Emma Foley, Managing Director, Uber Australia and New Zealand
Paula Hobley, represented by the Justice and Equity Centre
Paula Hobley and Uber Australia are pleased to announce Paula’s claim in the Federal Court of Australia has settled without admission of liability following a constructive and collaborative mediation.
Paula’s experience of Uber drivers refusing her rides when travelling with her assistance dog caused her frustration, inconvenience and distress. She made the complaint to the Australian Human Rights Commission to bring her concerns to Uber Australia’s attention, in the hope that there will be systemic change to prevent such circumstances occurring in the future for herself and others.
A spokesperson for Uber Australia said: “Uber Australia’s stance here is firm: drivers on the platform must comply with relevant laws on the transportation of riders with disabilities, including providing service to those with assistance animals. The distress of being refused service because of an assistance animal is not something we take lightly at Uber Australia, and we know this is a significant issue across broader society. That’s why we’ve invested heavily in the development of policies, tools and education to ensure drivers understand their legal obligation to provide service to riders with assistance animals. We’ve worked
extensively with industry stakeholders and community experts to ensure these initiatives are effective.”
Uber Australia has acknowledged Paula’s experiences and has agreed to undertake an independent review of its Australian operations to be led by a Chair who identifies as a person with disability. The outcome of the review including a summary of the review process, the findings of the Chair and their recommendations, and the Chair’s evaluation of Uber’s implementation of the recommendations, will be published once finalised in 2028.
The terms of the settlement are confidential.
If you have any questions or would like to know more, please contact Uber at [email protected] or the JEC at [email protected].
The JEC represented Paula Hobley in her complaint to The Australian Human Rights Commission and her claim in the Federal Court.
