Disability discrimination
Media and commentary about our test cases and policy work to secure equal access to services and public spaces for people with disability.
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Australia urged to strengthen response on audio description
Disability advocates are urging the Australian Government to commit to changing the law to require audio description be provided on Australian television, in line with a UN Committee recommendation. The Government commits to providing ongoing support to increase audio-described content on the ABC and SBS, and intends to work with commercial free-to-air broadcasters and subscription…
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Recent changes to federal discrimination powers and complaint processes
In December 2022, changes were made to how the Australian Human Rights Commission (the Commission) can handle complaints and tackle discrimination, and to how discrimination claims can be run in the federal courts. The changes to the Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth) (AHRC Act) implement recommendations of the Respect@Work: Sexual Harassment National Inquiry…
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Australian Government urged to strengthen response on audio description
Disability advocates are urging the Australian Government to commit to changing the law to require audio description be provided on Australian television, in line with a UN Committee recommendation. Audio description gives verbal narration of important visual elements such as scenes, settings, actions, costumes and on-screen text. Following a complaint from disability rights advocate Lauren…
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2SER: An appropriate cost model for Commonwealth discrimination cases
The Federal Government is looking at changing unfair laws that discourage people from taking a discrimination or sexual harassment complaint to court. Their review is in response to the National Inquiry into Sexual Harassment and its Respect@Work report, which revealed that people aren’t taking those complaints to court because of the financial risk of having…
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2SER interview: UN calls on Australia to act on TV accessibility
The UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has found Australia has breached the rights of people who are blind and vision impaired. The finding came after disability rights advocate Lauren Henley made a complaint to the UN Committee, represented by PIAC, when the Australian Government refused to mandate any ‘audio description’ on…
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“It’s the system that’s the problem”. How airlines are failing people with disability
COVID closed off air travel for most Australians but you could argue that for people with disability, it’s never really been open. From wheelchair user limits, to inconsistent policies and inaccessible public transport, the disability community is increasingly isolated and unable to participate in society. This program explores how people with disability feel about flying…
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UN recommends Australia legislate on audio descriptions
A seven+ year campaign to have Australian networks provide audio descriptions for the blind and vision impaired community has resulted in a United Nations committee finding Australia in breach of an international human rights treaty. The UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has recommended that Australia take “the necessary legislative and policy…
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Lack of audio descriptions on Australian TV a human rights breach, UN committee finds
A United Nations committee has found Australia breached an international human rights treaty by failing to provide audio descriptions on free-to-air television for the blind and vision impaired community. The finding from the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities comes after a long-standing human rights complaint from 36-year-old Melbourne disability advocate Lauren…
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UN says Australia must ensure equal access to free-to-air TV for people who are blind or vision impaired
The UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has found Australia has breached the rights of people who are blind and vision impaired by failing to meet its obligations under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. PIAC supported disability rights advocate Lauren Henley to take a complaint to the UN…
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Passenger kept from boarding after Jetstar’s refusal to assist with wheelchair makes discrimination complaint
Erin Turner Manners, a senior solicitor at the Public Interest Advocacy Centre – which is representing Jones – said he was “one of many passengers who have encountered poor treatment, including effective denial of service, trying to access air travel as airlines and airports continue to fail people with disability”.