Disability rights
Media and commentary related to our work to make society more accessible, supportive and fair for people with disability.
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New issues paper sets out proposals for reform
Reforms to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) to make it work better for people with disability have been outlined in our new Issues Paper, available here. The paper was published as part of our new project, A Fairer NDIS. The project aims to support and improve efficiency and effectiveness in the rollout of the…
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NDIS: Parliamentary report calls for ‘urgent action’
A report released by a parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme has called for ‘urgent action’ to improve the operation of the scheme. It has also fully adopted PIAC’s recommendation to publish Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) settlement outcomes, while protecting the privacy of applicants, in order to promote transparency around NDIA…
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PIAC working with disability advocates to fix ‘reasonable adjustments’
PIAC is partnering with People with Disability Australia (PWDA) to advocate for essential amendments to the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) (the DDA). These changes are necessary because of the 2017 case of Sklavos v Australian College of Dermatologists, in which the Federal Court found that not only must a person with disability show they…
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A fairer NDIS: PIAC calls for more transparency re settlements
PIAC has called for the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) to make public the details of appeal cases it is settling with scheme participants, to promote transparency, accountability, and an overall fairer system for people with disability. This was a key point in our evidence before the Joint Standing Committee on the NDIS in October.…
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Commonwealth Bank settles discrimination claim by blind Australians over touchpad devices
In 2016 two blind Australians launched a discrimination case against the Commonwealth Bank, arguing a touch screen device used in many stores and restaurants was virtually impossible for them to use safely and securely.
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Blind woman takes Commonwealth Bank to court over ‘inaccessible’ EFTPOS machines
Would you trust a stranger with your bank PIN? It’s a question Nadia Mattiazzo is forced to ask herself daily… Key points: Commonwealth Bank facing lawsuit alleging discrimination over touchscreen EFTPOS machines Blind and vision-impaired people say terminals are virtually impossible for them to use because they don’t have tactile keypad Lawsuit follows 18 months…
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Commonwealth Bank continues to roll out inaccessible EFTPOS machines despite concerns of blind community
Negotiations between blindness peak groups and the Commonwealth Bank have been terminated after the bank refused to make changes to their ‘Albert’ EFTPOS machines to make them accessible to people who are blind or vision impaired. Blind Citizens Australia, together with PIAC clients Graeme Innes and Nadia Mattiazzo, lodged discrimination complaints in the Australian Human…
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Discrimination case launched against Ramsay Health Care Ltd
The partner of a profoundly deaf man is taking legal action against Ramsay Health Care Ltd, the owners and operators of Westmead Private Hospital, after the hospital refused to provide an Auslan interpreter to allow her husband to participate in antenatal classes and liaise with medical staff during the birth of their first child. The…
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Parents claim Westmead Private discriminated against them
Like all parents-to-be, Kate and Anthony Hinton carefully planned for the arrival of their baby, choosing the hospital they believed would be best for the delivery. The couple were stunned when staff at Westmead Private Hospital refused to provide a professional interpreter for Mr Hinton, who is deaf. … Edward Santow, chief executive of the…
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Coles agrees to make online shopping site more accessible
PIAC represented Gisele Mesnage, who is blind, to settle a case with retailer Coles, with an agreement that Coles would make improvements to make its shopping website more accessible.