Why a Disability Inclusion Action Plan?

The Disability Inclusion Act 2014 (the Act) commits the NSW Government “to creating a more inclusive community in which mainstream services and community facilities are accessible to people with disability to help them achieve their full potential.”

The Act required the NSW Government to develop a Disability Inclusion Plan (NSW DIP) in 2015. It sets out how to create a more inclusive society across the state and requires public agencies in NSW to create and implement disability inclusion action plans (DIAPs).

The NSW DIP established four focus areas for DIAPs. These were developed in consultation with people with disability and provide a guide for all public sector agencies in NSW.

Focus areas

Developing positive community attitudes and behaviours

• How we (public sector agencies) behave towards colleagues with disability.
• How we treat clients and community members with disability.
• How we can have a positive influence in the community in general – improving how people with disability are perceived and included.

Creating liveable communities

• How we work to ensure the physical environment and services operating in our communities are accessible.
• How we respond to the needs people with physical and sensory disabilities, to ensure these individuals have full access to their community and activities.

Supporting access to meaningful employment

• As part of the Premier’s Priorities, we want to employ more people with disability across our sector.
• How we ensure staff with disability feel included and have equal access to career development opportunities.

Improving access to mainstream services through better systems and processes

• This covers a range of technical accessibility matters. This includes forms, the internet and other means of contacting us, or accessing our information and services.
• Ensuring everybody has access to the right information, so staff, the community and public sector agencies can all communicate clearly and effectively with each other.