Inclusion (disability) advisory panel 2017 meetings

The Deputy Lord Mayor, Councillor Jess Miller attended the meeting to thank 7 departing panel members who have served on the panel since it was established 5 years ago.

The panel provided advice on our draft neighbourhood parking policy. The panel highlighted the need to review the language and terminology used in the policy to reflect the social model of disability, for example ‘support worker’ in addition to ‘carer’.

The panel suggested the eligibility requirements for carer permits include a letter from a doctor. The panel also commented on the importance of ensuring the final policy is formatted to be digitally accessible.

The panel also provided advice on the future City of Sydney street furniture update.

The panel reviewed our draft guidelines for disability-inclusive events and made a number of suggestions to strengthen the guidelines:

• Consider including images to better demonstrate the requirements and highlight the positive access and inclusion practices that can be achieved at events.  
• Reinforce positive and proactive language to demonstrate the importance of events being as inclusive, flexible and respectful as possible.
• Clearly identify that Auslan and captioning are 2 different communication methods and the need for each should be considered separately and are not interchangeable.
• Highlight the importance of access to booking systems and processes that enable people with disability to book tickets without needing to speak to someone about specific access requirements.

The panel gave feedback and advice on our draft waste strategy and action plan 2017–2030. The panel suggested we consider providing tactile and braille lettering and use icons and images on residential and public domain bins. This will help everyone to identify general waste and recycling options, including people who are blind or have low vision and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

The panel provided advice on the Transport for NSW draft disability inclusion action plan 2017–2021, which is currently on public exhibition. The panel highlighted the importance of Transport for NSW continuing to collaborate with local government to ensure key transport interchanges are fully accessible, including continuous accessible paths of travel between transport modes and key infrastructure.

The panel also commented on the importance of ongoing and continuous engagement by Transport for NSW with people with disability through all phases of transport design, construction and completion.

We provided an overview of feedback from the public exhibition of the draft a city for all: inclusion (disability) action plan 2017–2021, which was adopted by Council at its meeting on 26 June 2017. We thanked the panel for its ongoing contribution and detailed advice in developing the plan.

The panel provided advice on 3 draft guidelines developed to support our employees in planning and delivering inclusive services and engagement opportunities. Specific advice included language and terminology use and the structure of the documents.

The panel encouraged us to focus less on disability and difference and focus more broadly on leading practice and good communication and engagement approaches to benefit everyone.

The panel discussed and provided advice on our draft inclusion (disability) action plan 2017–2021. Overall, the panel was supportive of the plan and acknowledged our continued commitment to an inclusive city for all.

The panel gave advice on terminology and definitions in the plan highlighting the need to ensure the language reflects the social model of disability. This will encourage changing social attitudes towards disability as well as raise broader awareness and understanding within the community.

The panel highlighted the importance of continuing to focus on ensuring new information and communications technology systems are accessible, with panel members noting this will help harness broad social outcomes for everyone and not just people with disability.

The panel also recognised our commitment to transparent and accountable governance and engagement, which is reflected within specific actions of the plan. The meeting concluded with a discussion about the public exhibition period which included timing and the ways the community and stakeholders can provide feedback.

Panel members provided advice about key actions and priorities for the forthcoming inclusion (disability) action plan 2017–2021.

The panel highlighted the importance of continuing disability awareness training for all employees and embedding inclusion across our processes and operations. The panel advised a priority in the plan should be strategies that contribute to meaningful employment for people with disability.

The panel suggested people with disability be represented more broadly across City of Sydney events, programs and activities as well as in communications and promotional material, to clearly demonstrate our commitment to celebrating diversity. The panel also recommended we explore strategies to deliver additional ’changing places‘ toilets in the city.

These facilities include adult change tables to make it possible for people with profound disability from across greater Sydney and beyond, to visit and participate in the cultural, learning and social activities on offer in the City of Sydney local area.

Extraordinary meeting

We provided panel members with an overview of progress on the current inclusion (disability) action plan 2014–2017. Panel members were asked to comment on which actions should be ongoing and those that should be carried over to the next plan.

City of Sydney employees and panel members also discussed the recommendations made by participants in the community consultations undertaken in December 2016 and how these may be reflected in the forthcoming plan.