, like corporate and operational plans.

Practical actions councils can take

Review and map your council’s strategic framework and policies to show where the disability action plan sits and how it connects to and supports overarching council plans, work and outcomes. Make sure your plan links with other council planning cycles and priorities. Read more guidance about integrating your plan below.
Consider how the plan will contribute to Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021-2031. You may want to also consider how you will structure the plan, so it aligns with the outcome areas of Australia’s Disability Strategy and/or relevant state and territory requirements.
Consider progress and achievements against previous disability action plans, or other community plans with relevant actions for inclusion.
Set a clear picture of what success looks like and how it will be monitored. Having this in place from the start can support accountability and keep actions on track.

Tips for aligning strategic documents

Here are some tips for making sure disability inclusion is aligned with and integrated in other plans and strategies that council operates.

Map relevant documents that influence council decision makers (e.g. Strategic Plan, Community Engagement Strategy, Economic Development Plan, Reconciliation Action Plan, Workforce Strategy, Procurement Policies). Identify where inclusion-related commitments could or should appear.
Review existing commitments and identify alignment opportunities (where disability inclusion principles can strengthen existing objectives and where there are gaps).
Establish cross-department governance through a reference group or steering committee.
Embed inclusion actions into work programs (assign actions to relevant teams). This can be done by transferring actions into existing planning and reporting frameworks.
When strategic documents are scheduled for review, integrate disability inclusion principles and commitments into them.
Align monitoring and reporting measures (use consistent indicators across business units, report on inclusion progress in annual reports, internal dashboards and community updates).
Develop a timeline for the key milestones of the disability inclusion plan, including key events and forums, when actions are expected to be delivered and reporting milestones, so all areas of council can look for opportunities that align with the plan.

Why is this important?

Integrating your disability action planning within existing planning cycles allows councils to achieve efficiencies and encourage a whole-of-council approach. It means:

disability inclusion will not be siloed in one team
all business units can build capacity in disability inclusion
disability inclusion initiatives will be embedded into core planning, budgeting and reporting cycles
councils can avoid duplication or contradictions across strategies
councils can streamline resources and budget where possible
inclusion becomes a strategic priority, rather than a separate add on

Step 3. Plan for engagement

A good engagement strategy identifies opportunities for ongoing consultation, co-design and collaboration throughout the process of developing the plan, rather than asking for feedback at the end.

Community engagement can take time to do well. It may also require additional resourcing which should be built into the budget when developing the plan. Several useful resources are available to help councils plan and deliver inclusive consultations and engagement for your disability action plan.

The engagement strategy should also consider future engagement. This includes how people with disability, other members of the community and staff might continue to be involved in monitoring, evaluating and reporting on the action plan.

Practical actions councils can take

Develop an engagement strategy for internal staff (including an emphasis on including staff with disability) and the external community.
Identify the different audience segments you want to engage and the different ways they might be involved.
Make sure the strategy empowers the participation of the diverse range of people with disability in your community and supports them to engage safely and meaningfully.
Make sure the strategy considers audience groups who are often underrepresented in council processes.
Include specific, culturally appropriate engagement processes with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with disability.
Include a communications plan to promote the engagement opportunities in the community. Consider different channels and formats for accessibility and reach.
Develop a range of inclusive engagement methods to involve people with disability and local disability organisations in developing the plan. This might include surveys, workshops, small group conversations or one-on-one discussions. If you have an advisory committee, consult them when developing the strategy for advice on different methods of engagement.
Include engagement activities for council staff to understand how the plan will impact and work in their area.
Review case studies to find out how other councils engaged communities in the development of their plans.

Step 4. Understand the operating environment

Understanding the operating environment is an important step before developing the plan. It supports a whole-of-council approach and will help identify:

existing disability inclusion initiatives and practices in council
barriers preventing people with disability from engaging in services or community life within council’s responsibilities
service providers and community organisations in the local disability space
opportunities to improve inclusion across council operations.

Councils should include a profile of community living within the council area, as well as how people with disability outside the council area can access council services (such as tourism or recreational facilities).

Practical actions councils can take

Map the strategic and operating environment to identify key touchpoints within service areas’ operations of facilities, services and programs (including contracted operations).
Identify typical service user pathways and existing data, including access audits, previous engagement findings, complaints and demographic data.
With input from community members with disability, identify local needs, key barriers and opportunities or ideas for improvements.
Identify clear focus areas that reflect community feedback and lived experience.

Aligning community, council and inclusion priorities (NSW)

Several NSW councils use their Community Strategic Plan as the ‘parent plan’ for the DIAP. When updating the plan every four years, officers map each DIAP action to the relevant outcome area in the Community Strategic Plan (such as ‘inclusive communities’ or ‘liveable places’).

This supports mandatory annual reporting under the NSW Disability Inclusion Act 2014 and ensures elected members can clearly see the DIAP’s contribution to broader council goals.

Source: NSW Government, Disability Inclusion Action Planning Guidelines (2023)

Step 5. Developing strategies, specific actions and policies

A disability action plan should include specific disability inclusion initiatives and actions. These should align with the goals and objectives identified during step 2.

These should also reflect engagement with the community and the mapping from step 4.

As a guide, the table of actions and strategies in the public version of a plan might include:

a clear description of the action
the goal
who it is for (e.g. the target population or audience)
expected outcome or objective
a timeframe
responsibility for action.

Practical actions councils can take

Identify strategies and actions in the plan. Make sure actions are realistic for the size and resources of the council. Councils might undertake an analysis of actions using methods and tools like an ‘Effort-Impact Matrix’ to help prioritise actions.
Develop an operational and monitoring plan to support each major action that explains:
- resources required for implementation, including who in council will lead it, key external partnerships and suppliers
- how to phase in key works across existing plans, such as asset renewal and maintenance plans
- possible risks or challenges in implementation and mitigation strategies
- reporting requirements, as set out in your plan and aligned to any state requirements.
A separate evaluation plan or framework may be produced to guide monitoring, evaluation and review of the plan in future years (refer Step 8).

Step 6. Draft, test and refine an accessible plan

Once strategies and actions are developed and supported by the internal project team and governance structure, councils can draft the plan. The draft plan should be put into a clear, accessible document for people to read, understand and respond to.

You can use the checklist for what might be in a disability action plan to help draft it.

As well as drafting the plan in this phase, it is important to give stakeholders and the community an opportunity to provide feedback.

Practical actions councils can take

Collate all relevant information and create an easy-to-read document (or HTML version) with a clear structure.
Prepare the draft in accessible formats.
Test the draft with people with disability, advisory committees, disability organisations and staff. Some things you could ask about include:
- is the plan clear, easy to understand and accessible
- is there anything missing
- what should be changed
- can we achieve the proposed actions? (Feasibility).
Offer different ways for people to give feedback (e.g. surveys, in-person or online forums, digital tools).
Refine actions based on feedback. Ensure responsibilities, timeframes and measures are realistic.
Clearly communicate how feedback has influenced changes to the plan and the next steps.

Step 7. Endorsing, publishing and operationalising the plan

When the plan is ready for publishing, promote it throughout council and in the wider community. It is important this process is led by leadership, disability champions, and a thorough governance process like a working group, if available (refer Step 1).

Practical actions councils can take

Confirm endorsement and approval at all levels of council.
Publish the plan in accessible formats and make it publicly available on websites. Make sure the plan or a summary of it is in plain English. You should consider translations, if possible, like an Auslan and Easy Read version.
Ensure the plan is integrated into business planning and prioritisation.
Distribute and promote the plan internally and externally in a range of ways, including:
- hold an event to celebrate the launch of the plan
- make it prominent and easy to find on council and other community websites
- share in newsletters and social media
- integrate the plan into induction processes for council and include short information sessions for all council staff once the plan is launched
- include disability inclusion KPIs in council performance plans.

Awards and recognition to help celebrate inclusion actions

One way that councils can promote disability inclusion actions in the plan is by establishing awards that recognise progress towards accessibility and inclusion targets or achievements. This is an effective way of promoting the plan as well as sharing good examples that make a difference for inclusion in the community.

Awards could be held during International Day of People with Disability or other important dates.

Recognising progress towards council’s inclusion goals should also be done along the way, not only at the end of the project. Sharing updates on progress and recognising those involved, both within and outside of council, is important to continue to show support for inclusion actions.

Step 8. Monitoring, evaluation and reporting

Evaluation is essential to show progress and accountability of local government towards improving the inclusion of people with disability in its services and community life.

A monitoring, evaluation or reporting framework should be developed to complement the disability action plan. This will help track progress, keep the plan relevant and support continuous improvement.

Check requirements for monitoring and reporting

In some states and territories, reporting on progress is a legislative requirement. It may be supported by specific evaluation frameworks. Make sure you are aware of state and territory reporting requirements outlined in this section.

Practical actions councils can take

Tracking progress with clear indicators and measures

Set up ways to track the indicators for each goal/objective of the plan (established in Step 5). These should be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) indicators to track progress over time. Each strategy, action or initiative should have a way of recording data so monitoring and reporting is effective.
Start tracking your progress and monitoring the plan. Where possible, design measures that can be tracked using existing systems to reduce reporting burden, especially in smaller councils. Tracking progress may include recording things like:
- activity indicators (e.g. number of accessible events delivered)
- experience-based indicators (e.g. community feedback on accessibility)
- inclusion indicators (e.g. proportion of procurement decisions assessed using accessible procurement criteria).
Use a mix of qualitative and quantitative data as methods of measurement to understand how effective the plan has been. For example:
- surveys, interviews or feedback sessions with people with disability, families and carers or other stakeholders
- direct input from disability advisory committees
- ways for staff to share progress towards their actions and give feedback on whether actions are having an impact
- observations and audits (e.g. accessibility of facilities, digital content checks)
- workforce and procurement data
- storytelling and case studies, with community members able to share where things have improved or still need work.

Involving people with disability in monitoring and evaluation

People with disability should be involved in designing how the disability action plan will be monitored. This might be through roles on an advisory committee or being asked to give feedback through methods like surveys or sharing of stories on a regular basis.

Ongoing community feedback allows councils to identify where they might need to focus future efforts. It also helps councils to monitor whether the plan is making an active difference in improving inclusion across services and infrastructure.

Monitoring and reporting

Create a simple internal cycle for monitoring and reporting. It could include:
- quarterly check-ins at leadership levels
- annual progress updates
- midterm reviews to confirm whether actions remain relevant or need adjusting
- reporting progress through existing council reporting processes and sharing this progress through community updates.
Prepare clear, accessible public reporting. An annual public report of progress against the plan helps foster trust and aligns with a rights-based approach. It is important this includes:
- a summary of progress against each action and outcome
- lived experience insights from ongoing engagement about how the plan is progressing and the impact it has
- the focus for the next 12 months, or what will be improved next.

Update the plan when it's needed

Monitoring should also include deciding when updates might need to be made to the disability action plan. For example, when there are legislative changes (like updates to the Disability Discrimination Act), or when the needs of the community change.

Councils should also aim to make continuous improvements to the plan, which may include:

updating or refining actions as circumstances change or new challenges emerge
adding new actions emerging from community feedback
remaking or refreshing the plan in line with any state or territory requirements
re-prioritise actions if major reforms occur (e.g. state plan updates or Foundational Supports implementation).

Reporting requirements

Some states and territories have specific reporting requirements.

NSW: NSW Government requires reporting annually under the NSW Disability Inclusion Act 2014.
SA: SA Government requires reporting annually using an outcomes framework under the Disability Inclusion Act 2018.
VIC: VIC Government requires councils to report annually on implementation of their Disability Action Plans under the Disability Act 2006.
WA: WA Government requires councils to report annually on their Disability Access and Inclusion Plans under the Disability Services Act 1993.
TAS: TAS Government does not mandate Disability Inclusion Action Plan reporting for their councils.
QLD: QLD Government does not have a legislated requirement for their council Disability Inclusion Action Plans or reporting.
NT: NT Government does not require their councils to formally report on Disability Inclusion Action Plans.

Examples of disability action plans

The following examples show how different councils across Australia have developed disability action plans. They include metropolitan, regional and remote councils, and illustrate a range of approaches to disability inclusion planning.

These examples are provided as a starting point — each council’s plan will reflect its own community, priorities and legislative requirements.

Resources for this section

Case study: Example disability action plan - City of Sydney, New South Wales

How the City of Sydney developed its Inclusion (Disability) Action Plan 2025-2029 through advisory panels, community engagement and co-design, supported by a governance framework that embeds accountability and lived experience.

The City of Sydney covers more than 26 square kilometres of central Sydney and surrounds. This includes major landmarks such as the Sydney Opera House, institutions like the University of Sydney and busy residential suburbs. The city centre has heritage buildings and narrow streets, and runs public transport on road, rail and water.

Big public events draw large crowds throughout the year. All this means achieving genuine accessibility and inclusion for the City of Sydney’s communities requires careful, wide-ranging planning.

And genuine inclusion means involving people with disability from the start.

To help with this planning and ensure community voices guide decisions, the City of Sydney supports a range of advisory panels and committees. These groups work within a clear governance framework, guided by the community engagement strategy and community participation plan 2025–2029 and other Council-endorsed policies.

One group is the Inclusion (Disability) Advisory Panel. It played a key role in developing the inclusion (disability) action plan 2025–2029. Developing the plan included consulting people with disability and the broader community, as well as targeted focus groups for accessible participation and cultural safety, ensuring everyone felt comfortable contributing.

The City of Sydney developed the action plan in 2 stages in just under one year. Stage 1 focused on early conversations and co-design. More than 350 people took part. It involved disability-led surveys, focus groups and a co-design roundtable with:

people with disability
families and carers
disability organisations and disability peak bodies
the City of Sydney’s Inclusive City disability employee network
the advisory panel.

Stage 2 called for public comment on the draft plan. Easy Read and Auslan video versions were available. Feedback was invited online, over the phone and by post.

The action plan is supported by a comprehensive 4-year roadmap detailing goals, responsible staff and performance measures embedded into the City of Sydney’s corporate reporting. Governance of the action plan includes an executive sponsor as champion and a strategy manager that coordinates 6-monthly check-ins, reporting and consulting the advisory panel.

By having a clear strategy, shaped by community, the City of Sydney can plan for future needs and review progress. This approach shows how councils can combine strong governance with lived experience insights to create inclusive, place-based policy.

Learn more and read the inclusion (disability) action plan on the City of Sydney website.

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Case study: Example disability action plan - City of Casey, Victoria

How one of Australia's fastest growing municipalities is taking a whole-of-council approach to disability inclusion with 72 actions across five outcome areas.

The City of Casey Disability Inclusion Action Plan 2025-2029 sets out how the council will improve accessibility and inclusion across services, facilities, communication and employment in one of Australia’s fastest growing municipalities.

The City of Casey is a large outer-metropolitan council area in Melbourne’s south-east. The municipality has around 400,000 residents and is rapidly growing. Around 18,994 residents (4.7%) in the City of Casey require assistance with daily living due to disability, while disability may affect up to 20% of the population.

About the Plan

The City of Casey Disability Inclusion Action Plan 2025-2029 takes a whole-of-council approach to disability inclusion. It includes 72 actions across five outcome areas:

Council services and leadership
Communication services and engagement
Education, employment and businesses
Health, recreation and public spaces
Inclusion, safety and fairness

The plan was developed over six months through extensive community engagement. This included co-designing the plan with the Disability Access and Inclusion Advisory Group (DAIAG).

The DIAP is supported by an implementation plan and ongoing monitoring to track progress.

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Case study: Example disability action plan - Cairns Regional Council, Queensland

Practical, place-based actions to improve accessibility and inclusion in a regional setting, recognising Cairns' role as a major tourism destination.

The Cairns Regional Council Disability Access and Inclusion Plan (DAIP) 2024-2026 sets out practical, place-based actions to improve accessibility and inclusion in a regional setting.

Cairns Regional Council covers a large regional area in Far North Queensland, with a population of around 172,000 people, including around 28,000 residents with disability. With access to the Great Barrier Reef, it is also a major tourism destination attracting large numbers of visitors each year.

About the Plan

The Cairns Regional Council DAIP 2024-2026 includes actions to improve:

accessible council facilities and services
accessible communication and information
inclusive community engagement
participation opportunities for people with disability.

The plan recognises Cairns’ role as a regional tourism destination and the need to address distance, service availability and infrastructure challenges common in regional areas.

The plan was developed through engagement with people with lived experience of disability, local service providers, accessible tourism stakeholders and the community.

A working group meets quarterly to review progress and support implementation.

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Case study: Example disability action plan - Shire of Ngaanyatjarraku, Western Australia

Actions to improve accessibility and inclusion across one of Australia's largest and most remote local government areas, with 10 small predominantly First Nations communities.

The Shire of Ngaanyatjarraku Disability Access and Inclusion Plan 2024-2028 sets out actions to improve accessibility and inclusion across the remote local government area.

The Shire of Ngaanyatjarraku is one of Australia’s largest local government areas, covering around 160,000 km² in Western Australia. It includes 10 small communities on land managed by the council on behalf of the traditional owners.

The population is around 1,358 people, predominantly First Nations residents. A 2018 survey estimated around one-third of residents may be impacted by disability.

About the Plan

The Shire of Ngaanyatjarraku Disability Access and Inclusion Plan 2024-2028 focuses on improving access to services and opportunities across remote communities. The plan aims to ensure people with disability can:

access services, buildings, facilities and public spaces
participate in community events
receive information in accessible formats
receive the same level of service as other residents
provide feedback and participate in consultation
obtain and maintain employment in the Shire.

The plan was developed through public consultation on a draft plan, with written and verbal feedback used to refine the final plan.

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Case studies and resources

Case studies, templates, resources and funding opportunities to support disability inclusion in practice.

This section focuses on how councils can put disability inclusion into practice.

It includes case studies of disability inclusion actions and initiatives, from different contexts around Australia. This section also features practical templates, checklists and resources that build on the information provided throughout the Guide.

This section supports councils to take action in their local context through learning from the activities and successes of other councils.

Case Studies

Case study: Disability at Dusk – Casey, Victoria

Disability at Dusk is a joint initiative by City of Casey, Cardinia and Greater Dandenong Councils to create a truly inclusive and accessible event for people with disability.

Disability at Dusk is a joint initiative by City of Casey, Cardinia and Greater Dandenong Councils to create a truly inclusive and accessible event for people with disability.

From design to delivery, the event puts inclusion front and centre by making sure barriers to participation by people with disability are addressed directly.

An Access Guide to the event is in place
Volunteers are on hand to help people find and move around the event
Quiet spaces are available for those who need time away from the crowds and noise.

The event now attracts over 1,000 attendees from across Victoria, and it is supported by more than 20 volunteers. Organisers have received glowing feedback!

Learn more about City of Casey’s Disability Inclusion Action Plan 2025-2029 & the Southern Region Disability Alliance’s Disability at Dusk event.

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Case study: Empower Ryde employment program — Ryde, New South Wales

Meaningful employment opportunities for people with disability help to create more inclusive and thriving communities. Local councils play a key role in enabling these opportunities.

City of Ryde created the Empower Ryde program through its Economic Development team. The program supports people with disability to build confidence, learn job skills and connect with community.

Empower Ryde provides accessible and inclusive learning. Sessions focus on:

employability
business exploration
speaking up for yourself
wellbeing.

The program remains peer-led, meaning participants help guide the topics and activities in the program.

The program was developed because many people with disability face barriers to mainstream job programs. These barriers can make it harder for them to find and keep work.

Learn more about Empower Ryde.

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Case study: Preparing for emergencies in partnership with people with disability — Mackay, Queensland

Local councils help communities prepare for and stay safe before, during and after disasters. Inclusive disaster planning helps make sure no one is left behind.

P-CEP starts with conversation, not checklists, and helps people think about the support they need before, during and after an emergency.

Mackay’s work shows how councils can lead inclusive disaster planning. By working alongside people with disability, councils can help communities feel safer, more confident and better prepared.

Learn more: Mackay Regional Council – P-CEP

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Case study: City of Sydney: Strategic planning

To make sure community voices genuinely inform decisions, the City of Sydney supports a range of advisory panels and committees within a clear governance framework.

When it comes to planning ahead for how to support, service and include people with disability in the community, who better to involve than people with disability.

Learn more and read the Inclusion (Disability) Action Plan 2025–2029 on the City of Sydney website.

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Case study: Accessible changing places — Greater Geelong, Victoria

One such mobile facility has helped transform how Greater Geelong delivers inclusive, accessible events for its community. That facility is a toilet…

The council introduced the ‘Marveloo’. The Marveloo is a portable changing places facility. It includes a track hoist and adjustable adult changing table.

The Council’s local inclusion advisory group advocated for the portable solution, which has now been used at major community events like The Royal Geelong Show and Ability Fest.

The Marveloo joins the permanent Changing Places locations across Geelong, some have been in place since 2009.

It’s one example of how councils can make events more inclusive. Where everyone has access and feels welcome.

Learn more about Marveloo on the City of Greater Geelong’s website.

Case study: Inclusive Brisbane Plan - Intersectional Approach

Community input into council planning is critical to make sure decisions reflect local needs, values, and lived experience.

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Case study: Example disability action plan - City of Sydney, New South Wales

Big public events draw large crowds throughout the year. All this means achieving genuine accessibility and inclusion for the City of Sydney’s communities requires careful, wide-ranging planning.

And genuine inclusion means involving people with disability from the start.

people with disability
families and carers
disability organisations and disability peak bodies
the City of Sydney’s Inclusive City disability employee network
the advisory panel.

Stage 2 called for public comment on the draft plan. Easy Read and Auslan video versions were available. Feedback was invited online, over the phone and by post.

Learn more and read the inclusion (disability) action plan on the City of Sydney website.

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Case study: Example disability action plan - City of Casey, Victoria

How one of Australia's fastest growing municipalities is taking a whole-of-council approach to disability inclusion with 72 actions across five outcome areas.

About the Plan

The City of Casey Disability Inclusion Action Plan 2025-2029 takes a whole-of-council approach to disability inclusion. It includes 72 actions across five outcome areas:

Council services and leadership
Communication services and engagement
Education, employment and businesses
Health, recreation and public spaces
Inclusion, safety and fairness

The plan was developed over six months through extensive community engagement. This included co-designing the plan with the Disability Access and Inclusion Advisory Group (DAIAG).

The DIAP is supported by an implementation plan and ongoing monitoring to track progress.

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Case study: Northern Rivers Rail Trail — Tweed Shire, New South Wales

Public spaces work best when everyone can use them. Inclusive trails, parks, and shared outdoor spaces help communities come together, stay active, and feel connected.

The trail meets recognised standards for inclusion across mobility, vision, hearing and cognitive access.

The Northern Rivers Rail Trail is delivered through a partnership between Tweed Shire Council, Byron Shire Council, Lismore City Council and Richmond Valley Council.

Key accessible features of the trail include:

smooth surfaces suitable for mobility scooters and devices
accessible parking, rest areas with seating and accessible toilets at key locations
a social script to support people with cognitive disability or autism
assistance animals welcome along the trail

The Northern Rivers Rail Trail shows how councils can work together to create inclusive outdoor community spaces.

Read the Northern Rivers Rail Trail accessibility statement or learn more about the trail on the Northern Rivers Rail Trail website.

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Case study: Accessible playground — Melville, Western Australia

The City of Melville's Piney Lakes Sensory Play Park demonstrates how community engagement, partnerships and co-design can place accessibility at the heart of inclusive play spaces.

The result is a flexible, welcoming space that supports a wide range of play preferences.

Key features of the park include:

Wide paths, ramps and tunnels connecting play pods.
Views and connections to lake, mature trees, wildlife.
Slides, swings, roundabout, transfer and transition edges, turtle play dome, rope climb, rock clamber, balance and upper body play.
Art discovery, raised gardens, sand and water play, sound elements, elevated and enclosed experiences, interactive sensory elements.
Quiet areas.
Picnic tables, drink fountains, bathrooms, and BBQ.

City of Melville Mayor Katy Mair said the City’s Disability Access and Inclusion Plan (DAIP) 2024 – 2029 is an important document in helping achieve its vision of an inclusive community.

‘We aim to build neighbourhoods where all members have strong social connections and part of that is ensuring those who live with a disability and those who share their lives are supported to participate in the community equally and fairly and in ways they choose.’

Learn more about the Piney Lakes Sensory Play Park on the City of Melville website.

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Case study: Example disability action plan - Cairns Regional Council, Queensland

Practical, place-based actions to improve accessibility and inclusion in a regional setting, recognising Cairns' role as a major tourism destination.

The Cairns Regional Council Disability Access and Inclusion Plan (DAIP) 2024-2026 sets out practical, place-based actions to improve accessibility and inclusion in a regional setting.

About the Plan

The Cairns Regional Council DAIP 2024-2026 includes actions to improve:

accessible council facilities and services
accessible communication and information
inclusive community engagement
participation opportunities for people with disability.

The plan recognises Cairns’ role as a regional tourism destination and the need to address distance, service availability and infrastructure challenges common in regional areas.

The plan was developed through engagement with people with lived experience of disability, local service providers, accessible tourism stakeholders and the community.

A working group meets quarterly to review progress and support implementation.

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Case study: Example disability action plan - Shire of Ngaanyatjarraku, Western Australia

Actions to improve accessibility and inclusion across one of Australia's largest and most remote local government areas, with 10 small predominantly First Nations communities.

The Shire of Ngaanyatjarraku Disability Access and Inclusion Plan 2024-2028 sets out actions to improve accessibility and inclusion across the remote local government area.

The population is around 1,358 people, predominantly First Nations residents. A 2018 survey estimated around one-third of residents may be impacted by disability.

About the Plan

access services, buildings, facilities and public spaces
participate in community events
receive information in accessible formats
receive the same level of service as other residents
provide feedback and participate in consultation
obtain and maintain employment in the Shire.

The plan was developed through public consultation on a draft plan, with written and verbal feedback used to refine the final plan.

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Guides (107)

Accessible Australia Initiative — Australian Government [156]
Iniitiative funding projects that improve accessibility and inclusion for people with disability across Australian communities.
Accessible events - a guide for meeting and event organisers — Universal Design Australia [173]
Practical steps for making meetings and events accessible.
Accessible communication formats — Australian Government – Disability Gateway [64]
Provides information and links on accessible print and digital document formats to support inclusive communication for people with disability.
Accessible Events Guide — Queensland Government [77]
Guidance to help plan and deliver accessible public events.
Accessible Events Guide — Queensland Government [77]
A practical guide to planning and delivering events that are accessible and inclusive for people with disability.
Accessible procurement resources — Australian Disability Network [53]
Practical tools to help organisations embed accessibility and inclusion into procurement processes and supplier relationships.
Adapting to Disability – Guide for Disability Action Plans — Victorian Government [131]
A Victorian Government guide supporting organisations to develop practical Disability Action Plans that address barriers and improve inclusion for people with disability.
Advisory Note on streetscape, public outdoor areas, fixtures, fittings and furniture — Australian Human Rights Commission [102]
Guidance on access considerations for public outdoor areas.
AHRC – Access and Inclusion Health Check — Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) [141]
Online health check for organisations to assess their access and inclusion practices under the Disability Discrimination Act.
AHRC – Disability Discrimination Act Action Plans Public Register — Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) [140]
Register where councils can submit and find disability action plans. Helps councils track progress and learn from each other.
Alt Text Digital Guide (Victoria) — Victorian Government [92]
Guide on how to write and add alt text to images for accessible digital communication. Mentioned within the accessible communications snapshot.
Australian Disability Network – Emergency Evacuation — Australian Disability Network [126]
Resource on emergency evacuation planning for people with disability. Listed in the resources section of the guide.
Australian Disability Parking Scheme — Australian Government Department of Health [118]
National scheme for disability parking. Listed in the inclusive communities resources section.
Best Practice Guide for Grants Management for SA Local Government — Local Government Association of South Australia (LGASA) [197]
Tools to support local grant officers.
Blue Knot resources for trauma-informed practice — Blue Knot Foundation [22]
Provides evidence-based resources and guidance to support trauma-informed, safe and inclusive practice across services and organisations.
Centre for Excellence in Universal Design – The 7 Principles — Centre for Excellence in Universal Design [34]
Source of the 7 Principles of Universal Design. The guide's explanation of universal design principles is adapted from this resource.
Changing Places — Changing Places Australia [117]
Information about Changing Places — accessible toilet and change facilities for people with high support needs — including where to find them and how to provide them.
Co-design fact sheets — Queensland Government / Queenslanders with Disability Network (QDN) [74]
4 fact sheets on why codesign is important, working with the principles of co-design, when co-design should be implemented and how co-design should be implemented
Communications to Co-Design: Valuing Different Types of Engagement — Inclusion Australia [8]
Guidance on inclusive communication approaches that support meaningful co-design with people with disability and diverse communication needs.
Communications to co-design: Valuing different types of engagement — people with disability are centred Inclusion Australia [8]
A guide highlighting inclusive communication and co-design approaches. It explains how to meaningfully involve people with diverse communication needs.
Community Infrastructure Loans Scheme — Victorian Government [161]
A Victorian Government low-interest loan program helping local councils and community organisations fund the development of community infrastructure.
Complaints under the Disability Discrimination Act — Australian Human Rights Commission [112]
AHRC overview of the DDA, complaints and enforcement.
Creating accessible and inclusive communications — Australian Human Rights Commission [69]
Guidance for organisations on creating accessible and inclusive communications, with a focus on supporting employees with disability.
Cycling Without Age – Northern Rivers Rail Trail Trishaw Program — Tweed Shire Council / Cycling Without Age [119]
Free trishaw rides for people with disability or reduced mobility on the Northern Rivers Rail Trail. Mentioned in the Northern Rivers Rail Trail case study body text.
DARU – How to Be Disability Inclusive — Disability Advocacy Resource Unit (DARU) [90]
Guide on how to be disability inclusive in engagement and practice. Listed in the resources section of the guide.
DARU – Introducing the Human Rights Model of Disability — Disability Advocacy Resource Unit (DARU) [35]
Resource introducing the human rights model of disability. Listed in the 'Find out more' resources for Principle 1.
DCJ – Disability Inclusion Action Planning Resources (NSW) — NSW Government – Department of Communities and Justice [143]
Resources for NSW councils on disability inclusion action planning. Mentioned in the state/territory requirements table.
Design For Everyone Guide — Sport and Recreation Victoria [178]
Guidance for designing accessible sport and recreation spaces.
DIEM Toolkit – Organisational Emergency Preparedness Profile — National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) [125]
Self-assessment tool component of the DIEM Toolkit. Mentioned in the 'Prevention and mitigation' snapshot as a specific action councils can take.
Disability Access and Inclusion Plan (DAIP) Guidelines for South Australian state authorities — South Australian Government [130]
South Australian Government guidelines helping state authorities develop Disability Access and Inclusion Plans that meet legislative requirements and improve accessibility.
Disability Action Plan Guide (2021) — Australian Human Rights Commission [127]
The Australian Human Rights Commission's practical guide helping organisations develop effective disability action plans.
Disability Action Plan Guide — Australian Human Rights Commission [127]
Helps organisations develop Disability Action Plans using a rights-based approach.
Disability Advocacy Services (Disability Gateway) — Disability Gateway [47]
Directory for finding disability advocacy services in the community. Referenced in the trauma-informed practice and accessible services sections.
Disability Employee Network (DEN) – Guidance — Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) [46]
Guidance for councils considering establishing a Disability Employee Network (DEN) to advise on barriers and solutions to increase employment of people with disability.
Disability Inclusive Emergency Planning (DIEP) — Collaborating4Inclusion [124]
Practical tool produced alongside the DIDRR Framework to help councils activate disability inclusive emergency planning at individual, organisational and community level.
Disability Reporting Handbook — Media Diversity Australia [171]
Guidance for respectful and accurate media reporting on disability.
Easy English vs Easy Read. What's the difference? — Embrace Access [71]
Summary article on what Easy English and Easy Read are.
Effort–Impact Matrix — Safer Care Victoria [142]
Tool to help councils analyse and prioritise actions in their disability action plan. Mentioned within the Step 5 snapshot as a method councils can use.
Employment Assistance Fund (EAF) — Australian Government / JobAccess [63]
Fund providing financial support for workplace modifications, assistive technology and Auslan-English interpreting for employees with disability. Referenced in the 'Building an inclusive workplace' snapshot.
Engagement Institute – Engagement Methods Tool — Engagement Institute Australia [86]
Interactive tool offering a wide range of engagement methods for councils undertaking community engagement.
Equality at work - for employers — Australian Human Rights Commission [51]
Guidance for employers on disability rights, responsibilities and good practice in employment, workplace adjustments and non-discrimination.
Everyone Can Play - A Guideline to Create Inclusive Playspaces — NSW Government [110]
Everyone Can Play is a best practice resource for councils, community leaders, landscape architects and passionate local residents. It is a reference guide for creating world-class playspaces, designed to include everyone in the community. The website include case studies of inclusive playspaces in NSW.
Everyone Can Play guideline — NSW Government [110]
Guidance for creating inclusive play spaces in communities.
Everything you need to know about universal design — Centre for Universal Design Australia [30]
Provides information and resources promoting universal design across built and digital environments. Supports inclusive design principles that benefit people of all abilities.
Financial Assistance Grants to Local Government — Australian Government [157]
Commonwealth untied funding provided directly to local councils to support the delivery of services and infrastructure for local communities.
Free PDF Accessibility Checker — PDF4WCAG / DualLab [91]
Free online tool for councils to verify their PDFs are accessible. Mentioned within the accessible communications snapshot.
Good Play Space Guide: ‘I can play too’ — Sport and Recreation Victoria [109]
Guidance for designing inclusive play spaces for children.
Good Practice Guidelines for Engaging with People with Disability — Australian Government – Disability Gateway [7]
A national guide outlining principles and practical steps for inclusive engagement, with a focus on accessibility, respect and meaningful participation.
Good Practice Guidelines for Engaging with People with Disability — Australian Government – Disability Gateway [7]
A national guide outlining principles and practical steps for inclusive engagement with people with disability.
Good Practice Guidelines for Engaging with People with Disability — Disability Gateway / Australian Government [7]
Guidance on planning and delivering inclusive engagement activities.
Good Practice Guidelines for Engaging with People with Disability — Australian government - Disability Gateway [7]
A national guide offering principles and practical steps for inclusive engagement. Focuses on accessibility, respect and meaningful participation.
Guide for Local Councils on the Delivery of Affordable Housing — Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) [104]
Led by Australian Community Housing and supported by ALGA, the Guide aims to build capability and partnerships between local government and Community Housing Providers. It recognises that, while councils are not required to provide affordable housing, they may seek to play a meaningful role where it aligns with community priorities and capacity.
Guide to Co-Design with People Living with Disability — Purple Orange [73]
A practical guide explaining co-design with people with disability, including shared decision-making, collaboration and resourcing considerations.
Guidelines on Equal Access to Digital Goods and Services — Australian Human Rights Commission [70]
Guidance on ensuring equal access to digital goods and services for people with disability.
Guidelines on Equal Access to Digital Goods and Services — Australian Human Rights Commission [70]
Guidance on ensuring people with disability have equal access to digital goods and services in line with human rights obligations.
Guidelines on equal access to digital goods and services — Australian Human Rights Commission [70]
Guidance on ensuring equal access to digital goods and services for people with disability, aligned with human rights and accessibility obligations.
Hosting accessible and inclusive online meetings and events — Australian Human Rights Commission [85]
This guide has information on: - preparing for an accessible and inclusive online meeting or event - hosting an accessible and inclusive online meeting or event - participating in an online meeting or event in a way that supports accessibility and inclusivity - enhancing and ensuring accessibility following the online meeting or event
How We Talk About Disability Matters! Understanding models of disability — Disability Advocacy Resource Unit (DARU) [27]
Explains the models of disability
IDPwD Community Conversation Guide — Australian Government [148]
designed to help the community talk about IDPwD and disability
IDPWD Grants — Western Australian Government [166]
Western Australian government grants celebrating International Day of People with Disability by funding local inclusion and awareness initiatives.
IDPWD – Inclusion Resources (Australian Government) — International Day of People with Disability / Australian Government [213]
Inclusion resources on the IDPWD Australian Government website. Mentioned in the context of awards and recognition for inclusion actions.
Inclusion Australia – A Guide to Running Inclusive Consultations — Inclusion Australia [89]
Guide to running inclusive consultations for people with intellectual disability and the broader community. Linked within the co-design page body text.
Inclusive Employment Australia — Australian Government [52]
Information about the Inclusive Employment Australia program and how it supports people with disability to find and keep work.
Inclusive Play - Guidelines for accessible playspaces — Inclusive SA (South Australian Government) [108]
These Inclusive Play guidelines are a tool for local government, schools, early childhood learning centres, design professionals and others to assist in planning, considering and developing playspaces that are inclusive of all children. The guidelines include a comprehensive checklist, which can help identify best practice in inclusive play design.
Information, Linkages and Capacity Building (ILC) Program — Australian Government [158]
A national disability program funding projects that build community capacity and create more inclusive environments for people with disability.
JobAccess – Employer resources — Australian Government [49]
Government resources that help employers recruit, retain and support employees with disability, including advice, funding and workplace adjustment guidance.
Julia Farr Disability Inclusion Grants — Julia Farr Centre [165]
South Australian grants supporting projects that promote the inclusion and participation.
Language Guide — People with Disability Australia [25]
Guidance on using respectful and inclusive language about disability.
LGA South Australia – Disability Inclusion: Practice and Plans — Local Government Association of South Australia [208]
Disability inclusion practice and plan resources for SA councils.
LIM - Open space landscape infrastructure manual — Sunshine Coast Council [179]
Guidance for inclusive design of open spaces and public infrastructure.
Local Authority Project Funding — Northern Territory Government [167]
Northern Territory government funding supporting local authorities to deliver community projects and improve services in their regions.
Local Government Research & Development Scheme — South Australian Government [163]
A South Australian scheme providing funding to local councils for research and innovation projects that strengthen local government capability.
MAV – Local Government Disability Planners Network — Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) [211]
Supports Victorian councils with disability action planning through a peer network. Mentioned in the state/territory requirements table.
Models of Disability — People with Disability Australia (PWDA) [1]
An overview of the different models used to understand disability, including social, human rights and medical models. It explains how each model shapes policy, practice and attitudes.
Neurodivergence and the workplace: Reducing unconscious bias in the recruitment process — JobAccess [62]
Article with tips for reducing unconscious bias in recruitment - most apply to disability generally.
NSW DIAP Reporting Guidelines — NSW Government [132]
NSW Government reporting guidelines helping councils and organisations meet their obligations for reporting on Disability Inclusion Action Plan progress.
NSW Disability Inclusion Action Planning Guidelines — NSW Government [129]
NSW Government guidelines supporting local councils and organisations to develop compliant and effective Disability Inclusion Action Plans under NSW legislation.
NSW Disability Inclusion Planning Guidelines — NSW Government [129]
Guidance to support the development of Disability Inclusion Action Plans.
Opportunity in neurodiverse design — Centre for Universal Design Australia [33]
Article explaining and giving a link to the resource "Design for the Mind - Neurodiversity and the built environment - Guide".
Plain language and word choice — Australin Government [65]
Provides guidance on using plain language and clear word choice to improve accessibility and understanding in written communications.
Planning Inclusive Communities – The Makings — Planning Inclusive Communities [79]
Tools and guidance to support inclusive community development and participation through universal design and engagement.
Planning Inclusive Communities — Planning Inclusive Communities [99]
Tools and guidance to support the planning of accessible, inclusive and universally designed community spaces.
Principles for engagement in projects concerning Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples — AIATSIS [76]
Principles for respectful and culturally appropriate engagement with First Nations peoples.
Principles for Engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples — AIATSIS [76]
Principles for engaging with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for projects.
PWDA Language Guide — People with Disability Australia (PWDA) [25]
Provides clear and contemporary guidance on respectful and inclusive language when referring to people with disability, supporting person-centred communication.
QDN's Co-Design Principles — Queenslanders with Disability Network (QDN) [9]
Principles developed by Queenslanders with Disability Network to support genuine co-design. Emphasises shared power, lived experience leadership and accessibility.
Queensland Disability Stakeholder Engagement and Co-Design Strategy — Queenslanders with Disability Network (QDN) [42]
The Strategy is designed to guide the collaborative efforts required to achieve effective disability reform implementation across Queensland. It outlines the principles, structures, and processes that will facilitate meaningful participation from all stakeholders
Queensland Government – Facilitating Accessible and Inclusive Sessions — Queensland Government [87]
Guidance on facilitating accessible and inclusive sessions from Queensland's digital service design playbook.
Recruiting: Paying consumers — Health Consumers Queensland [152]
Guidance on consumer payments in relation to engagement about healthcare.
Regional Family Violence Partnership – Disability Inclusion and Safety Resource Hub — Regional Family Violence Partnership [210]
Resource hub for disability inclusion and safety. Listed in the safety and trauma-informed practice resources section.
Report and issue or make a complaint about a provider or worker — NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission [113]
Overview of process for making a complaint about an NDIS provider or worker.
Rights of people with disability - Public sector guidance sheet — Attorney-General’s Department [3]
Provides guidance for public sector agencies on respecting, protecting and promoting the human rights of people with disability in policy development and decision-making.
Service Providers Accessibility Guide — Media Access Australia [170]
A quick guide to accessible communication and service delivery.
Social Impact Assessment Guideline For State significant projects — NSW Government (Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure) [137]
Guidance on a process to identify, predict and evaluate the likely social impacts of a project, with proposed responses to avoid, mitigate or reduce negative impacts and enhance positive impacts.
Social Procurement for Government — Social Traders [54]
Advice and resources to support government agencies to work with social enterprises through inclusive and social procurement.
Social Return on Investment (ROI) Approach Guide — NSW Government (Department of Communities and Justice) [136]
Guidance, framework and basic principles to assess social impact.
Style Manual - Disability and Neurodiversity — Australian Government [29]
Provides guidance for Australian Government content on respectful, inclusive and accurate language relating to disability and neurodiversity
Supported framework and guidelines for visually impaired Council Members — Local Government Association of South Australia (LGASA) [56]
Toolkit and guidelines to help councils to better understand and support elected officials who are vision-impaired.
The Disability Resource — The Disability Resource [176]
Information for staff and volunteers supporting inclusive sport and recreation.
The Good Play Space Guide: "I Can Play Too" — Victorian Government [109]
The guide aims to: • outline the benefits of play for all children, and discuss the general characteristics of quality play spaces; • investigate the subject of access, inclusion and participation in play for people with a disability, in public play spaces; • demonstrate what makes a play space accessible, and what improvements might be achievable; and • provide guidance on how to develop accessible public play spaces.
Understanding workplace adjustments — Australian Government [55]
Explains how simple and low-cost workplace adjustments can support employees with disability, with checklists for managers and HR teams.
Universal design — Victorian Health Building Authority [116]
Guidance for applying universal design in health infrastructure projects.
Victoria – Accessible Event Guidelines and Checklist — Victorian Government – DFFH [88]
Accessible events guidelines and checklist for Victorian councils and organisations.
Victorian Health Building Authority – Universal Design Resources — Victorian Health Building Authority (VHBA) [116]
Universal design resources for healthcare and community buildings in Victoria. Listed in the resources section of the guide.
Victorian Whole of Government Universal Design Policy — Victorian Government [115]
State-based universal design policy. Mentioned within the 'Inclusion in infrastructure and services design' snapshot as a practical guideline councils can use.
Whole Journey: Thinking beyond compliance — Australian Government [96]
Outlines a whole-of-journey approach to accessible public transport planning.
Writing in plain English — Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA) [66]
Provides practical steps and examples to support writing in plain English for accessible and inclusive communication.

Toolkits (17)

Accessible and Inclusive Community Events Toolkit — Inclusive SA (South Australian Government) [78]
A toolkit supporting organisations and councils to plan inclusive community events with practical accessibility guidance and resources.
A Toolkit to Authentically Embed Lived Experience Governance — National Mental Health Consumer and Carer Forum [40]
This toolkit provides users with a selection of tools and resources to assist in exploring and assessing their own governance processes and formulate a pathway towards embedding lived experience governance across their systems, structures, policies, processes, practices, programs and services.
Accessible Meetings and Events Toolkit — CBM Australia [175]
A toolkit to help plan inclusive meetings and events.
Disability Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction (DIDRR) Framework and Toolkit — Collaborating4Inclusion [120]
A national framework that sets out how disaster preparedness, response and recovery can better include people with disability, based on lived experience and collaboration with emergency services.
Disability Inclusive Emergency Management (DIEM) Toolkit — National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) [121]
A practical toolkit to help emergency planners include people with disability in preparedness, response and recovery through inclusive planning and actions.
Ending homelessness: a toolkit for local government — Local Government Association of South Australia (LGASA) [149]
The toolkit is an evidence-based resource offering guidance for regional and metropolitan councils. It outlines an approach to address homelessness, including responding to disaster-related homelessness, culturally safe practices, and ideas on how local government can play a proactive role in ending homelessness.
Inclusive Language and Communication Toolkit — Queensland Government [26]
Provides practical guidance on using inclusive language and accessible communication when working with people with disability, including examples and alternatives.
International Day of People with Disability Resources — Australian Government [81]
Resources to support and help promote IDPWD activities
Intersectionality Resources and Community Practice Tools — Intertwine [10]
A collection of tools, guides and training materials on applying intersectionality in community work. It helps organisations understand overlapping forms of discrimination and build inclusive practice.
LEAD Toolkit — Women With Disabilities Australia [37]
A leadership toolkit supporting women and gender-diverse people with disability to build confidence, skills and knowledge.
Person-Centred Emergency Preparedness (P-CEP) Resource Package — Collaborating4Inclusion [122]
A resource that supports people with disability to develop personalised emergency plans in partnership with services, carers and communities.
Toolkit for Boards: Disability Readiness — National Disability Services (NDS) [41]
A toolkit to help boards include and support directors with lived experience of disability.
Toolkit for engaging with people with disability in evaluation — Australian Government – Disability Gateway [134]
A toolkit supporting inclusive and accessible engagement with people with disability in evaluation activities.
Toolkit for engaging with people with disability in evaluation — Disability Gateway / Australian Government [134]
Practical tools to make evaluations accessible and inclusive for people with disability.
Toolkit for engaging with people with disability in evaluation — Disability Gateway / Australian Government [134]
Tools to support accessible and inclusive evaluation processes.
Toolkit for Engaging with People with Disability in Evaluation — Department of Health, Disability and Ageing [43]
A toolkit to support inclusive and accessible engagement with people with disability in evaluation activities.
Trauma-informed practice organisational toolkit — Mental Health Coordinating Council [23]
Provides a staged toolkit to support organisations to embed trauma-informed approaches in planning, policy and service delivery.

Templates (15)

Accessible Arts Checklists — Accessible Arts [169]
Checklists to help arts organisations make programs and events accessible.
Accessibility Action Plan template — PWDA & Youth Action [135]
A template to help youth organisations plan accessibility improvements.
Adapting to Disability – Checklist for Disability Action Plans — Victorian Government [131]
A Victorian Government checklist supporting organisations to assess and strengthen the quality and completeness of their Disability Action Plans.
Centre for Inclusive Employment — Centre for Inclusive Employment [187]
Resources and programs to help organisations build disability-inclusive employment practices.
Co-creating meaningful work for people with disability toolkit — Queensland Social Enterprise Council [194]
A toolkit to help design meaningful work opportunities with people with disability.
Creating Access – Accessibility Action Plan Template — People with Disability Australia & Youth Action [128]
A template from People with Disability Australia and Youth Action supporting organisations to create accessible and actionable accessibility action plans.
Developing a Disability Access and Inclusion Plan — Western Australian Government [133]
Western Australian Government guidance helping public authorities develop Disability Access and Inclusion Plans that comply with state legislation and improve community access.
Disability Employment Essentials Pack — Australian Disability Network [190]
Tools, guidance and case studies to support inclusive recruitment and workplace culture.
Disability Sports – Community Facility Guidelines, Volume 1: Indoor — ASAPD / Otium Planning Group [186]
Guidance for planning and designing inclusive indoor sports facilities.
Equality at work - for workers and jobseekers — Australian Human Rights Commission [192]
Employment resources for people with disability produced by the Australian Human Rights Commission.
Guidelines for the targeted recruitment of people with disability — Australian Human Rights Commission [193]
Guidance on how to lawfully and effectively run targeted recruitment programs.
JobAccess — JobAccess [188]
National information and advice on workplace adjustments, recruitment and disability-inclusive employment.
Making Workplace Adjustments Easy, Effective and Equitable – Conversation Guide — JobAccess [189]
A practical guide to help employers and employees talk about and plan workplace adjustments.
Trauma-informed Events Checklist and Policy and Protocol — Mental Health Coordinating Council [24]
Provides a practical checklist and guidance to help organisations plan and deliver events using trauma-informed principles.
Willing to Work: Good Practice Examples for Employers — Australian Human Rights Commission [191]
Examples of how organisations across Australia support inclusive employment for people with disability.

Standards (11)

Changing Places Design Specifications — Equal Access / Changing Places [97]
Defines national design specifications for changing places.
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities — United Nations [28]
An international human rights treaty ensuring equal rights and freedoms for people with disability. It outlines government responsibilities to promote inclusion, dignity and participation.
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities — United Nations [2]
An international human rights treaty ensuring equal rights and freedoms for people with disability. It outlines government responsibilities to promote inclusion, dignity and participation.
Disability (Access to Premises – Buildings) Standards & Review — Australian Government [94]
Sets national accessibility requirements for buildings and outlines review findings on the effectiveness of the Premises Standards.
Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport — Australian Government [93]
Defines mandatory national requirements for accessible public transport services and infrastructure, including compliance obligations and reform information.
Liveable Housing Design Standard — Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) [101]
Provides minimum design features to improve accessibility and usability in housing across the life course.
National Construction Code — Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) [95]
Is Australia’s primary framework for building design and construction, including mandatory accessibility and performance provisions.
Specialist Disability Accommodation Design Standard — National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) [100]
Provides design requirements and guidance for Specialist Disability Accommodation to support accessibility, safety and participant outcomes.
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.2 — W3C [180]
International standards for accessible digital content.
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) — World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) [67]
Information on international accessibility standards for web content to ensure digital information is perceivable, operable, understandable and robust for users with disability.
What is the WCAG standard? — Centre for Accessibility Australia [68]
An overview of the WCAG standards and how they apply to creating accessible digital content and services in Australia.

Frameworks (4)

Closing the Gap — Australian Government [11]
A national framework aimed at improving life outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It outlines priority areas, targets and progress reporting.
Community Attitudes Targeted Action Plan — Australian Government [80]
Sets out actions to improve community attitudes towards people with disability under Australia’s Disability Strategy.
IAP2 Public Participation Spectrum — Engagement Institute [75]
A framework describing different levels of public participation, from informing to empowering communities in decision-making.
Outcomes Framework — Australian Government – Disability Gateway [228]
The Outcomes Framework measures, tracks and reports on the outcomes in Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021–2031. The outcomes are what we want for a more inclusive Australia. The framework tracks the changes in outcomes happening over time for people with disability.

Directories (17)

Accessible events — Queensland Government [177]
A collection of resources to support accessible event planning.
Accessible information, goods, services, facilities and events — Victoria Government Department of Families, Fairness and Housing [174]
Resources and guidance to support accessible events in Victoria.
Accessible information — Inclusion Australia [172]
Guidance and examples for creating accessible information.
Australian Disaster Resilience Knowledge Hub – Disability inclusion and disasters — Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience (AIDR) [123]
A collection of research, guidance and case studies on disability-inclusive disaster risk reduction and emergency management in Australia.
Community Grants Hub — Australian Government [155]
A federal government service that administers grants for community organisations delivering social services across Australia.
Current grants programs (Department of Local Government, Water and Volunteers) — Queensland Government [159]
Queensland's Department of Local Government, Water and Volunteers hub listing active grant programs available to councils and community organisations.
Disability Advocacy Finder — Ask Izzy [21]
An online tool that helps people with disability, carers and families locate independent disability advocacy providers and services in their area.
Disability-inclusive workplace resources — Australian Disability Network [50]
Tools, training and reports to support organisations to build disability-inclusive workplaces, including leadership programs and accessibility guidance.
GrantConnect — Australian Government [154]
The Australian Government's central grants portal where organisations can search, find, and apply for all Commonwealth grant opportunities.
Grants (SA) — South Australian Government [164]
South Australia's government grants directory connecting individuals and organisations with available financial assistance and funding programs.
Grants (Victoria) — Victorian Government [162]
Victoria's whole-of-government grants directory listing current funding programs and opportunities available to individuals, organisations, and councils.
Inclusive and digital design resources — Centre for Inclusive Design [98]
A collection of resources supporting inclusive and accessible digital and service design.
Lived Experience Leadership Hub — Lived Experience Leadership [38]
A resource hub focused on recognising, strengthening and supporting leadership based on lived experience.
NSW Local Government Grants — NSW Government [160]
A centralised NSW Government portal listing available grants and funding opportunities for councils and community groups across New South Wales.
Resources, tools and training — The Centre for Inclusive Employment [48]
A collection of resources, tools and training to support inclusive recruitment, workplace adjustments and disability-aware employment practices.
Supported Decision-Making Resource Directory — Inclusion Australia [36]
A directory of tools, guidance and examples to support people with disability to participate in decision-making, advisory groups and co-design processes.
Towards Inclusive Practice — Inclusion Australia [168]
A collection of practical resources to support inclusive communication and participation.

Training Resources (14)

Accessible Events Training — Purple Orange [82]
This training provides practical tools and inclusive strategies to help you plan and deliver events that are welcoming and accessible to all.
Centre for Universal Design — Universal Design Australia [30]
Resources and learning materials on universal design.
Disability Inclusion Training - Co-Design Module — Purple Orange [151]
A co-design training module from Purple Orange helping organisations meaningfully involve people with disability in designing inclusive programs and services.
Disability Inclusion Training - Manager Module — Purple Orange [59]
This training covers inclusive leadership, disability employment, workplace adjustments, and practical strategies to build a more accessible and equitable culture.
Disability Inclusion Training — Purple Orange [147]
Training programs and modules designed and facilitated by people with disability.
Disability rights training — Australian Human Rights Commission [4]
Provides an overview of disability rights and responsibilities and training resources to support inclusive, accessible and rights-based practice, particularly in workplaces and organisations.
Intopia – Accessibility Education and Training — Intopia [204]
Accessibility training services from Intopia, a digital accessibility specialist.
Lived Experience Training Programs — Lived Experience Training [39]
Structured training and leadership development programs for people with lived experience of disability and systems.
Media Access – Education and Training — Media Access Australia [202]
Web accessibility and media access education and training.
Office of the Anti-Discrimination Commissioner – Training and Education (TAS) — Office of the Anti-Discrimination Commissioner (Tasmania) [201]
Training, education and development resources for disability awareness in Tasmania.
South Australian Learning Centre – Disability Awareness Training (SA) — South Australian Learning Centre [216]
Disability awareness training provider in South Australia. Listed in the resources section of the guide.
Vision Australia – Digital Access Training — Vision Australia [209]
Web accessibility and digital access training options. Mentioned alongside braille services in accessible communications section.
W3C Web Accessibility Initiative – Accessibility Training — W3C / Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) [203]
Accessibility training resources from the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative.
You Me Us Training (Belgravia Foundation) — Belgravia Foundation [200]
Disability awareness training program.

Research (14)

Disability in Australia: Shadows, struggles and successes - A usable socio-cultural history of disability in Australia — Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability [6]
Research Report of the Disability Royal Commission on the history of disability in Australia.
Disability Justice and Urban Planning — Lisa Stafford,Leonor Vanik &Lisa K. Bates [181]
Research on how urban planning can better include people with disability.
Easy Read… Easy English… Plain Language? Decision-Making in the Production of 'Easy' Information in Australia [72]
Outline of research findings about different approaches to 'Easy' information materials and the reasons for them.
Final Report — Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability [153]
A national report outlining 222 recommendations to improve safety, inclusion and rights for people with disability across Australia.
Inclusive streetscapes: Embedding disabled people's lived experience into street accessibility [150]
This empirical semi-structured interview study interviewed 26 people with lived experience of a disability (from around the UK) to define the streetscape barriers faced, the systemic reasons why these issues exist and propose a new path forward. This paper puts forward recommendations for streetscape design with direct relevance for local authorities, policy makers and designers in ensuring streetscapes become more accessible.
Planning for disability equity and inclusion - A discussion paper for the planning profession — Lisa Stafford, Akemi Traill, Andrew Holmes, David Bailey, Matt Novacevski, Megan Taylor, Trent Henderson [182]
This discussion paper is practice-oriented, and its purpose is to: - lead the planning profession in a discussion on disability inclusion and equity, - build awareness on how our planning profession can contribute positively and supports disability inclusion and equity and everyone more widely, and - build capacity and empower practitioners by offering a resource and actions by planners to help improve planning for disability equity and inclusion.
Research in Disability & Community Inclusion – My Home, My Community — Flinders University [215]
Research project on building local inclusion for people with intellectual disability.
Right-to-place and disability justice: Giving visibility to the often-unseen but integral lived elements in making communities inclusive for all bodyminds — Lisa Stafford, Matt Novacevski [184]
Research article outlining the importance of planned and built environments enabling diverse bodyminds to exercise their spatial agency, experience connectedness and dwelling in place, as part of progressing UN SDG 11.
Survey of Community Attitudes towards People with a Disability — Professor Anne Kavanagh / University of Melbourne [145]
Report, presentation and video summary of a national survey on attitudes toward people with disability and inclusion of people with disability.
The Makings of Disability-Inclusive Sustainable Communities: Perspectives from Australia — Lisa Stafford, Matt Novacevski, Rosie Pretorius, Pippa Rogers [183]
Research article identifying core elements of inclusive communities for people with disability, in line with UN SDG 11.
The MAV Disability Work Experience Project Evaluation Report — Katherine Wositzky Social Research [61]
The Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) received funding under an Information Linkages and Capacity-building (ILC) Grant Program formerly of the National Disability Insurance Scheme to implement a work experience project for people with disability in Victorian councils. The Project funded ten councils $20,000 each to plan, implement and pilot work experience programs for people with disability with an overall aim of building disability-confidence in councils.
Universal Design for Transport - Transport Australia Society Discussion Paper — Engineers Australia [107]
This discussion paper (the paper) aims to provide practical guidance on how universal design can be better considered in work carried out by transport professionals. It is a statement of goals and objectives and focusses on the concept of universal access and aims to be inclusive of a broad range of capabilities and needs.
UTS – How Local Governments Can Increase Social and Economic Participation of People with Disability — University of Technology Sydney [214]
Research on how local governments can increase social and economic participation of people with disability.
Viewpoint: opening up the conversation on planning for disability equity and inclusion in Australia with a new discussion paper — Lisa Stafford, Megan Taylor, Andrerew Holmes, Akemi Traill, David Bailey, Tret Henderson, Matt Novacevski [185]
The purpose of writing the discussion paper is threefold: 1. To lead the planning profession in a discussion on disability inclusion and equity. 2. To build awareness on how our planning profession can contribute positively and support disability inclusion and equity more widely. 3. To help build capacity and empower practitioners. Furthermore, the paper also suggests a pathway forward.

Fact Sheets (1)

Fact sheets — Queensland Government [199]
7 fact sheets related to Queensland's Disability plan: 1. Creating inclusive and accessible events; 2. Accessible and inclusive communication; 3. Employing people with disability; 4. Increasing disability awareness; 5. Disability action plans and legislation; 6. Increasing participation of people with disability on boards and committees; 7. Accessible places and spaces

Collections (1)

Guides and toolkits — Queensland Human Rights Commission [230]
Practical guides and actionable tools relating to the Human Rights Act 2019 and Anti-Discrimination Act 2009.

Plans (1)

Partnering for inclusive housing with Queenslanders with disability 2024-2027 (Disability Housing Action Plan) — Queensland Government [105]
Queensland's Disability Housing Action Plan outlining partnerships and commitments to improve housing options and accessibility for Queenslanders with disability from 2024 to 2027.

Apps (1)

Pavely app — Pavely [106]
Pavely is a social planning app that allows people to search for and plan visits to accessible venues in South Australia, and rate their experiencces.

Others (30)

8 Goals of Universal Design — Centre for Universal Design Australia [31]
The 8 Goals help practitioners apply universal design and measure outcomes. They cover functional, social and emotional dimensions.
Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021 – 2031" — The Australian Government Department of Social Services [19]
Page 47 ultines Intersectionality and diversity.
Autism Works - For Employers — South Australian Government, Office for Autism [57]
Information and resources for employers about employing autistic people.
Autism Works in the Community Grants Program — South Australian Government, Office for Autism [195]
The Autism Works in the Community Grants provide one-off funding to eligible organisations for activities that increase knowledge, understanding and belonging for Autistic people and autism communities in South Australia. This Grants Program aims to support organisations to provide contemporary facilities, equipment and opportunities to meet the needs of Autistic people and promote genuine autism inclusion in South Australia.
Communication Access — Two Way Street [84]
Two Way Street is the only South Australian Approved Assessment Organisation for Communication Access – providing training and assessment for organisations seeking this important accreditation. This page also provides downloadable resources.
Communication Access — Scope Australia [83]
Scope services and resources to become more communication accessible and get accredited with the Communication Access Symbol.
Designing Cities for All: Why Women with Disabilities Must Be at the Table — The Kota Kita Initiative [14]
Article about participation of women with disability in city design, based on initiatives in Indonesia.
Digital accessibility — Queensland Government [144]
Information, resources and training modules about digital accessibility
Employing people with disability — Queensland Government [60]
Information about the benefits of employing people with diverse abilities, practical resources and financial support to help build an inclusive workplace.
First People's Disability Network (FPDN) — First People's Disability Network (FPDN) [16]
Website for FPDN, the national peak organisation for First Nations people with disabiltiy, their families and communities.
History of Australia's Disability Movement — People with Disability Australia (PWDA) [5]
Summary of the history of the disability in Australia from 1908 to 2008.
Information and Resources — South Australian Government, Office for Autism [146]
Information and resources on autism inclusion, including a Directory of Services and Autism Awareness and Understanding Training
Intersectionality is essential to meaningful inclusion. Here's how to do it right — Diversity Council Australia [12]
Blog article outline what intersectionality is and how to support intersectional inclusion in workplaces.
Lived Experience Paid Participation Policy — Black Dog Institute [44]
Detailed outline of the Black Dog Institute's policy and approach to lived experience paid participation.
Livvi's Place Natioonal Network of Inclusive Playspaces — Touched by Olivia [111]
Explanation of 'Livvi's Place' playspaces built and maintained through partnerships between the Touched By Olivia Foundation and local councils and corporations.
National Ethnic Disability Alliance (NEDA) — National Ethnic Disability Alliance (NEDA) [17]
Website for NEDA, a national Disabled People's Organisation (DPO) that advocates federally for the human rights of people with disability, and their families, from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds.
National Urban Policy — Australian Government [229]
Australia's National Urban Policy providing a framework for creating cities and towns that are sustainable, liveable, and inclusive for all residents.
Office of Impact Analysis: Resources and Guidance — The Office of Impact Analysis (Australian Government DPMC) [138]
Collection of policy impact analysis resources, including the Australian Government Guide to Policy Impact Analysis, templates, and other related guidance.
Park and Playground Communication Boards — Scope Australia [103]
Information about communication boards for playgrounds and procuring them from Scope.
People with disability in Australia 2024 - Report — Australian Institute of Health and Welfare [139]
The report uses the AIHW’s ‘Person centred reporting framework’ to present information about experiences and outcomes for people with disability across various aspects of life. Report on Australian Disability outcomes framework.
Rights and legal — Australian Government – Disability Gateway [198]
Information about rights, advocacy and legal services for people with disability
Road to Employment — Purple Orange [58]
Road to Employment is about creating real opportunities for people with disability to move from school into meaningful, inclusive work. We work with businesses, schools, government, and communities to raise expectations, shift attitudes, build inclusive systems and strengthen capability through training, mentoring, and collaboration.
Royal Commission Final report - Volume 5, Governing for inclusion — Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability [45]
This is part of the Disability Royal Commission Final Report, focusing on how governments can improve national disability policies, strategies, and leadership to create a more inclusive society. It outlines recommendations to strengthen coordination, accountability, and governance so people with disability can fully enjoy their rights and access better outcomes.
SmartyGrants — SmartyGrants [196]
Australia-based grant management platform
Universal Design includes DeafSpace Design — Centre for Universal Design Australia [32]
Article about Universal Design supporting accessibility for Deaf people.
Unlocking accessibility with the Master Locksmiths Access Key (MLAK) — City of Darwin [114]
A video about the City of Darwin's Master Locksmith Access Key, available to people with disability. The MLAK offers access to a network of public facilities fitted with special locks, including accessible toilets and other amenities.
What is intersectionality? — UN Women Australia [13]
Overview explaining intersectionality, especially in relation to gender.
Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA) — Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA) [15]
Website for WWDA, the national Disabled People's Organisation (DPO) and National Women's Alliance (NWA) for women, girls, and gender-diverse people with disabilities in Australia.
Youth Disability Advocacy Network — Youth Disability Advocacy Network (YDAN) [20]
Website for YDAN, the leading advocacy organisation and peak representative body for young people with disabilities in Western Australia.
Youth Disability Advocacy Service — Youth Disability Advocacy Service (YDAS) [18]
Website for YDAS, an advocacy organisation that works with disabled young people (aged 12-25) in Victoria

Case studys (11)

A City for Everyone: Inclusive Brisbane Plan 2019–2029 — Brisbane City Council [217]
Case study on embedding intersectionality in council planning. Outlines Brisbane City Council's commitment to inclusion across travel, work, live and connect domains.
Cairns Regional Council Disability Access and Inclusion Plan 2024–2026 — Cairns Regional Council [226]
Example regional DAP. Covers accessible facilities, communication, engagement and participation. Recognises Cairns' role as a regional tourism destination.
City of Casey Disability Inclusion Action Plan 2025–2029 — City of Casey [225]
Example DAP. 72 actions across 5 outcome areas, co-designed with the Disability Access and Inclusion Advisory Group.
City of Melville – Piney Lakes Sensory Play Park — City of Melville [220]
Inclusive sensory play park within a 67-hectare reserve, co-designed with the disability community. Features wide paths, ramps, accessible play elements, quiet areas and sensory elements.
City of Sydney Inclusion (Disability) Action Plan 2025–2029 — City of Sydney [224]
Example DAP. Developed with 350+ people, 4 key outcome areas, available in Easy Read and large print. Features 4-year roadmap with corporate reporting.
Disability at Dusk – Inclusive Community Event — City of Casey / Cardinia / Greater Dandenong (Southern Region Disability Alliance) [219]
Joint accessible event initiative by three Victorian councils. Includes access guide, volunteers and quiet spaces. Now attracts over 1,000 attendees from across Victoria.
Empower Ryde Employment Program — City of Ryde Council [218]
Peer-led program supporting people with disability to build confidence, learn job skills and connect with community through co-designed sessions on employability, business exploration, self-advocacy and wellbeing.
Greater Geelong Marveloo – Portable Changing Places Facility — City of Greater Geelong [222]
Portable changing places facility with track hoist and adjustable adult changing table, used at major events including The Royal Geelong Show and Ability Fest. Advocated for by the local inclusion advisory group.
Mackay Regional Council – Person-Centred Emergency Preparedness (P-CEP) Program — Mackay Regional Council [223]
P-CEP program implemented after Cyclone Debbie 2017. Included P-CEP workbook distribution, P-CEP @ Libraries pop-up service and community preparedness events.
Northern Rivers Rail Trail — Tweed / Byron / Lismore / Richmond Valley Councils [221]
132km accessible multi-use trail meeting standards for mobility, vision, hearing and cognitive access. Won Silver at 2025 Qantas Australian Tourism Awards. Delivered through a partnership between four regional NSW councils.
Shire of Ngaanyatjarraku Disability Access and Inclusion Plan 2024–2028 — Shire of Ngaanyatjarraku [227]
Example remote First Nations council DAP. Covers access to services, buildings, communication, employment and participation for a predominantly First Nations community.

Fundings (4)

Healthway Grants (WA) — Healthway WA [206]
Grants for community initiatives promoting healthy lifestyles and mental health in Western Australia.
Ian Potter Foundation – Community Grants — Ian Potter Foundation [207]
Example of philanthropic funding for councils to partner with for accessibility and community inclusion projects.
Lotterywest Grants (WA) — Lotterywest [205]
Impactful community grants for enduring positive impact in Western Australia.
Queensland Government Grants Finder — Queensland Government [212]
Online search tool for available Queensland Government grants. Listed in the funding opportunities section.

Legislation and Policy

Understanding legal obligations and policy frameworks helps councils develop plans that meet requirements and reflect contemporary expectations of inclusion.

Disability legislation and policies exist at the Commonwealth and state/territory levels of government.

Local government legislation also plays a role in supporting accessibility and inclusion.

Some laws, frameworks and policies are reviewed on a regular basis. This means they may change, or new advice might be developed to help local governments and other organisations deliver best practice disability inclusion.

This section provides information and links to relevant types of legislation. It’s important to always look for the latest advice and updates.

Why the legislative context matters

There are several reasons why it’s important for councils to consider their legislative context, including:

Clear legal obligations: Councils must comply with national and state legislation governing accessibility, discrimination and inclusion.
Regulatory responsibilities: Councils have regulatory responsibilities in applying the Premises Standards and supporting accessible public transport infrastructure.
Future focused planning: Councils need to maintain flexibility amid national reforms to the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) and Disability Standards, and changes to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and other policies, ensuring ongoing review and adaptation. Councils may also have responsibilities under relevant state or territory legislation or policy, including requirements for developing and reporting on DAPs.

Summary of disability legislation and policy in 2026

Information current as of April 2026

Australia’s disability policy environment has changed significantly over the past decade, driven by the roll-out and evolution of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and major updates to the national policy of Australia’s Disability Strategy (ADS). This has been accompanied by various state and territory disability legislation and policies, often carrying new requirements and guidelines for local governments to follow. Further reforms to antidiscrimination laws are underway. More significant policy changes at national and jurisdictional levels are proposed in the coming years.

These changes represent meaningful progress, creating a stronger foundation for accessible, inclusive communities across Australia. Councils now operate within a clearer, more interconnected, and faster-moving system than what existed in 2016 – when the previous ALGA guide to inclusion planning was developed.

Understanding this context helps councils develop disability action plans that:

meet legal obligations
reflect contemporary expectations of inclusion
help support more accessible and equitable communities.

Given changing legislative and policy environments, local governments also need to plan for flexibility. This means recognising requirements, expectations and definitions of good practice may continue to shift as reforms roll out.

International context

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD)

Australia ratified the UN CRPD in 2008. This committed all levels of government to uphold the rights, dignity and equality of people with disability. Australia reports regularly on progress. The UN Committee has emphasised that governments must continue improving how rights are embedded into domestic law and practice.

For councils, the UN CRPD establishes a rights-based foundation where:

community participation is an entitlement
equal access to public life, spaces, information and services must be actively supported
people with disability should be central in decisions affecting them.

These principles underpin all subsequent Australian legislation, policy and standards.

Linking with the Sustainable Development Goals

The United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) heavily overlap with the Articles of the UN CRPD. The Sustainable Development Goals are designed to fit within the UN’s global development agenda and existing and ongoing commitments like the CRPD.

There are 13 SDGs that directly link to CRPD articles. They have specific references to disability in relation to quality education (SDG 4), decent work and economic growth (SDG 8), reduced inequalities (SDG 10), sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11), and partnerships for the goals (SDG 17).

Councils should pay particular attention to goal 11, which includes providing access to safe, inclusive and accessible green and public spaces, and to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems. Councils can also contribute to goal 17 through the collection and monitoring of data on the implementation of the goals. (See the UN’s summary of SDGs and Disability for more detail.)

National policy and legislation

National policy: Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021–2031 (2024 update)

Australia’s Disability Strategy provides the national framework to improve outcomes for people with disability across 7 outcome areas:

Employment and financial security: Providing jobs and career opportunities for people with disability and making sure they have enough income to meet their needs.
Inclusive homes and communities: Increasing the number of accessible, affordable and well-designed homes and creating a community that is inclusive and accessible.
Safety, rights and justice: Ensuring the rights of people with disability are promoted, upheld and protected, and people with disability feel safe and enjoy equality before the law.
Personal and community support: Providing people with disability access to supports so they can live independently and engage in their communities.
Education and learning: Supporting people with disability to access education and learning throughout their lives so they reach their full potential.
Health and wellbeing: Increasing support and capability in the healthcare sector to meet the needs of people with disability and ensuring disaster preparedness and emergency responses include the needs of people with disability.
Community attitudes: Recognising the positive contribution people with disability make to society and building confidence in the community to work and engage with people with disability.

All Australian governments, including local government through ALGA, are signatories to the strategy.

The 2024 update introduced new Targeted Action Plans, which strengthened accountability and aligned work with findings from the Disability Royal Commission and NDIS Review.

For councils, the Strategy reinforces that:

disability inclusion is a shared responsibility across government
mainstream systems, including local government services, must be inclusive by design
monitoring and reporting are increasingly important.

Australia’s Disability Strategy includes an outcomes framework. This framework is an important reference to help councils link the actions and measures in their disability action plan with the national strategy.

National legislation: Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA)

The DDA is the primary national anti-discrimination law protecting people with disability. It makes it unlawful to discriminate in areas relevant to local government, including:

access to premises
provision of services
public spaces
employment
administration of programs.

Councils must take reasonable steps to avoid discrimination and provide reasonable adjustments in line with these laws.

A major Review of the DDA is currently underway (2025), considering improvements including a positive duty to proactively eliminate discrimination – an important development for future council planning.

Disability Standards under the DDA

The DDA is supported by legally enforceable Standards that clarify obligations for service providers, public authorities and infrastructure owners.

1. Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport 2002 (Transport Standards)

These Standards apply to public transport services, infrastructure and information, including services and infrastructure used every day by local residents such as:

bus stops
interchange facilities
pathways leading to stops
signage
access information.

The Standards were reviewed in 2022, with updates emphasising whole of journey planning, accessible information, and alignment with modern accessibility expectations. The updates from this review make it increasingly important for councils to consider how local footpaths, kerbs, shelters and signage, support compliant and safe access.

2. Disability (Access to Premises – Buildings) Standards 2010 (Premises Standards)

The Premises Standards align with the National Construction Code and set minimum accessibility requirements for new buildings and major upgrades. While councils have more responsibility in regulating building approvals rather than construction itself, councils must ensure:

their own public buildings meet the Standards
their statutory planning and certification functions apply the current requirements
approaches to public places and facilities are accessible.

A major update commenced on 29 July 2025, reflecting the 2021 review and updated Australian Standards, including AS 1428.1–2021.

This is one of the most directly relevant regulatory frameworks for local government.

Did you know?

Under the Premises Standards, any new public building or building upgrade that requires a building approval must meet minimum accessibility requirements, including access to and within the building, sanitary facilities, and signage. These requirements apply to councils both as building owners and regulators.

3. Disability Standards for Education 2005 (Education Standards)

These Standards set out rights and obligations for students with disability in educational settings. The 2025 review of the Disability Standards for Education includes proposals to extend obligations to early childhood education and care (ECEC). This may be relevant to councils that operate or support childcare, community kindergartens or early years programs, where future compliance requirements may expand.

National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS Act 2013)

The NDIS Act establishes the system of supports under the NDIS, the NDIA and the rules for individual supports. Amendments in recent years have strengthened safeguarding and clarified definitions of supports. There is an ongoing process of aligning the legislation with recommendations from the Disability Royal Commission and the NDIS Review.

A major reform underway (as of April 2026) is the introduction of Foundational Supports. These are intended as disability-related supports, available outside the NDIS, that may be delivered locally. Details are emerging but councils may interact with these supports through:

community programs
local partnerships
facilities
libraries
recreation environments
neighbourhood-level initiatives.

State and territory policy and legislation

States and territories often have their own disability and/or inclusion/anti-discrimination/equal opportunity legislation (see state and territory legislation). This may also include specific local government legislation (for example, the Local Government Act 2009 (Qld)).

While legislative requirements differ, at a minimum, most jurisdictions have expectations for local government to have:

accessible and inclusive services
anti-discrimination and/or equal opportunity
development and reporting of Disability Plans (required or encouraged)
meaningful engagement with people with disability.

Legislative frameworks may shape what councils must include in their disability action plans, how they engage with communities, and how they monitor and report on progress. Councils should check their jurisdiction’s current requirements, as several state disability strategies and plans are in renewal cycles.

View state and territory requirements summary

Resources for this section

Quick guides

Reference summaries that appear as pop-up "quick guides" in the interactive version of the guide.

Key Terms

Ableism: Prejudice and discrimination against disability and people with disability. Ableism can be individual or part of systems and society. It can be part of actions, behaviours and attitudes. Ableism does not need to be active or conscious – it can also include things like not giving people with disability access to opportunities, not considering people with disability in decisions, and not including people with disability in how a community is represented.
Access: Access refers to the ability for people to safely enter, use and participate in places, services, information and community life. The term is often used alongside inclusion (e.g. ‘access and inclusion’), recognising that removing barriers to access is a foundation for full participation.
Accessible: Accessible means something is designed so everyone can use it easily, including people with disability. This can apply to buildings, outdoor spaces, digital information, communication, programs and everyday services.
Champion: A staff member or leader who actively promotes inclusion and helps drive cultural change across council.
Co-design: A collaborative and participatory approach that involves a diverse range of people with relevant skills, experience or interests being included as equal partners to provide advice, make decisions and design solutions. The ‘co’ in co-design stands for community or conversation. The ‘design’ is about making and testing (The Australian Centre for Social Innovation). See the quick guide on co-designing with people with disability.
Disability Action Plan (DAP): A plan that sets out actions to improve access, equity and inclusion.
Disability Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP): A plan that sets out actions to improve access, equity and inclusion.
Disability Access and Inclusion Plan (DAIP): A plan that sets out actions to improve access, equity and inclusion.
Disability Advisory Committee / Council (DAC): A group that provides advice and lived experience insight to guide decisions on disability inclusion.
Disability Representative Organisation (DRO): An organisation that represents people with disability. DROs are funded by the Australian Government through the Disability Representative Organisation program.
Equity: Fairness or justice in the way people are treated and the outcomes available to them. Equity recognises that treating people equally is not always fair, because people have different needs, experiences and circumstances that affect what opportunities they have and what is appropriate for them.
Equitable approach: An equitable approach does not give everyone the same thing; it provides people with what they need to achieve equal participation or outcomes.
Human Rights Model of Disability: A model that emphasises people with disability have the same rights as everyone else and places obligations on society to remove barriers. Refer to the Guide’s section on respecting and upholding disability rights.
Inclusion: Giving everyone equal access to opportunities and resources, including for people who may otherwise be excluded. Inclusion is about everyone, but the focus is on groups that are excluded. It involves creating the conditions where people with disability can participate fully, equally and with dignity. Accessibility is part of inclusion, but inclusion is a broader term that also covers areas like representation and discrimination. Inclusion goes beyond access to ensure people feel welcome, respected and able to contribute.
Inclusive Engagement: Refer to the Guide’s section on inclusive community engagement.
Inclusive Language: Respectful, accurate language that reflects the preferences of people with disability. Refer to the Guide’s section on using respectful and inclusive language.
Intersectionality: Recognising that people experience disability alongside other identities, such as culture, gender, age, sexuality or socioeconomic background, which shape how they experience barriers or inclusion. Refer to the Guide’s section on applying an intersectional approach. Using an intersectional lens means considering how these overlapping identities affect people’s experiences in things like planning.
Invisible disability: A disability that someone else would not know about just from looking at the person with disability. This may also be called non-visible or hidden disability. Disabilities that the term is commonly applied to include autism and other neurodivergence, intellectual disability, chronic pain and chronic health conditions, and psychosocial disability. However, the term can apply to any disability someone who has not interacted with the person would not be aware of. Disabilities are not always completely visible or invisible – for example, visibility can change based on whether someone is walking with an assistive cane or whether a prosthetic limb is covered by clothing.
Lived Experience: When a person has directly experienced something as part of their life. Lived experience can be of an identity (or intersectional identity) such as disability, race or gender, as well as in key areas such as trauma. Lived experience of disability only applies to people with disability. It does not include family or carers. Families and carers may be said to have experience with disability, but not of it.
Medical Model of Disability: The term used to describe a way of thinking about and treating disability as an impairment or deficit of the individual that limits what they can do. This model is heavily criticised as ignoring how society and environments create limits and exclusion, and as inconsistent with principles of human rights.
Neurodivergent: Describes a person whose brain processes or learns differently from what is considered ‘neurotypical’ – for example autistic people or people with ADHD. Sometimes people confuse ‘neurodivergent’ with ‘neurodiverse’ – these terms do not mean the same thing. Neurodiverse refers to a group that includes a mix of neurotypes, which can mean neurodivergent and neurotypical people.
Rights-based Approach: An approach focused on upholding the rights of people with disability. Refer to the Guide’s section on respecting and upholding disability rights.
Social Model of Disability: A model that says people with disability experience limitations because social systems, environments and attitudes are inaccessible. Refer to the Guide’s section on the social and human rights models.
Trauma-informed approach: An approach that pays attention to emotional, cultural and psychological safety. Refer to the Guide’s section on using trauma-informed practice in planning.
Universal Design: Designing environments, information and services so they work for the widest range of people from the start. Refer to the Guide’s section on inclusion through Universal Design.

The 7 Principles of Universal Design

The purpose of the 7 Principles of Universal Design is to guide the design of environments, products and communications so that everyone can use them. This guidance is adapted from the Centre for Excellence in Universal Design.

Equitable use

Make sure everyone can use the design in the same or an equivalent way.
Avoid approaches that separate or single out people.
Provide options that give all users a fair and dignified experience.

Example: Accessible seating at a sports stadium is integrated rather than a designated area for people using wheelchairs.

Flexibility in use

Offer different ways for people to participate, move through a space or complete a task.
Support individual preferences.
Make sure the design can adapt to different levels of accuracy and pace.

Example: Community feedback can be provided in person, online, over the phone or in written format.

Simple and intuitive to use

Keep layouts, instructions and processes simple and straightforward.
Design so people can use the product or environment without previous knowledge.

Example: Tactile markers are placed directly in paths and entryways so people who are blind or with low vision can easily find them.

Perceptible information

Provide information in multiple formats, such as text, audio, tactile or visual.
Make sure the information is clear even when conditions change e.g. lighting or noise.

Example: A new employee induction training video includes captioning.

Tolerance for error

Reduce hazards and minimise the impact of mistakes.
Use clear warnings, prompts or cues to guide safe use.
Design elements that allow people to recover easily if they make an error.

Example: A website provides ‘back’ or ‘undo’ option so people can correct mistakes without losing progress or having to restart.

Low physical effort

Make tasks comfortable and achievable with minimal physical strain.
Avoid designs requiring sustained force.
Support people with different mobility and energy levels.

Example: Doors to a community centre open automatically.

Size and space for approach and use

Provide enough room for people to move, turn and reach.
Position key elements within comfortable reach and/or sight.

Example: The top shelf in a library can be reached by a person seated in a wheelchair.

State and Territory Requirements

State and territory requirements can change. It is important to review the latest requirements for your state or territory on the relevant websites. Contact your local government member association if you’re not sure about the requirements that apply to your council.

This information is current as of January 2026.

State and territory disability planning requirements
Jurisdiction	Legislation	Policy Expectations
NSW	Disability Inclusion Act 2014 (NSW) – councils must have a DIAP, review every 4 years and report in annual reports.	NSW Disability Inclusion Action Planning Guidelines and the NSW Disability Inclusion Plan 2026–2029 set statewide goals that DIAPs are expected to support. Councils’ DIAPs sit within this overall framework, helping to align local actions with state priorities. Local Government NSW (LGNSW) reinforces this by promoting DIAPs as the key tool for local government disability inclusion and providing ongoing practice support.
VIC	Disability Act 2006 (Vic) – public authorities, including councils, must prepare DAPs or embed equivalent measures within their Council Plan, and report annually on implementation.	The Victorian Government’s state disability plan, Inclusive Victoria: state disability plan (2022–2026) states that DAPs must address barriers and should align to the outcomes framework of the State Disability Plan to clearly show how they contribute to statewide outcomes. Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) supports councils through the Local Government Disability Planners Network.
QLD	Disability Services Act 2006 (Qld) requires state government departments, not councils, to have disability service plans (DSPs). There are no explicit statutory requirements for local government plans.	Queensland’s Disability Plan 2022–27: Together, a better Queensland is the main state plan. Local governments are not legislatively required to develop DAIPs/DAPs but are expected to contribute to an ‘all-of-community’ approach. Many councils voluntarily align their DAIPs/DAPs with the state plan. The Human Rights Act 2019 (Qld) requires that councils’ decision-making, policies, services and access programs are compatible with human rights.
WA	Disability Services Act 1993 (WA) – requires all local governments to develop, publish and implement a DAIP, and report annually on progress.	A Western Australia for Everyone: State Disability Strategy 2020–2030 provides the statewide framework. DAIP guidance and training explicitly require local government DAIPs to align DAIP actions with the outcomes of the State Disability Strategy.
SA	Disability Inclusion Act 2018 (SA) – local councils are ‘State authorities’ and must prepare a DIAP, review it at least every four years and provide annual reports.	Under Inclusive SA – State Disability Inclusion Plan 2025–2029, state government agencies and local councils must have DAIPs that align with the plan’s four priority areas. Inclusive SA also publishes DAIP guidelines for South Australian state authorities.
TAS	Disability Rights, Inclusion and Safeguarding Act 2024 (Tas) requires defined entities – primarily State Government bodies and specified organisations – to prepare DIAPs that support the Tasmanian Disability Inclusion Plan 2025–2027. Current public guidance indicates that local government is not explicitly listed as a defined entity, meaning there is no universal legislative requirement for councils to prepare a DIAP at this stage.	The Act and the Disability Commissioner’s guidance describe DIAPs as practical tools to implement the Tasmanian Disability Inclusion Plan 2025–2027, focusing on removing barriers and improving participation. Although not mandated, many Tasmanian councils voluntarily maintain DIAPs, aligning them with state frameworks and with national strategies as a matter of good practice and community expectation.
ACT	Canberra combines state and local government functions. The Disability Services Act 1991 (ACT) does not mandate action plans for local government.	ACT Disability Strategy 2023–2033 provides the overarching framework. Disability inclusion is embedded across directorate plans rather than separate council plans.
NT	There is no Northern Territory legislation requiring local governments to prepare a DIAP/DAIP.	The NT Disability Strategy 2022–2032 and its 2022–25 Action Plan set a whole-of-territory direction and call on all sectors, including local government, to help remove barriers and improve inclusion. Some councils choose to adopt DIAPs/DAIPs that reflect the strategy’s goals and action areas, but this is driven by policy alignment and community expectations, not legislative compulsion.

NSW

Legislation:: Disability Inclusion Act 2014 (NSW) – councils must have a DIAP, review every 4 years and report in annual reports.
Policy Expectations:: NSW Disability Inclusion Action Planning Guidelines and the NSW Disability Inclusion Plan 2026–2029 set statewide goals that DIAPs are expected to support. Councils’ DIAPs sit within this overall framework, helping to align local actions with state priorities. Local Government NSW (LGNSW) reinforces this by promoting DIAPs as the key tool for local government disability inclusion and providing ongoing practice support.

VIC

Legislation:: Disability Act 2006 (Vic) – public authorities, including councils, must prepare DAPs or embed equivalent measures within their Council Plan, and report annually on implementation.
Policy Expectations:: The Victorian Government’s state disability plan, Inclusive Victoria: state disability plan (2022–2026) states that DAPs must address barriers and should align to the outcomes framework of the State Disability Plan to clearly show how they contribute to statewide outcomes. Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) supports councils through the Local Government Disability Planners Network.

QLD

Legislation:: Disability Services Act 2006 (Qld) requires state government departments, not councils, to have disability service plans (DSPs). There are no explicit statutory requirements for local government plans.
Policy Expectations:: Queensland’s Disability Plan 2022–27: Together, a better Queensland is the main state plan. Local governments are not legislatively required to develop DAIPs/DAPs but are expected to contribute to an ‘all-of-community’ approach. Many councils voluntarily align their DAIPs/DAPs with the state plan. The Human Rights Act 2019 (Qld) requires that councils’ decision-making, policies, services and access programs are compatible with human rights.

WA

Legislation:: Disability Services Act 1993 (WA) – requires all local governments to develop, publish and implement a DAIP, and report annually on progress.
Policy Expectations:: A Western Australia for Everyone: State Disability Strategy 2020–2030 provides the statewide framework. DAIP guidance and training explicitly require local government DAIPs to align DAIP actions with the outcomes of the State Disability Strategy.

SA

Legislation:: Disability Inclusion Act 2018 (SA) – local councils are ‘State authorities’ and must prepare a DIAP, review it at least every four years and provide annual reports.
Policy Expectations:: Under Inclusive SA – State Disability Inclusion Plan 2025–2029, state government agencies and local councils must have DAIPs that align with the plan’s four priority areas. Inclusive SA also publishes DAIP guidelines for South Australian state authorities.

TAS

Legislation:: Disability Rights, Inclusion and Safeguarding Act 2024 (Tas) requires defined entities – primarily State Government bodies and specified organisations – to prepare DIAPs that support the Tasmanian Disability Inclusion Plan 2025–2027. Current public guidance indicates that local government is not explicitly listed as a defined entity, meaning there is no universal legislative requirement for councils to prepare a DIAP at this stage.
Policy Expectations:: The Act and the Disability Commissioner’s guidance describe DIAPs as practical tools to implement the Tasmanian Disability Inclusion Plan 2025–2027, focusing on removing barriers and improving participation. Although not mandated, many Tasmanian councils voluntarily maintain DIAPs, aligning them with state frameworks and with national strategies as a matter of good practice and community expectation.

ACT

Legislation:: Canberra combines state and local government functions. The Disability Services Act 1991 (ACT) does not mandate action plans for local government.
Policy Expectations:: ACT Disability Strategy 2023–2033 provides the overarching framework. Disability inclusion is embedded across directorate plans rather than separate council plans.

NT

Legislation:: There is no Northern Territory legislation requiring local governments to prepare a DIAP/DAIP.
Policy Expectations:: The NT Disability Strategy 2022–2032 and its 2022–25 Action Plan set a whole-of-territory direction and call on all sectors, including local government, to help remove barriers and improve inclusion. Some councils choose to adopt DIAPs/DAIPs that reflect the strategy’s goals and action areas, but this is driven by policy alignment and community expectations, not legislative compulsion.

Accessible Communication Formats

Plain language

Writing in plain English helps make information more accessible to the whole community. The Australian Government style manual is a useful resource to help you write in plain English.

Easy Read and/or Easy English

You might put important information, including copies of your disability action plan, into an Easy Read or Easy English version. These are two different formats that help people with intellectual disability access the information, as well as other people in the community with lower literacy levels. Use a professional Easy Read or Easy English supplier to translate your documents, or you can access online tools for help to write in Easy Read.

Auslan

Some people in your community may use Auslan as their first and preferred language. This means they might not understand English, including written English. Engage Auslan interpreters for public announcements and important communication as much as possible. Include Auslan translation on key videos about local government services and important documents.

Captions and transcripts

Include closed captions and transcripts with your videos when posting online.

Accessible PDFs

When adding PDF documents to your website, make sure they are fully accessible. Use free PDF accessibility checkers to verify your PDF is accessible. It’s also best to provide an accessible Word document version along with your accessible PDFs.

Braille

You could have information in braille available on request. Organisations such as Vision Australia and Blind Citizens Australia can help connect you with suppliers who produce documents in braille formats.

Large print

Make information available on request in large print. This is particularly important for community workshops and events.

Audio

Make key policy and operational documents available in audio formats. You can do this using web-based tools and features on your webpages.

Screen reader compatible documents and digital products

You should be able to read government information online using a screen reader. Make sure your materials, including documents, websites, forms and engagement materials, comply with WCAG screen reader capability.

Inclusive principles

Within these formats, it's important to apply inclusive principles for accessible design and communications, such as:

Diversity of representation in imagery and stories
Inclusive language
Alt text on images
High contrast colours in designs
Meaningful links in emails, social media posts and newsletters

Inclusive Engagement Methods

Online tools

Considerations

Online tools allow people to have their say at times that suit them. They can be very accessible, if they are clear, easy to navigate and find, and meet accessibility standards.
Make sure any online engagement platforms are fully accessible and comply with WCAG standards.
Offer support for people to get help with access and use.

Examples

Online surveys
Send an email or submission
Ideas Walls

Online events

Considerations

Online events, like webinars, help you to share information with the community about engagement processes or new policies. You can also use online events for workshops and focus groups to get feedback on areas of your disability action plan.
It’s important to make sure online events are facilitated well so that people feel supported and they’ve had a chance to have their say.
Make sure you support people’s access needs in the lead up to, during and following, the online event. Ask for any accessibility needs and consider having live captioning and Auslan for online events. You can find out more in AHRC’s guide on inclusive meetings and events.

Examples

Webinars
Small group discussions online (focus groups and meetings)

In-person events

Considerations

In-person events remain an important engagement method for many people, particularly those who have limited access to digital technologies.
Consider doing events in partnership with local organisations and groups at places where the community already visits. For example, libraries, community and recreation centres, markets and shopping precincts. This helps improve reach to those who might not attend a separate council event.
It’s important to make sure your in-person events are fully accessible. Ask people to share their accessibility needs when registering and consider having Auslan interpreters available at events.

Examples

Open town halls
Community ‘pop-ups’ in different locations
Drop-in sessions to libraries, other community locations
Smaller group meetings and discussions
Presentations and conversations with established community groups

Over the phone

Considerations

Providing the option for people with disability to have their say by phone helps to reduce barriers to engagement. For example, people may have lower literacy levels and want to talk to someone to find out more and share their ideas, or they may not know how to use online tools.

Examples

Council phone lines / call centres

Social media

Considerations

Some councils use social media to inform their community about engagement events. You can also use social media to ask questions, do polls and get feedback from community members.
Social media is often very accessible to people with disability. It’s important to consider privacy, safety and trauma-informed engagement using open platforms like this.

Examples

Closed and open Facebook Groups
Notices on community pages linking to online engagement tools
Broadcasting community engagement events e.g. on Facebook Live

Participatory citizen engagement

Considerations

Some councils are using participatory citizen methods to help design and plan for inclusion. This involves having people take an active role identifying barriers, needs and changes, often on location or specific to very focused issues.
These experiences can help people with disability have input into design and monitoring of infrastructure as well as the way council delivers services.

Examples

Walking and wheeling tours
Community chats and world cafes on location
Citizen and collaborative mapping
Charettes
Audits

There are many other types of engagement methods, including tools for deliberative engagement and co-design. Find out more about co-designing with people with disability. Get more ideas from the Engagement Institute's Engagement Methods Tool.

Co-designing with people with disability

Co-design processes mean participants contribute not only ideas, but also to decision-making. Co-design requires time and resources to support the process of collaboration.

When developing disability inclusion plans and actions, councils may set up project groups to co-design the plan.

Co-design and co-development can also be used:

for discrete council projects, like development of play spaces, urban renewal design or shared pathway networks
to plan for and make decisions about your consultation process
to design new programs that support disability inclusion
to develop resources for people with disability, particularly for different groups. For example, people who are deaf/hard of hearing, blind/vision impaired or have intellectual disability and have specific communication needs.

Helpful resources

The following resources can help you consider if co-design is right for your plan or project:

‘Guide to Co-Design with people living with disability’, Purple Orange
Towards Inclusive Practice ‘Communications to co-design: valuing different types of engagement’, Inclusion Australia

What councils can do

Things to consider when co-designing with people with disability:

Co-design groups often include a mix of stakeholders to include different perspectives. This may include people with disability, their family and carers (who are generally the ones most impacted by inclusion actions), as well as representative organisations, service providers and council staff.
It’s important to have good representation of the community and recognition of intersectionality in any co-design process. For example, the group should include representatives who have disability and are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, from multicultural backgrounds (with consideration to population groups in your community), LGBTIQA+ and younger and older age groups.
Make sure you have committed the time and resources to co-design properly. If you only have limited time and a small budget, you can still consult with people with disability and the community.

What’s in a Disability Action Plan?

What’s in a disability action plan might change depending on a council’s population size, location, needs and priorities. However, here are some common elements for the structure of a plan.

A message from the Mayor.
An overview of council and the community.
Vision for disability inclusion.
Guiding principles.
Policy and legislative context and how it links with other council plans.
Achievements you have made in your last disability action plan.
How the plan was developed, including the consultation and/or co-design process.
Identification of barriers and opportunities.
Outcome areas, strategies and actions.
Implementation and governance.
Monitoring, reporting and review.
Case studies and examples – throughout your plan it’s a good idea to include examples, case studies or stories from the community. This helps people relate to the plan and see the practical actions council is taking.

Resources

All resources referenced throughout this guide.

Models of Disability (opens in new tab)
An overview of the different models used to understand disability, including social, human rights and medical models. It explains how each model shapes policy, practice and attitudes.
People with Disability Australia (PWDA)
Referenced in: Principles
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (opens in new tab)
An international human rights treaty ensuring equal rights and freedoms for people with disability. It outlines government responsibilities to promote inclusion, dignity and participation.
United Nations
Referenced in: Principles
Rights of people with disability - Public sector guidance sheet (opens in new tab)
Provides guidance for public sector agencies on respecting, protecting and promoting the human rights of people with disability in policy development and decision-making.
Attorney-General’s Department
Referenced in: Principles
Disability rights training (opens in new tab)
Provides an overview of disability rights and responsibilities and training resources to support inclusive, accessible and rights-based practice, particularly in workplaces and organisations.
Australian Human Rights Commission
Referenced in: Principles
History of Australia's Disability Movement (opens in new tab)
Summary of the history of the disability in Australia from 1908 to 2008.
People with Disability Australia (PWDA)
Referenced in: Principles
Disability in Australia: Shadows, struggles and successes - A usable socio-cultural history of disability in Australia (opens in new tab)
Research Report of the Disability Royal Commission on the history of disability in Australia.
Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability
Referenced in: Principles
Good Practice Guidelines for Engaging with People with Disability (opens in new tab)
A national guide offering principles and practical steps for inclusive engagement. Focuses on accessibility, respect and meaningful participation.
Australian government - Disability Gateway
Referenced in: Principles, Engagement and Communications, Planning for Disability Inclusion, Case Studies and Resources
Communications to co-design: Valuing different types of engagement (opens in new tab)
A guide highlighting inclusive communication and co-design approaches. It explains how to meaningfully involve people with diverse communication needs.
people with disability are centred Inclusion Australia
Referenced in: Principles, Leadership and Decision-Making
QDN's Co-Design Principles (opens in new tab)
Principles developed by Queenslanders with Disability Network to support genuine co-design. Emphasises shared power, lived experience leadership and accessibility.
Queenslanders with Disability Network (QDN)
Referenced in: Principles
Intersectionality Resources and Community Practice Tools (opens in new tab)
A collection of tools, guides and training materials on applying intersectionality in community work. It helps organisations understand overlapping forms of discrimination and build inclusive practice.
Intertwine
Referenced in: Principles
Closing the Gap (opens in new tab)
A national framework aimed at improving life outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It outlines priority areas, targets and progress reporting.
Australian Government
Referenced in: Principles
Intersectionality is essential to meaningful inclusion. Here's how to do it right (opens in new tab)
Blog article outline what intersectionality is and how to support intersectional inclusion in workplaces.
Diversity Council Australia
Referenced in: Principles
What is intersectionality? (opens in new tab)
Overview explaining intersectionality, especially in relation to gender.
UN Women Australia
Referenced in: Principles
Designing Cities for All: Why Women with Disabilities Must Be at the Table (opens in new tab)
Article about participation of women with disability in city design, based on initiatives in Indonesia.
The Kota Kita Initiative
Referenced in: Principles
Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA) (opens in new tab)
Website for WWDA, the national Disabled People's Organisation (DPO) and National Women's Alliance (NWA) for women, girls, and gender-diverse people with disabilities in Australia.
Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA)
Referenced in: Principles
First People's Disability Network (FPDN) (opens in new tab)
Website for FPDN, the national peak organisation for First Nations people with disabiltiy, their families and communities.
First People's Disability Network (FPDN)
Referenced in: Principles
National Ethnic Disability Alliance (NEDA) (opens in new tab)
Website for NEDA, a national Disabled People's Organisation (DPO) that advocates federally for the human rights of people with disability, and their families, from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds.
National Ethnic Disability Alliance (NEDA)
Referenced in: Principles
Youth Disability Advocacy Service (opens in new tab)
Website for YDAS, an advocacy organisation that works with disabled young people (aged 12-25) in Victoria
Youth Disability Advocacy Service (YDAS)
Referenced in: Principles
Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021 – 2031" (opens in new tab)
Page 47 ultines Intersectionality and diversity.
The Australian Government Department of Social Services
Referenced in: Principles
Youth Disability Advocacy Network (opens in new tab)
Website for YDAN, the leading advocacy organisation and peak representative body for young people with disabilities in Western Australia.
Youth Disability Advocacy Network (YDAN)
Referenced in: Principles
Disability Advocacy Finder (opens in new tab)
An online tool that helps people with disability, carers and families locate independent disability advocacy providers and services in their area.
Ask Izzy
Referenced in: Principles
Blue Knot resources for trauma-informed practice (opens in new tab)
Provides evidence-based resources and guidance to support trauma-informed, safe and inclusive practice across services and organisations.
Blue Knot Foundation
Referenced in: Principles
Trauma-informed practice organisational toolkit (opens in new tab)
Provides a staged toolkit to support organisations to embed trauma-informed approaches in planning, policy and service delivery.
Mental Health Coordinating Council
Referenced in: Principles
Trauma-informed Events Checklist and Policy and Protocol (opens in new tab)
Provides a practical checklist and guidance to help organisations plan and deliver events using trauma-informed principles.
Mental Health Coordinating Council
Referenced in: Principles
PWDA Language Guide (opens in new tab)
Provides clear and contemporary guidance on respectful and inclusive language when referring to people with disability, supporting person-centred communication.
People with Disability Australia (PWDA)
Referenced in: Principles, Case Studies and Resources
Inclusive Language and Communication Toolkit (opens in new tab)
Provides practical guidance on using inclusive language and accessible communication when working with people with disability, including examples and alternatives.
Queensland Government
Referenced in: Principles
How We Talk About Disability Matters! Understanding models of disability (opens in new tab)
Explains the models of disability
Disability Advocacy Resource Unit (DARU)
Referenced in: Principles
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (opens in new tab)
An international human rights treaty ensuring equal rights and freedoms for people with disability. It outlines government responsibilities to promote inclusion, dignity and participation.
United Nations
Referenced in: Principles
Style Manual - Disability and Neurodiversity (opens in new tab)
Provides guidance for Australian Government content on respectful, inclusive and accurate language relating to disability and neurodiversity
Australian Government
Referenced in: Principles
Everything you need to know about universal design (opens in new tab)
Provides information and resources promoting universal design across built and digital environments. Supports inclusive design principles that benefit people of all abilities.
Centre for Universal Design Australia
Referenced in: Principles, Case Studies and Resources
8 Goals of Universal Design (opens in new tab)
The 8 Goals help practitioners apply universal design and measure outcomes. They cover functional, social and emotional dimensions.
Centre for Universal Design Australia
Referenced in: Principles
Universal Design includes DeafSpace Design (opens in new tab)
Article about Universal Design supporting accessibility for Deaf people.
Centre for Universal Design Australia
Referenced in: Principles
Opportunity in neurodiverse design (opens in new tab)
Article explaining and giving a link to the resource "Design for the Mind - Neurodiversity and the built environment - Guide".
Centre for Universal Design Australia
Referenced in: Principles
Centre for Excellence in Universal Design – The 7 Principles (opens in new tab)
Source of the 7 Principles of Universal Design. The guide's explanation of universal design principles is adapted from this resource.
Centre for Excellence in Universal Design
Referenced in: Principles
DARU – Introducing the Human Rights Model of Disability (opens in new tab)
Resource introducing the human rights model of disability. Listed in the 'Find out more' resources for Principle 1.
Disability Advocacy Resource Unit (DARU)
Referenced in: Principles
Supported Decision-Making Resource Directory (opens in new tab)
A directory of tools, guidance and examples to support people with disability to participate in decision-making, advisory groups and co-design processes.
Inclusion Australia
Referenced in: Leadership and Decision-Making
LEAD Toolkit (opens in new tab)
A leadership toolkit supporting women and gender-diverse people with disability to build confidence, skills and knowledge.
Women With Disabilities Australia
Referenced in: Leadership and Decision-Making
Lived Experience Leadership Hub (opens in new tab)
A resource hub focused on recognising, strengthening and supporting leadership based on lived experience.
Lived Experience Leadership
Referenced in: Leadership and Decision-Making
Lived Experience Training Programs (opens in new tab)
Structured training and leadership development programs for people with lived experience of disability and systems.
Lived Experience Training
Referenced in: Leadership and Decision-Making
A Toolkit to Authentically Embed Lived Experience Governance (opens in new tab)
This toolkit provides users with a selection of tools and resources to assist in exploring and assessing their own governance processes and formulate a pathway towards embedding lived experience governance across their systems, structures, policies, processes, practices, programs and services.
National Mental Health Consumer and Carer Forum
Referenced in: Leadership and Decision-Making
Toolkit for Boards: Disability Readiness (opens in new tab)
A toolkit to help boards include and support directors with lived experience of disability.
National Disability Services (NDS)
Referenced in: Leadership and Decision-Making
Queensland Disability Stakeholder Engagement and Co-Design Strategy (opens in new tab)
The Strategy is designed to guide the collaborative efforts required to achieve effective disability reform implementation across Queensland. It outlines the principles, structures, and processes that will facilitate meaningful participation from all stakeholders
Queenslanders with Disability Network (QDN)
Referenced in: Leadership and Decision-Making
Toolkit for Engaging with People with Disability in Evaluation (opens in new tab)
A toolkit to support inclusive and accessible engagement with people with disability in evaluation activities.
Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
Referenced in: Leadership and Decision-Making
Lived Experience Paid Participation Policy (opens in new tab)
Detailed outline of the Black Dog Institute's policy and approach to lived experience paid participation.
Black Dog Institute
Referenced in: Leadership and Decision-Making
Royal Commission Final report - Volume 5, Governing for inclusion (opens in new tab)
This is part of the Disability Royal Commission Final Report, focusing on how governments can improve national disability policies, strategies, and leadership to create a more inclusive society. It outlines recommendations to strengthen coordination, accountability, and governance so people with disability can fully enjoy their rights and access better outcomes.
Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability
Referenced in: Leadership and Decision-Making
Disability Employee Network (DEN) – Guidance (opens in new tab)
Guidance for councils considering establishing a Disability Employee Network (DEN) to advise on barriers and solutions to increase employment of people with disability.
Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
Referenced in: Leadership and Decision-Making
Disability Advocacy Services (Disability Gateway) (opens in new tab)
Directory for finding disability advocacy services in the community. Referenced in the trauma-informed practice and accessible services sections.
Disability Gateway
Referenced in: Leadership and Decision-Making
Resources, tools and training (opens in new tab)
A collection of resources, tools and training to support inclusive recruitment, workplace adjustments and disability-aware employment practices.
The Centre for Inclusive Employment
Referenced in: Inclusive Employment and Procurement
JobAccess – Employer resources (opens in new tab)
Government resources that help employers recruit, retain and support employees with disability, including advice, funding and workplace adjustment guidance.
Australian Government
Referenced in: Inclusive Employment and Procurement
Disability-inclusive workplace resources (opens in new tab)
Tools, training and reports to support organisations to build disability-inclusive workplaces, including leadership programs and accessibility guidance.
Australian Disability Network
Referenced in: Inclusive Employment and Procurement
Equality at work - for employers (opens in new tab)
Guidance for employers on disability rights, responsibilities and good practice in employment, workplace adjustments and non-discrimination.
Australian Human Rights Commission
Referenced in: Inclusive Employment and Procurement
Inclusive Employment Australia (opens in new tab)
Information about the Inclusive Employment Australia program and how it supports people with disability to find and keep work.
Australian Government
Referenced in: Inclusive Employment and Procurement
Accessible procurement resources (opens in new tab)
Practical tools to help organisations embed accessibility and inclusion into procurement processes and supplier relationships.
Australian Disability Network
Referenced in: Inclusive Employment and Procurement
Social Procurement for Government (opens in new tab)
Advice and resources to support government agencies to work with social enterprises through inclusive and social procurement.
Social Traders
Referenced in: Inclusive Employment and Procurement
Understanding workplace adjustments (opens in new tab)
Explains how simple and low-cost workplace adjustments can support employees with disability, with checklists for managers and HR teams.
Australian Government
Referenced in: Inclusive Employment and Procurement
Supported framework and guidelines for visually impaired Council Members (opens in new tab)
Toolkit and guidelines to help councils to better understand and support elected officials who are vision-impaired.
Local Government Association of South Australia (LGASA)
Referenced in: Inclusive Employment and Procurement
Autism Works - For Employers (opens in new tab)
Information and resources for employers about employing autistic people.
South Australian Government, Office for Autism
Referenced in: Inclusive Employment and Procurement
Road to Employment (opens in new tab)
Road to Employment is about creating real opportunities for people with disability to move from school into meaningful, inclusive work. We work with businesses, schools, government, and communities to raise expectations, shift attitudes, build inclusive systems and strengthen capability through training, mentoring, and collaboration.
Purple Orange
Referenced in: Inclusive Employment and Procurement
Disability Inclusion Training - Manager Module (opens in new tab)
This training covers inclusive leadership, disability employment, workplace adjustments, and practical strategies to build a more accessible and equitable culture.
Purple Orange
Referenced in: Inclusive Employment and Procurement
Employing people with disability (opens in new tab)
Information about the benefits of employing people with diverse abilities, practical resources and financial support to help build an inclusive workplace.
Queensland Government
Referenced in: Inclusive Employment and Procurement
The MAV Disability Work Experience Project Evaluation Report (opens in new tab)
The Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) received funding under an Information Linkages and Capacity-building (ILC) Grant Program formerly of the National Disability Insurance Scheme to implement a work experience project for people with disability in Victorian councils. The Project funded ten councils $20,000 each to plan, implement and pilot work experience programs for people with disability with an overall aim of building disability-confidence in councils.
Katherine Wositzky Social Research
Referenced in: Inclusive Employment and Procurement
Neurodivergence and the workplace: Reducing unconscious bias in the recruitment process (opens in new tab)
Article with tips for reducing unconscious bias in recruitment - most apply to disability generally.
JobAccess
Referenced in: Inclusive Employment and Procurement
Employment Assistance Fund (EAF) (opens in new tab)
Fund providing financial support for workplace modifications, assistive technology and Auslan-English interpreting for employees with disability. Referenced in the 'Building an inclusive workplace' snapshot.
Australian Government / JobAccess
Referenced in: Inclusive Employment and Procurement
Accessible communication formats (opens in new tab)
Provides information and links on accessible print and digital document formats to support inclusive communication for people with disability.
Australian Government – Disability Gateway
Referenced in: Engagement and Communications
Plain language and word choice (opens in new tab)
Provides guidance on using plain language and clear word choice to improve accessibility and understanding in written communications.
Australin Government
Referenced in: Engagement and Communications
Writing in plain English (opens in new tab)
Provides practical steps and examples to support writing in plain English for accessible and inclusive communication.
Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA)
Referenced in: Engagement and Communications
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) (opens in new tab)
Information on international accessibility standards for web content to ensure digital information is perceivable, operable, understandable and robust for users with disability.
World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)
Referenced in: Engagement and Communications
What is the WCAG standard? (opens in new tab)
An overview of the WCAG standards and how they apply to creating accessible digital content and services in Australia.
Centre for Accessibility Australia
Referenced in: Engagement and Communications
Creating accessible and inclusive communications (opens in new tab)
Guidance for organisations on creating accessible and inclusive communications, with a focus on supporting employees with disability.
Australian Human Rights Commission
Referenced in: Engagement and Communications
Guidelines on equal access to digital goods and services (opens in new tab)
Guidance on ensuring equal access to digital goods and services for people with disability, aligned with human rights and accessibility obligations.
Australian Human Rights Commission
Referenced in: Engagement and Communications, Accessible Infrastructure and Services
Easy English vs Easy Read. What's the difference? (opens in new tab)
Summary article on what Easy English and Easy Read are.
Embrace Access
Referenced in: Engagement and Communications
Easy Read… Easy English… Plain Language? Decision-Making in the Production of 'Easy' Information in Australia (opens in new tab)
Outline of research findings about different approaches to 'Easy' information materials and the reasons for them.

Referenced in: Engagement and Communications
Guide to Co-Design with People Living with Disability (opens in new tab)
A practical guide explaining co-design with people with disability, including shared decision-making, collaboration and resourcing considerations.
Purple Orange
Referenced in: Engagement and Communications
Co-design fact sheets (opens in new tab)
4 fact sheets on why codesign is important, working with the principles of co-design, when co-design should be implemented and how co-design should be implemented
Queensland Government / Queenslanders with Disability Network (QDN)
Referenced in: Engagement and Communications
IAP2 Public Participation Spectrum (opens in new tab)
A framework describing different levels of public participation, from informing to empowering communities in decision-making.
Engagement Institute
Referenced in: Engagement and Communications
Principles for Engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (opens in new tab)
Principles for engaging with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for projects.
AIATSIS
Referenced in: Engagement and Communications
Accessible Events Guide (opens in new tab)
A practical guide to planning and delivering events that are accessible and inclusive for people with disability.
Queensland Government
Referenced in: Engagement and Communications, Case Studies and Resources
Accessible and Inclusive Community Events Toolkit (opens in new tab)
A toolkit supporting organisations and councils to plan inclusive community events with practical accessibility guidance and resources.
Inclusive SA (South Australian Government)
Referenced in: Engagement and Communications
Planning Inclusive Communities – The Makings (opens in new tab)
Tools and guidance to support inclusive community development and participation through universal design and engagement.
Planning Inclusive Communities
Referenced in: Engagement and Communications
Community Attitudes Targeted Action Plan (opens in new tab)
Sets out actions to improve community attitudes towards people with disability under Australia’s Disability Strategy.
Australian Government
Referenced in: Engagement and Communications
International Day of People with Disability Resources (opens in new tab)
Resources to support and help promote IDPWD activities
Australian Government
Referenced in: Engagement and Communications
Accessible Events Training (opens in new tab)
This training provides practical tools and inclusive strategies to help you plan and deliver events that are welcoming and accessible to all.
Purple Orange
Referenced in: Engagement and Communications
Communication Access (opens in new tab)
Scope services and resources to become more communication accessible and get accredited with the Communication Access Symbol.
Scope Australia
Referenced in: Engagement and Communications
Communication Access (opens in new tab)
Two Way Street is the only South Australian Approved Assessment Organisation for Communication Access – providing training and assessment for organisations seeking this important accreditation. This page also provides downloadable resources.
Two Way Street
Referenced in: Engagement and Communications
Hosting accessible and inclusive online meetings and events (opens in new tab)
This guide has information on: - preparing for an accessible and inclusive online meeting or event - hosting an accessible and inclusive online meeting or event - participating in an online meeting or event in a way that supports accessibility and inclusivity - enhancing and ensuring accessibility following the online meeting or event
Australian Human Rights Commission
Referenced in: Engagement and Communications
Engagement Institute – Engagement Methods Tool (opens in new tab)
Interactive tool offering a wide range of engagement methods for councils undertaking community engagement.
Engagement Institute Australia
Referenced in: Engagement and Communications
Queensland Government – Facilitating Accessible and Inclusive Sessions (opens in new tab)
Guidance on facilitating accessible and inclusive sessions from Queensland's digital service design playbook.
Queensland Government
Referenced in: Engagement and Communications
Victoria – Accessible Event Guidelines and Checklist (opens in new tab)
Accessible events guidelines and checklist for Victorian councils and organisations.
Victorian Government – DFFH
Referenced in: Engagement and Communications
Inclusion Australia – A Guide to Running Inclusive Consultations (opens in new tab)
Guide to running inclusive consultations for people with intellectual disability and the broader community. Linked within the co-design page body text.
Inclusion Australia
Referenced in: Engagement and Communications
DARU – How to Be Disability Inclusive (opens in new tab)
Guide on how to be disability inclusive in engagement and practice. Listed in the resources section of the guide.
Disability Advocacy Resource Unit (DARU)
Referenced in: Engagement and Communications
Free PDF Accessibility Checker (opens in new tab)
Free online tool for councils to verify their PDFs are accessible. Mentioned within the accessible communications snapshot.
PDF4WCAG / DualLab
Referenced in: Engagement and Communications
Alt Text Digital Guide (Victoria) (opens in new tab)
Guide on how to write and add alt text to images for accessible digital communication. Mentioned within the accessible communications snapshot.
Victorian Government
Referenced in: Engagement and Communications
Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport (opens in new tab)
Defines mandatory national requirements for accessible public transport services and infrastructure, including compliance obligations and reform information.
Australian Government
Referenced in: Accessible Infrastructure and Services
Disability (Access to Premises – Buildings) Standards & Review (opens in new tab)
Sets national accessibility requirements for buildings and outlines review findings on the effectiveness of the Premises Standards.
Australian Government
Referenced in: Accessible Infrastructure and Services
National Construction Code (opens in new tab)
Is Australia’s primary framework for building design and construction, including mandatory accessibility and performance provisions.
Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB)
Referenced in: Accessible Infrastructure and Services
Whole Journey: Thinking beyond compliance (opens in new tab)
Outlines a whole-of-journey approach to accessible public transport planning.
Australian Government
Referenced in: Accessible Infrastructure and Services
Changing Places Design Specifications (opens in new tab)
Defines national design specifications for changing places.
Equal Access / Changing Places
Referenced in: Accessible Infrastructure and Services
Inclusive and digital design resources (opens in new tab)
A collection of resources supporting inclusive and accessible digital and service design.
Centre for Inclusive Design
Referenced in: Accessible Infrastructure and Services
Planning Inclusive Communities (opens in new tab)
Tools and guidance to support the planning of accessible, inclusive and universally designed community spaces.
Planning Inclusive Communities
Referenced in: Accessible Infrastructure and Services
Specialist Disability Accommodation Design Standard (opens in new tab)
Provides design requirements and guidance for Specialist Disability Accommodation to support accessibility, safety and participant outcomes.
National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA)
Referenced in: Accessible Infrastructure and Services
Liveable Housing Design Standard (opens in new tab)
Provides minimum design features to improve accessibility and usability in housing across the life course.
Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB)
Referenced in: Accessible Infrastructure and Services
Advisory Note on streetscape, public outdoor areas, fixtures, fittings and furniture (opens in new tab)
Guidance on access considerations for public outdoor areas.
Australian Human Rights Commission
Referenced in: Accessible Infrastructure and Services
Park and Playground Communication Boards (opens in new tab)
Information about communication boards for playgrounds and procuring them from Scope.
Scope Australia
Referenced in: Accessible Infrastructure and Services
Guide for Local Councils on the Delivery of Affordable Housing (opens in new tab)
Led by Australian Community Housing and supported by ALGA, the Guide aims to build capability and partnerships between local government and Community Housing Providers. It recognises that, while councils are not required to provide affordable housing, they may seek to play a meaningful role where it aligns with community priorities and capacity.
Australian Local Government Association (ALGA)
Referenced in: Accessible Infrastructure and Services
Partnering for inclusive housing with Queenslanders with disability 2024-2027 (Disability Housing Action Plan) (opens in new tab)
Queensland's Disability Housing Action Plan outlining partnerships and commitments to improve housing options and accessibility for Queenslanders with disability from 2024 to 2027.
Queensland Government
Referenced in: Accessible Infrastructure and Services
Pavely app (opens in new tab)
Pavely is a social planning app that allows people to search for and plan visits to accessible venues in South Australia, and rate their experiencces.
Pavely
Referenced in: Accessible Infrastructure and Services
Universal Design for Transport - Transport Australia Society Discussion Paper (opens in new tab)
This discussion paper (the paper) aims to provide practical guidance on how universal design can be better considered in work carried out by transport professionals. It is a statement of goals and objectives and focusses on the concept of universal access and aims to be inclusive of a broad range of capabilities and needs.
Engineers Australia
Referenced in: Accessible Infrastructure and Services
Inclusive Play - Guidelines for accessible playspaces (opens in new tab)
These Inclusive Play guidelines are a tool for local government, schools, early childhood learning centres, design professionals and others to assist in planning, considering and developing playspaces that are inclusive of all children. The guidelines include a comprehensive checklist, which can help identify best practice in inclusive play design.
Inclusive SA (South Australian Government)
Referenced in: Accessible Infrastructure and Services
The Good Play Space Guide: "I Can Play Too" (opens in new tab)
The guide aims to: • outline the benefits of play for all children, and discuss the general characteristics of quality play spaces; • investigate the subject of access, inclusion and participation in play for people with a disability, in public play spaces; • demonstrate what makes a play space accessible, and what improvements might be achievable; and • provide guidance on how to develop accessible public play spaces.
Victorian Government
Referenced in: Accessible Infrastructure and Services, Case Studies and Resources
Everyone Can Play - A Guideline to Create Inclusive Playspaces (opens in new tab)
Everyone Can Play is a best practice resource for councils, community leaders, landscape architects and passionate local residents. It is a reference guide for creating world-class playspaces, designed to include everyone in the community. The website include case studies of inclusive playspaces in NSW.
NSW Government
Referenced in: Accessible Infrastructure and Services, Case Studies and Resources
Livvi's Place Natioonal Network of Inclusive Playspaces (opens in new tab)
Explanation of 'Livvi's Place' playspaces built and maintained through partnerships between the Touched By Olivia Foundation and local councils and corporations.
Touched by Olivia
Referenced in: Accessible Infrastructure and Services
Complaints under the Disability Discrimination Act (opens in new tab)
AHRC overview of the DDA, complaints and enforcement.
Australian Human Rights Commission
Referenced in: Accessible Infrastructure and Services
Report and issue or make a complaint about a provider or worker (opens in new tab)
Overview of process for making a complaint about an NDIS provider or worker.
NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission
Referenced in: Accessible Infrastructure and Services
Unlocking accessibility with the Master Locksmiths Access Key (MLAK) (opens in new tab)
A video about the City of Darwin's Master Locksmith Access Key, available to people with disability. The MLAK offers access to a network of public facilities fitted with special locks, including accessible toilets and other amenities.
City of Darwin
Referenced in: Accessible Infrastructure and Services
Victorian Whole of Government Universal Design Policy (opens in new tab)
State-based universal design policy. Mentioned within the 'Inclusion in infrastructure and services design' snapshot as a practical guideline councils can use.
Victorian Government
Referenced in: Accessible Infrastructure and Services
Victorian Health Building Authority – Universal Design Resources (opens in new tab)
Universal design resources for healthcare and community buildings in Victoria. Listed in the resources section of the guide.
Victorian Health Building Authority (VHBA)
Referenced in: Accessible Infrastructure and Services, Case Studies and Resources
Changing Places (opens in new tab)
Information about Changing Places — accessible toilet and change facilities for people with high support needs — including where to find them and how to provide them.
Changing Places Australia
Referenced in: Accessible Infrastructure and Services
Australian Disability Parking Scheme (opens in new tab)
National scheme for disability parking. Listed in the inclusive communities resources section.
Australian Government Department of Health
Referenced in: Accessible Infrastructure and Services
Cycling Without Age – Northern Rivers Rail Trail Trishaw Program (opens in new tab)
Free trishaw rides for people with disability or reduced mobility on the Northern Rivers Rail Trail. Mentioned in the Northern Rivers Rail Trail case study body text.
Tweed Shire Council / Cycling Without Age
Referenced in: Accessible Infrastructure and Services
Disability Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction (DIDRR) Framework and Toolkit (opens in new tab)
A national framework that sets out how disaster preparedness, response and recovery can better include people with disability, based on lived experience and collaboration with emergency services.
Collaborating4Inclusion
Referenced in: Community Safety and Emergency Management
Disability Inclusive Emergency Management (DIEM) Toolkit (opens in new tab)
A practical toolkit to help emergency planners include people with disability in preparedness, response and recovery through inclusive planning and actions.
National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA)
Referenced in: Community Safety and Emergency Management
Person-Centred Emergency Preparedness (P-CEP) Resource Package (opens in new tab)
A resource that supports people with disability to develop personalised emergency plans in partnership with services, carers and communities.
Collaborating4Inclusion
Referenced in: Community Safety and Emergency Management
Australian Disaster Resilience Knowledge Hub – Disability inclusion and disasters (opens in new tab)
A collection of research, guidance and case studies on disability-inclusive disaster risk reduction and emergency management in Australia.
Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience (AIDR)
Referenced in: Community Safety and Emergency Management
Disability Inclusive Emergency Planning (DIEP) (opens in new tab)
Practical tool produced alongside the DIDRR Framework to help councils activate disability inclusive emergency planning at individual, organisational and community level.
Collaborating4Inclusion
Referenced in: Community Safety and Emergency Management
DIEM Toolkit – Organisational Emergency Preparedness Profile (opens in new tab)
Self-assessment tool component of the DIEM Toolkit. Mentioned in the 'Prevention and mitigation' snapshot as a specific action councils can take.
National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA)
Referenced in: Community Safety and Emergency Management
Australian Disability Network – Emergency Evacuation (opens in new tab)
Resource on emergency evacuation planning for people with disability. Listed in the resources section of the guide.
Australian Disability Network
Referenced in: Community Safety and Emergency Management
Disability Action Plan Guide (2021) (opens in new tab)
The Australian Human Rights Commission's practical guide helping organisations develop effective disability action plans.
Australian Human Rights Commission
Referenced in: Planning for Disability Inclusion
Creating Access – Accessibility Action Plan Template (opens in new tab)
A template from People with Disability Australia and Youth Action supporting organisations to create accessible and actionable accessibility action plans.
People with Disability Australia & Youth Action
Referenced in: Planning for Disability Inclusion
NSW Disability Inclusion Action Planning Guidelines (opens in new tab)
NSW Government guidelines supporting local councils and organisations to develop compliant and effective Disability Inclusion Action Plans under NSW legislation.
NSW Government
Referenced in: Planning for Disability Inclusion
Disability Access and Inclusion Plan (DAIP) Guidelines for South Australian state authorities (opens in new tab)
South Australian Government guidelines helping state authorities develop Disability Access and Inclusion Plans that meet legislative requirements and improve accessibility.
South Australian Government
Referenced in: Planning for Disability Inclusion
Adapting to Disability – Guide for Disability Action Plans (opens in new tab)
A Victorian Government guide supporting organisations to develop practical Disability Action Plans that address barriers and improve inclusion for people with disability.
Victorian Government
Referenced in: Planning for Disability Inclusion
NSW DIAP Reporting Guidelines (opens in new tab)
NSW Government reporting guidelines helping councils and organisations meet their obligations for reporting on Disability Inclusion Action Plan progress.
NSW Government
Referenced in: Planning for Disability Inclusion
Developing a Disability Access and Inclusion Plan (opens in new tab)
Western Australian Government guidance helping public authorities develop Disability Access and Inclusion Plans that comply with state legislation and improve community access.
Western Australian Government
Referenced in: Planning for Disability Inclusion
Toolkit for engaging with people with disability in evaluation (opens in new tab)
A toolkit supporting inclusive and accessible engagement with people with disability in evaluation activities.
Australian Government – Disability Gateway
Referenced in: Planning for Disability Inclusion, Case Studies and Resources
Accessibility Action Plan template (opens in new tab)
A template to help youth organisations plan accessibility improvements.
PWDA & Youth Action
Referenced in: Planning for Disability Inclusion
Social Return on Investment (ROI) Approach Guide (opens in new tab)
Guidance, framework and basic principles to assess social impact.
NSW Government (Department of Communities and Justice)
Referenced in: Planning for Disability Inclusion
Social Impact Assessment Guideline For State significant projects (opens in new tab)
Guidance on a process to identify, predict and evaluate the likely social impacts of a project, with proposed responses to avoid, mitigate or reduce negative impacts and enhance positive impacts.
NSW Government (Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure)
Referenced in: Planning for Disability Inclusion
Office of Impact Analysis: Resources and Guidance (opens in new tab)
Collection of policy impact analysis resources, including the Australian Government Guide to Policy Impact Analysis, templates, and other related guidance.
The Office of Impact Analysis (Australian Government DPMC)
Referenced in: Planning for Disability Inclusion
People with disability in Australia 2024 - Report (opens in new tab)
The report uses the AIHW’s ‘Person centred reporting framework’ to present information about experiences and outcomes for people with disability across various aspects of life. Report on Australian Disability outcomes framework.
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
Referenced in: Planning for Disability Inclusion
AHRC – Disability Discrimination Act Action Plans Public Register (opens in new tab)
Register where councils can submit and find disability action plans. Helps councils track progress and learn from each other.
Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
Referenced in: Planning for Disability Inclusion
AHRC – Access and Inclusion Health Check (opens in new tab)
Online health check for organisations to assess their access and inclusion practices under the Disability Discrimination Act.
Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
Referenced in: Planning for Disability Inclusion
Effort–Impact Matrix (opens in new tab)
Tool to help councils analyse and prioritise actions in their disability action plan. Mentioned within the Step 5 snapshot as a method councils can use.
Safer Care Victoria
Referenced in: Planning for Disability Inclusion
DCJ – Disability Inclusion Action Planning Resources (NSW) (opens in new tab)
Resources for NSW councils on disability inclusion action planning. Mentioned in the state/territory requirements table.
NSW Government – Department of Communities and Justice
Referenced in: Planning for Disability Inclusion
Digital accessibility (opens in new tab)
Information, resources and training modules about digital accessibility
Queensland Government
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Survey of Community Attitudes towards People with a Disability (opens in new tab)
Report, presentation and video summary of a national survey on attitudes toward people with disability and inclusion of people with disability.
Professor Anne Kavanagh / University of Melbourne
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Information and Resources (opens in new tab)
Information and resources on autism inclusion, including a Directory of Services and Autism Awareness and Understanding Training
South Australian Government, Office for Autism
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Disability Inclusion Training (opens in new tab)
Training programs and modules designed and facilitated by people with disability.
Purple Orange
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
IDPwD Community Conversation Guide (opens in new tab)
designed to help the community talk about IDPwD and disability
Australian Government
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Ending homelessness: a toolkit for local government (opens in new tab)
The toolkit is an evidence-based resource offering guidance for regional and metropolitan councils. It outlines an approach to address homelessness, including responding to disaster-related homelessness, culturally safe practices, and ideas on how local government can play a proactive role in ending homelessness.
Local Government Association of South Australia (LGASA)
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Inclusive streetscapes: Embedding disabled people's lived experience into street accessibility (opens in new tab)
This empirical semi-structured interview study interviewed 26 people with lived experience of a disability (from around the UK) to define the streetscape barriers faced, the systemic reasons why these issues exist and propose a new path forward. This paper puts forward recommendations for streetscape design with direct relevance for local authorities, policy makers and designers in ensuring streetscapes become more accessible.

Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Disability Inclusion Training - Co-Design Module (opens in new tab)
A co-design training module from Purple Orange helping organisations meaningfully involve people with disability in designing inclusive programs and services.
Purple Orange
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Recruiting: Paying consumers (opens in new tab)
Guidance on consumer payments in relation to engagement about healthcare.
Health Consumers Queensland
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Final Report (opens in new tab)
A national report outlining 222 recommendations to improve safety, inclusion and rights for people with disability across Australia.
Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
GrantConnect (opens in new tab)
The Australian Government's central grants portal where organisations can search, find, and apply for all Commonwealth grant opportunities.
Australian Government
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Community Grants Hub (opens in new tab)
A federal government service that administers grants for community organisations delivering social services across Australia.
Australian Government
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Accessible Australia Initiative (opens in new tab)
Iniitiative funding projects that improve accessibility and inclusion for people with disability across Australian communities.
Australian Government
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Financial Assistance Grants to Local Government (opens in new tab)
Commonwealth untied funding provided directly to local councils to support the delivery of services and infrastructure for local communities.
Australian Government
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Information, Linkages and Capacity Building (ILC) Program (opens in new tab)
A national disability program funding projects that build community capacity and create more inclusive environments for people with disability.
Australian Government
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Current grants programs (Department of Local Government, Water and Volunteers) (opens in new tab)
Queensland's Department of Local Government, Water and Volunteers hub listing active grant programs available to councils and community organisations.
Queensland Government
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
NSW Local Government Grants (opens in new tab)
A centralised NSW Government portal listing available grants and funding opportunities for councils and community groups across New South Wales.
NSW Government
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Community Infrastructure Loans Scheme (opens in new tab)
A Victorian Government low-interest loan program helping local councils and community organisations fund the development of community infrastructure.
Victorian Government
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Grants (Victoria) (opens in new tab)
Victoria's whole-of-government grants directory listing current funding programs and opportunities available to individuals, organisations, and councils.
Victorian Government
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Local Government Research & Development Scheme (opens in new tab)
A South Australian scheme providing funding to local councils for research and innovation projects that strengthen local government capability.
South Australian Government
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Grants (SA) (opens in new tab)
South Australia's government grants directory connecting individuals and organisations with available financial assistance and funding programs.
South Australian Government
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Julia Farr Disability Inclusion Grants (opens in new tab)
South Australian grants supporting projects that promote the inclusion and participation.
Julia Farr Centre
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
IDPWD Grants (opens in new tab)
Western Australian government grants celebrating International Day of People with Disability by funding local inclusion and awareness initiatives.
Western Australian Government
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Local Authority Project Funding (opens in new tab)
Northern Territory government funding supporting local authorities to deliver community projects and improve services in their regions.
Northern Territory Government
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Towards Inclusive Practice (opens in new tab)
A collection of practical resources to support inclusive communication and participation.
Inclusion Australia
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Accessible Arts Checklists (opens in new tab)
Checklists to help arts organisations make programs and events accessible.
Accessible Arts
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Service Providers Accessibility Guide (opens in new tab)
A quick guide to accessible communication and service delivery.
Media Access Australia
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Disability Reporting Handbook (opens in new tab)
Guidance for respectful and accurate media reporting on disability.
Media Diversity Australia
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Accessible information (opens in new tab)
Guidance and examples for creating accessible information.
Inclusion Australia
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Accessible events - a guide for meeting and event organisers (opens in new tab)
Practical steps for making meetings and events accessible.
Universal Design Australia
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Accessible information, goods, services, facilities and events (opens in new tab)
Resources and guidance to support accessible events in Victoria.
Victoria Government Department of Families, Fairness and Housing
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Accessible Meetings and Events Toolkit (opens in new tab)
A toolkit to help plan inclusive meetings and events.
CBM Australia
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
The Disability Resource (opens in new tab)
Information for staff and volunteers supporting inclusive sport and recreation.
The Disability Resource
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Accessible events (opens in new tab)
A collection of resources to support accessible event planning.
Queensland Government
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Design For Everyone Guide (opens in new tab)
Guidance for designing accessible sport and recreation spaces.
Sport and Recreation Victoria
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
LIM - Open space landscape infrastructure manual (opens in new tab)
Guidance for inclusive design of open spaces and public infrastructure.
Sunshine Coast Council
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.2 (opens in new tab)
International standards for accessible digital content.
W3C
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Disability Justice and Urban Planning (opens in new tab)
Research on how urban planning can better include people with disability.
Lisa Stafford,Leonor Vanik &Lisa K. Bates
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Planning for disability equity and inclusion - A discussion paper for the planning profession (opens in new tab)
This discussion paper is practice-oriented, and its purpose is to: - lead the planning profession in a discussion on disability inclusion and equity, - build awareness on how our planning profession can contribute positively and supports disability inclusion and equity and everyone more widely, and - build capacity and empower practitioners by offering a resource and actions by planners to help improve planning for disability equity and inclusion.
Lisa Stafford, Akemi Traill, Andrew Holmes, David Bailey, Matt Novacevski, Megan Taylor, Trent Henderson
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
The Makings of Disability-Inclusive Sustainable Communities: Perspectives from Australia (opens in new tab)
Research article identifying core elements of inclusive communities for people with disability, in line with UN SDG 11.
Lisa Stafford, Matt Novacevski, Rosie Pretorius, Pippa Rogers
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Right-to-place and disability justice: Giving visibility to the often-unseen but integral lived elements in making communities inclusive for all bodyminds (opens in new tab)
Research article outlining the importance of planned and built environments enabling diverse bodyminds to exercise their spatial agency, experience connectedness and dwelling in place, as part of progressing UN SDG 11.
Lisa Stafford, Matt Novacevski
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Viewpoint: opening up the conversation on planning for disability equity and inclusion in Australia with a new discussion paper (opens in new tab)
The purpose of writing the discussion paper is threefold: 1. To lead the planning profession in a discussion on disability inclusion and equity. 2. To build awareness on how our planning profession can contribute positively and support disability inclusion and equity more widely. 3. To help build capacity and empower practitioners. Furthermore, the paper also suggests a pathway forward.
Lisa Stafford, Megan Taylor, Andrerew Holmes, Akemi Traill, David Bailey, Tret Henderson, Matt Novacevski
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Disability Sports – Community Facility Guidelines, Volume 1: Indoor (opens in new tab)
Guidance for planning and designing inclusive indoor sports facilities.
ASAPD / Otium Planning Group
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Centre for Inclusive Employment (opens in new tab)
Resources and programs to help organisations build disability-inclusive employment practices.
Centre for Inclusive Employment
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
JobAccess (opens in new tab)
National information and advice on workplace adjustments, recruitment and disability-inclusive employment.
JobAccess
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Making Workplace Adjustments Easy, Effective and Equitable – Conversation Guide (opens in new tab)
A practical guide to help employers and employees talk about and plan workplace adjustments.
JobAccess
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Disability Employment Essentials Pack (opens in new tab)
Tools, guidance and case studies to support inclusive recruitment and workplace culture.
Australian Disability Network
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Willing to Work: Good Practice Examples for Employers (opens in new tab)
Examples of how organisations across Australia support inclusive employment for people with disability.
Australian Human Rights Commission
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Equality at work - for workers and jobseekers (opens in new tab)
Employment resources for people with disability produced by the Australian Human Rights Commission.
Australian Human Rights Commission
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Guidelines for the targeted recruitment of people with disability (opens in new tab)
Guidance on how to lawfully and effectively run targeted recruitment programs.
Australian Human Rights Commission
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Co-creating meaningful work for people with disability toolkit (opens in new tab)
A toolkit to help design meaningful work opportunities with people with disability.
Queensland Social Enterprise Council
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Autism Works in the Community Grants Program (opens in new tab)
The Autism Works in the Community Grants provide one-off funding to eligible organisations for activities that increase knowledge, understanding and belonging for Autistic people and autism communities in South Australia. This Grants Program aims to support organisations to provide contemporary facilities, equipment and opportunities to meet the needs of Autistic people and promote genuine autism inclusion in South Australia.
South Australian Government, Office for Autism
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
SmartyGrants (opens in new tab)
Australia-based grant management platform
SmartyGrants
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Best Practice Guide for Grants Management for SA Local Government (opens in new tab)
Tools to support local grant officers.
Local Government Association of South Australia (LGASA)
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Rights and legal (opens in new tab)
Information about rights, advocacy and legal services for people with disability
Australian Government – Disability Gateway
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Fact sheets (opens in new tab)
7 fact sheets related to Queensland's Disability plan: 1. Creating inclusive and accessible events; 2. Accessible and inclusive communication; 3. Employing people with disability; 4. Increasing disability awareness; 5. Disability action plans and legislation; 6. Increasing participation of people with disability on boards and committees; 7. Accessible places and spaces
Queensland Government
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
You Me Us Training (Belgravia Foundation) (opens in new tab)
Disability awareness training program.
Belgravia Foundation
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Office of the Anti-Discrimination Commissioner – Training and Education (TAS) (opens in new tab)
Training, education and development resources for disability awareness in Tasmania.
Office of the Anti-Discrimination Commissioner (Tasmania)
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Media Access – Education and Training (opens in new tab)
Web accessibility and media access education and training.
Media Access Australia
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
W3C Web Accessibility Initiative – Accessibility Training (opens in new tab)
Accessibility training resources from the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative.
W3C / Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Intopia – Accessibility Education and Training (opens in new tab)
Accessibility training services from Intopia, a digital accessibility specialist.
Intopia
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Lotterywest Grants (WA) (opens in new tab)
Impactful community grants for enduring positive impact in Western Australia.
Lotterywest
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Healthway Grants (WA) (opens in new tab)
Grants for community initiatives promoting healthy lifestyles and mental health in Western Australia.
Healthway WA
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Ian Potter Foundation – Community Grants (opens in new tab)
Example of philanthropic funding for councils to partner with for accessibility and community inclusion projects.
Ian Potter Foundation
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
LGA South Australia – Disability Inclusion: Practice and Plans (opens in new tab)
Disability inclusion practice and plan resources for SA councils.
Local Government Association of South Australia
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Vision Australia – Digital Access Training (opens in new tab)
Web accessibility and digital access training options. Mentioned alongside braille services in accessible communications section.
Vision Australia
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Regional Family Violence Partnership – Disability Inclusion and Safety Resource Hub (opens in new tab)
Resource hub for disability inclusion and safety. Listed in the safety and trauma-informed practice resources section.
Regional Family Violence Partnership
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
MAV – Local Government Disability Planners Network (opens in new tab)
Supports Victorian councils with disability action planning through a peer network. Mentioned in the state/territory requirements table.
Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV)
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Queensland Government Grants Finder (opens in new tab)
Online search tool for available Queensland Government grants. Listed in the funding opportunities section.
Queensland Government
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
IDPWD – Inclusion Resources (Australian Government) (opens in new tab)
Inclusion resources on the IDPWD Australian Government website. Mentioned in the context of awards and recognition for inclusion actions.
International Day of People with Disability / Australian Government
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
UTS – How Local Governments Can Increase Social and Economic Participation of People with Disability (opens in new tab)
Research on how local governments can increase social and economic participation of people with disability.
University of Technology Sydney
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Research in Disability & Community Inclusion – My Home, My Community (opens in new tab)
Research project on building local inclusion for people with intellectual disability.
Flinders University
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
South Australian Learning Centre – Disability Awareness Training (SA) (opens in new tab)
Disability awareness training provider in South Australia. Listed in the resources section of the guide.
South Australian Learning Centre
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
A City for Everyone: Inclusive Brisbane Plan 2019–2029 (opens in new tab)
Case study on embedding intersectionality in council planning. Outlines Brisbane City Council's commitment to inclusion across travel, work, live and connect domains.
Brisbane City Council
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Empower Ryde Employment Program (opens in new tab)
Peer-led program supporting people with disability to build confidence, learn job skills and connect with community through co-designed sessions on employability, business exploration, self-advocacy and wellbeing.
City of Ryde Council
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Disability at Dusk – Inclusive Community Event (opens in new tab)
Joint accessible event initiative by three Victorian councils. Includes access guide, volunteers and quiet spaces. Now attracts over 1,000 attendees from across Victoria.
City of Casey / Cardinia / Greater Dandenong (Southern Region Disability Alliance)
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
City of Melville – Piney Lakes Sensory Play Park (opens in new tab)
Inclusive sensory play park within a 67-hectare reserve, co-designed with the disability community. Features wide paths, ramps, accessible play elements, quiet areas and sensory elements.
City of Melville
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Northern Rivers Rail Trail (opens in new tab)
132km accessible multi-use trail meeting standards for mobility, vision, hearing and cognitive access. Won Silver at 2025 Qantas Australian Tourism Awards. Delivered through a partnership between four regional NSW councils.
Tweed / Byron / Lismore / Richmond Valley Councils
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Greater Geelong Marveloo – Portable Changing Places Facility (opens in new tab)
Portable changing places facility with track hoist and adjustable adult changing table, used at major events including The Royal Geelong Show and Ability Fest. Advocated for by the local inclusion advisory group.
City of Greater Geelong
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Mackay Regional Council – Person-Centred Emergency Preparedness (P-CEP) Program (opens in new tab)
P-CEP program implemented after Cyclone Debbie 2017. Included P-CEP workbook distribution, P-CEP @ Libraries pop-up service and community preparedness events.
Mackay Regional Council
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
City of Sydney Inclusion (Disability) Action Plan 2025–2029 (opens in new tab)
Example DAP. Developed with 350+ people, 4 key outcome areas, available in Easy Read and large print. Features 4-year roadmap with corporate reporting.
City of Sydney
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
City of Casey Disability Inclusion Action Plan 2025–2029 (opens in new tab)
Example DAP. 72 actions across 5 outcome areas, co-designed with the Disability Access and Inclusion Advisory Group.
City of Casey
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Cairns Regional Council Disability Access and Inclusion Plan 2024–2026 (opens in new tab)
Example regional DAP. Covers accessible facilities, communication, engagement and participation. Recognises Cairns' role as a regional tourism destination.
Cairns Regional Council
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Shire of Ngaanyatjarraku Disability Access and Inclusion Plan 2024–2028 (opens in new tab)
Example remote First Nations council DAP. Covers access to services, buildings, communication, employment and participation for a predominantly First Nations community.
Shire of Ngaanyatjarraku
Referenced in: Case Studies and Resources
Outcomes Framework (opens in new tab)
The Outcomes Framework measures, tracks and reports on the outcomes in Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021–2031. The outcomes are what we want for a more inclusive Australia. The framework tracks the changes in outcomes happening over time for people with disability.
Australian Government – Disability Gateway
Referenced in: Legislation and Policy
National Urban Policy (opens in new tab)
Australia's National Urban Policy providing a framework for creating cities and towns that are sustainable, liveable, and inclusive for all residents.
Australian Government
Referenced in: Legislation and Policy
Guides and toolkits (opens in new tab)
Practical guides and actionable tools relating to the Human Rights Act 2019 and Anti-Discrimination Act 2009.
Queensland Human Rights Commission
Referenced in: Legislation and Policy

Disability Inclusion Guide

Disability in Australia

Definition of disability

Policy and legislative contexts

Disability inclusion planning in Australia

Key statistics

Legislative and strategic framework

Principles

Principle 1: Respecting and upholding disability rights

Why a disability rights approach matters

The social and human rights models of disability

Principle 2: Centring people with disability in decision-making

Principle 3: Applying an intersectional approach

Principle 4: Using trauma-informed practice in planning

Principle 5: Using respectful and inclusive language

Principle 6: Inclusion through Universal Design

Inclusion in council work

Leadership and decision-making

Why this is important for councils

Internal leadership, culture and champions

Lived experience leadership in local councils

Implementing good governance and clear roles for inclusion

Disability advisory committees

Consider size and meeting frequency

Membership and representation

Terms of reference (ToR), role and decision-making influence

Support, access and recognition

Improving community attitudes and connection

Developing partnerships for inclusion

Inclusive employment and procurement

Why this is important for councils

Inclusive recruitment

Building an inclusive workplace

Career pathways and development

Promoting inclusive employment in the community

Disability inclusive procurement policies and processes

Engagement and communications

Why this is important for councils

Inclusive community engagement

Inclusive community programs and events

Volunteering

Accessible communication

Accessible infrastructure and services

Why this is important for councils

Inclusion in infrastructure and services design

Community spaces including parks and playgrounds

'Whole of journey' approaches to connected and accessible networks

Accessible council and community services

Making digital infrastructure and services accessible

Maintain, renew and manage accessible assets

Partnerships for more accessible infrastructure and services

Community safety and emergency management

Why this is important for councils

Emergency and disaster management

Prevention and mitigation

Preparedness

Response

Recovery

Communicating during disasters

Planning for disability inclusion

What is disability action planning?

What's in a disability action plan?

State and territory requirements

Developing a plan

Step 1. Determine responsibility, governance and accountability

Step 2. Define clear goals and objectives

Step 3. Plan for engagement

Step 4. Understand the operating environment

Step 5. Developing strategies, specific actions and policies

Step 6. Draft, test and refine an accessible plan

Step 7. Endorsing, publishing and operationalising the plan

Step 8. Monitoring, evaluation and reporting

Examples of disability action plans

Case studies and resources

Case Studies

Guides (107)

Toolkits (17)

Templates (15)

Standards (11)

Frameworks (4)