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Disability Action Plan 2008 -2012
If you would like this document in an alternative format please contact Sam Hewett, Manager Asset Services 9209 6479
Download the  Disability Action Plan 2008-2012 (980KB PDF)
The City of Port Phillip Overview
The City of Port Phillip is a municipality with a population of 85,012, is located on the northern shore of Port Phillip Bay, south of the Melbourne Central Business District.
The City is typical of Melbourne's inner city communities with many City of Port Phillip residents living close to their neighbours with shared open space. A municipality spanning part of Port Phillip Bay, the City of Port Phillip takes in a variety of urban villages close to some of Melbourne's most popular beaches. Its urban character is marked by a richness of diversity, and features some of Victoria's most celebrated and innovative cultural events, recreational facilities, restaurants and entertainment venues.
Introduction
At the City of Port Phillip, service and sustainability are of the utmost importance. They are the foundations of our philosophy, drive our actions from day to day and are our core principles that guide and drive how we behave and what we think about as an organisation.
Service is the business that we are in. We want to deliver service to our community that is timely, friendly and responds to queries and requests efficiently. Our task is to make sure we are responsive and up to date on who our community are and what our community needs - so that the community drives how we deliver council services. We are here to serve our community - that is why we exist.
Sustainability means supporting the goals of social equity, economic viability, environmental responsibility and cultural viability for all in our community. To ensure that we do what we do today builds the best natural and social future for all those who will live, work and play here.
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Our Goals |
Our Critical Success Factors |
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Social equity - To build a just, resilient, healthy and inclusive city with equitable access to responsive and relevant services |
Actively supporting an inclusive city |
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Economic Viability - To promote effective stewardship of the council's assets and promote positive economic development within Port Phillip that also supports the council's social, cultural and environmental goals. |
Having the future in mind in all decision making |
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Environmental responsibility - To foster a liveable and attractive urban environment that uses fewer finite resources |
Minimising our environmental impact in every action |
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Cultural Vitality - To foster conditions that allow communities within Port Phillip to express, experience and enjoy diversity of values, beliefs and aspirations |
Creating the conditions for people to come together and for community leadership to flourish |
In this context, Council is committed to the core principles of providing an accessible city, accessible services and access to accessible information as requested by residents, businesses and visitors alike.
Disability in Port Phillip
The Disability Counts 2006: A statistical profile of children and young adults with a disability living in Victoria Southern Metro states there are 11,020 people in Port Phillip between the ages of 0 and 64 years who have a disability (15% of the total population). Similar rates are identified for Glen Eira (15%), Stonnington (18%), and City of Melbourne has a total of 12%. The ABS Disability Survey in 1981 identified the proportion of Australians with disabilities as 15% in 1981, but in 2003 it was believed to be 20% of the total population.
The majority of people with a disability living in Port Phillip are aged between 25-64 years. There is a significant difference in the rates from 15-24 years to 25-34, a few factors that may contribute to this rate include disability acquired through injury and illness, and fewer young people living in Port Phillip aged 15-24 years compared to the 25-34 years age group.
Almost half of people who have a disability have a physical disability (47%) while people with a sensory and speech disability is the next highest category at 22%, those with an intellectual disability is 17% of the total disability population.
Why a Disability Action Plan?
The City of Port Phillip will undertake to reduce the barriers experienced by people with disabilities in dealing with their local government by focusing on;
- Opportunities for people with disabilities to participate in consultation and decision making processes
- Improved staff awareness and understanding of the needs of people with disabilities
- Accessible information and communication processes
- Improved physical access to buildings and the built environment
- Accessible programs, facilities and services.
- reducing barriers to persons with a disability accessing goods, services and facilities;
- reducing barriers to persons with a disability obtaining and maintaining employment;
- promoting inclusion and participation in the community of persons with a disability
- achieving tangible changes in attitudes and practices which discriminate against persons with a disability
What is a Disability Action Plan?
The City of Port Phillip is committed to the concept of 'Access for All' and supports the fundamental rights of all people including people with disabilities to access all of Council services, facilities, programs and employment opportunities.
The City of Port Philip's Council Plan 2005-2009 expresses council's commitment to Social Equity with the goal being: '”To build a just, resilient, healthy and equitable access to responsive and relevant services and resources”. The plan outlined the way the City of Port Phillip planned to do this including
- Services that are relevant, responsive and focussed on community needs and priorities
- A network of popular and viable community centres
- A community where children can thrive and quality childcare is accessible and affordable
- A community where people can age with dignity and participate in community life
- An increased range of options for our ageing residents to stay in their own community, on their own terms
- An increased range of options for people who have fewer choices
- Increased levels of neighbourliness, social cohesion, reciprocity and connectedness
- Reputation as a city for people
- Increased contribution by Port Phillip businesses to the local community
- Improved community health
- Improved sense of well-being
- Greater sense of community and personal safety
Council Policies and Strategic Plans
The City of Port Phillip has a range of strategic frameworks and policies which include aspects of an inclusiveness and accessibility in our City. These include but are not limited to;
- Community Plan
- Council Plan
- Ageing well Strategy
- Multicultural Strategy
- Health and Well Being Strategy
- Municipal Early Years Plan
- Housing Strategy
- Community Grants Policy
- Youth Development Framework
- Open Space Strategy
- Municipal Strategic Statement
- Tourism Strategy
- Access Guide
- Various Neighbourhood Structure Plans, Masterplans and implementation Plans
- Metro Access Community Building Plan
The City of Port Phillip's Community Plan (2007 -2017) expresses Council's commitment to accessibility through the Vision Statement 2007 -2017 - “The goals of social equity, economic viability, environmental responsibility, and cultural harmony remain central to our desire to foster a sustainable and harmonious future. We acknowledge there is shared responsibility to ensure that everyone, regardless of age or cultural or social-economic background, can access services that meet their needs and can participate in community life. We want our Council to demonstrate leadership in community participation, strategic planning, advocacy to other levels of government and accountability to the community.
The community plan sets out five core topics and priorities for action.
- Parking - managing competing needs
- Building our community - connecting people
- Urban planning and development
- Entertainment and residential amenity - managing the price of popularity
- Public open spaces - looking after streets and parks
Further, Council is committed to Goal 3 of the State Disability Plan 2002 -2012 which states as an objective for all governments - “To lead the development of a more inclusive community for people with a disability by developing more inclusive and accessible public services and promoting non discriminatory practices”
As a result of this plan Council will develop a Strategic Accessibility/Disability Framework to guide all future activity to ensure a sustainable and accessible City
Defining Disability
The definition of "disability" in the Disability Discrimination Act (2006) includes:
- Physical
- Intellectual
- Psychiatric
- Sensory
- Neurological, and
- Learning disabilities
- Physical disfigurement, and
- The presence in the body of disease-causing organisms.
This broad definition is meant to ensure that everyone with a disability is protected.
Legislation
There are a number of pieces of state and federal legislation and documents that ensure the rights of people with disabilities are respected and that access to local life are protected. These include
- Disability Act - Victorian (2006)
- Disability Discrimination Act - Commonwealth (1992)
- Human Rights Act - Commonwealth (2006)
- Equal Opportunity Act - Victorian (1995)
- Local Government Act - Victorian (1989)
- Building Act - Victorian (1993)
- Australian Standards for the Access and Mobility 1428 - Suite of Standards
- State Disability Plan 2002 - 2012
- A Fairer Victoria (2006)
This legislation makes it unlawful to discriminate against a person because they have a disability, had a disability in the past, or another person assumes they have a disability and discriminated against them for that reason. People who are relatives, friends and carers of people with disabilities are also protected from discrimination by these laws.
This legislation ensures that people with disabilities and their carers are freely able to work, live and play in our municipality and have access to all services and assets controlled, owned or offered at or by The City of Port Phillip.
The Disability Discrimination Act (1992)
The Disability Discrimination Act (1992) covers a disability which people:
- Have now,
- Had in the past (for example: a past episode of mental illness),
- May have in the future (eg: a family history of a disability which a person may also develop),
- Are believed to have (for example: if people think someone has AIDS).
The Disability Discrimination Act also covers people with a disability who may be discriminated against because:
- They are accompanied by an assistant, interpreter or reader,
- They are accompanied by a trained animal, such as a guide or hearing dog, or
- They use equipment or an aid, such as a wheelchair or a hearing aid.
The DDA also protects people who have some form of personal connection with a person with a disability like relatives, friends, carers and co-workers if they are discriminated against because of that connection or relationship. For example, it is unlawful discrimination if:
- A parent is refused a job because the employer assumes he or she will need time off work to look after a child with a disability
- People are refused access to a restaurant because they are with a friend who has a disability
- A carer of a person with a disability is refused accommodation because of his or her association with the person with a disability
- A worker is hassled about working with a person with a disability.
Harassment because of disability, such as insults or humiliating jokes, is unlawful in employment, education and in the provision of goods, services and facilities.
Council's current underlying principles
The City of Port Phillip is committed to access and inclusion for all citizens in the delivery of services
The City of Port Phillip is committed to the progressive removal of barriers to access by people with a disability in the following areas: physical access, communication, service provision, and participation.
The City of Port Phillip is committed to consulting with disabled people, their carers, advocacy groups and service providing agencies in the community to promote, review and implement its Disability Action Plan
Council's current strategies
Creating an organisational culture (and following on from this practices and procedures) that ensures barriers to access and inclusion are removed progressively within the organisation
Developing and implementing accessible and inclusive communication tools and processes that ensure people with a disability are given the opportunity to be informed about all aspects of council services and can access these.
Progressively implementing better access to and inclusion within council facilities and services for all people with a disability
Providing direct services to people with disabilities and their carers
Consulting with disabled people, their carers and community agencies in the further development, implementation and review of the Disability Action Plan
Ensuring that all those who provide service on behalf of council (eg contractors) consider the needs of people with a disability and their carers in the delivery of services
Review of the Plan
The development, review and evaluation of the Disability Action Plan will assist Council to pro-actively plan and respond to the needs of the community. This has occurred by identifying access barriers to Council service provision and developing strategies to remove these barriers and ensure access for all across the whole of Council.
This Disability Action Plan 2008 -2012 will be lodged with the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission and evaluated annually by Council's Disability Action Group and by the external Access and Inclusion Reference Groups.
Acknowledgments - State Disability Plan, DHS Disability Action Plan Review (2008), the State Disability Act Information Sheet (1 and 10), various Port Phillip reports, plans, strategies, and frameworks, other local governments' Disability Action Plans
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Links & more information
For more information on the City of Port Phillip Disability Action Plan contact the Manager of Service Access and Performance at ASSIST on (03) 9209 6777 or email assist@portphillip.vic.gov.au
Human Rights & Equal Opportunities Commission - www.hreoc.gov.au
Matters which can be investigated by the commission include discrimination on the grounds of race, colour or ethnic origin , racial vilification , sex, sexual harassment, marital status, pregnancy, or disability.
Local Government Access Action On Line - www.mav.asn.au/access
Supporting a whole-of-council approach in addressing community access and disability issues applicable to Victorian local government.
Disability Services Division - www.dhs.vic.gov.au/disability
Department of Human Services, Victoria
Disability Online - www.disability.vic.gov.au
Information for people with a disability, their families and carers
Vision Australia www.visionaustralia.org.au
Vision Australia continues to be an organisation that enhances life opportunities for the community.
Disability News Infoxchange Australia - www.disabilitynews.infoxchange.net.au
Contains news, events, reports, research etc. from around Australia for people with a disability and their carers.
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