In the lead up to International Day of People with Disabilities 2024, the UTS Centre for Local Government (CLG) and the UTS Disability Research Network (DRN) hosted an interactive panel discussion, exploring the critical issues of accessibility and inclusion within local government accessibility planning.
The Designing Inclusive and Safe Communities: A Local Government Perspective panel event sparked important conversations on innovative approaches and ongoing challenges in disability inclusion.
CLG and Institute for Public Policy and Governance (IPPG) director Professor Carol Mills’ opening remarks reflected on her first project in accessibility planning at Penrith City Council many years ago, citing how the role of local governments has evolved.
“It's an area that we have progressed a great deal in, but there's still a long way to go,” Director Carol Mills said.
Moderated by CLG Adjunct Associate Professor Vanessa Chan, the discussions included insights from Glenn Redmayne (Access and Inclusion Planning Leader, Inner West Council), Naomi Deck (Disability Inclusion Committee member for North Sydney Council) and Megan Taylor (Research Associate in the School of Built Environment, UTS Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building).
Drawing on their local government experience, Glenn Redmayne and Naomi Deck discussed the effectiveness of Disability Inclusion Plans (DIAPs) within local government and the lack of formal Access Committees, despite the expectation of disability consultation.
The panellists also discussed the disconnect between government frameworks such as Integrated Planning and Reporting (IP&R) and DIAPs and the need to integrate DIAPs into long-term community development from the outset.
Panellist Megan Taylor outlined the difficulties in measuring liveability and inclusion and noted challenge of translating indicators into meaningful inclusion actions. She also highlighted the need to marry research and practice, stating that we need to “find ways to meet in the middle so we can leverage both the wisdom of practitioners and the knowledge of research” in accessibility planning.
Throughout the Q&A session, the panel reflected on how mandates (such as DIAPs) are a positive starting point for local governments, but ultimately, accessibility planning has significant progress to be made.
DRN Co-Chair Simon Darcy concluded the evening reflecting on his own journey in access auditing and accessible tourism. He noted that “If Sydney wants to be regarded as a world-class city, then it's got to be a world-class city for all people.”
The discussion emphasised that local governments are crucial to removing the social barriers that inhibit people with disabilities from fully participating in community life, calling on them to embed disability inclusion into community planning and decision-making. Closing the gap in understanding is crucial for building genuinely inclusive and accessible communities.
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