Timeframes for preparing and reporting on DIAPs

Section 14 of the Disability Inclusion Act 2014, and the Disability Inclusion Regulation 2014, set out the dates by which public authorities must complete their DIAPs, submit them to the Disability Council NSW and make them publicly available.

Section 13 of the Disability Inclusion Act outlines the requirements and timeframes for public authorities to report to the Minister for Disability Services on the implementation of their DIAP. It also outlines the requirement and timeframes for the Minister to table a report in Parliament about the implementation of all DIAPs.

NSW Government departments and other government agencies specified in the Disability Inclusion Regulation

• Current DIAPs must be reviewed by 1 December 2023.
• New DIAPs must be in place by 1 December 2024.
• This DIAP must be reviewed by 1 December 2027, with the following DIAP due by 1 December 2028.
• The part of the annual report (or equivalent) relating to DIAP implementation must be provided to the Minister (via the Department of Communities and Justice) by December each year.

NSW Councils

• Current DIAPs must be reviewed by 30 November 2022.
• New DIAPs must be in place by 30 November 2023.
• This DIAP must be reviewed by 1 July 2025, with the following DIAP due by 1 July 2026.
• The part of the annual report relating to DIAP implementation must be provided to the Minister (via the Department of Communities and Justice) by December each year.

As soon as practicable after the end of each financial year, the Minister will table a report about the implementation of disability inclusion action plans in each House of Parliament.

Historical reporting timeframes

By December 2016 all public authorities that submitted a DIAP in December 2015 were required to give the Minister a copy of the part of its annual report relating to the implementation of its DIAP (or equivalent report if it does not prepare an annual report).

By early 2017 the Minister for Disability Services was required to table a report about the implementation of NSW Government Department and specified other government agencies' DIAPs in each House of Parliament.

By 1 July 2017 all Local Councils were required to have their DIAP in place.

As soon as practicable following the end of financial year all Councils and NSW Government Agencies required to have a DIAP had to report on the progress of their DIAP in their annual report and provide a copy to the Disability Council NSW.

By 2018 the Minister for Disability Services was required to table a report about the implementation of all public authorities’ DIAPs in each House of Parliament.

Initially all Local Councils were required to have their next DIAP in place by 1 July 2021. Councils were later advised that they could continue their DIAPs throughout 2020/2021 with renewal not required until 1 July 2022 (later changed to 30 November 2023 due to the impact of COVID and natural disasters).