Inclusion (disability) advisory panel 2022 meetings

The panel provided input and feedback on how the City of Sydney should mark and celebrate the International Day of People with Disability. Held on 3 December each year, it provides an opportunity to meet key objectives of the Inclusion (Disability) Action Plan 2021-2025.

To foster positive community attitudes towards people with disability and mental health conditions through programs and events, the panel suggested the following:

• Schedule events that celebrate people with disability and their contributions.
• Organise awareness-raising programs aimed at improving the ability and confidence of the broader and business communities to support people with disability and mental health conditions.
• Avoid clashing dates with other major events. 
• Leverage social media to broaden community reach.

The panel also provided advice on the draft of an accessible guide for people with disability to actively participate in Council decision making. The development of an accessible guide is another key objective of the Inclusion (Disability) Action Plan 2021-2025. Initial feedback was given in the October 2021 panel meeting. 

This time, the panel was presented with a sample infographic and the draft guide in the form of a webpage, which has taken into consideration advice received from the last meeting. The panel provided further advice on the access support, including adding Auslan interpreting service, a text message option and more pictures to aid visual learning.

At the panel meeting on 27 April, the City welcomed 8 new panel members: namely, Charles Hung, Daniel McDonald, Giancarlo De Vera, Matthew Hall, Mim Smith, Nanushka Tamtam, Paul Nunnari, and Steve Adei.

The panel provided advice on the draft Sustainable Sydney 2030 – 2050: Continuing the Vision and Community Staregic Plan. They asked the City to consider:

• including an employment target for people with disability and advocating for measures that indicate the quality of employment rather than solely measuring the increase in employment numbers
• how the city can embed universal design and person-centred approaches in the strategy that will contribute to more equitable outcomes for all, including people with disability
• exploring opportunities to use temporary infrastructure installed at events in a more permanent way to enable ongoing access for people with disability.

At the panel meeting on 30 March, Deputy Lord Mayor Jess Scully attended on behalf of the Lord Mayor thanked outgoing panel members: Dr Phillippa Carnemolla, Judy Harwood, Julie Millard, Mark Tonga, and Morwenna Collett for their extraordinary work and contribution to the City over the last 6 years.

The Panel members have been instrumental in the development and implementation of the City’s Inclusion (Disabiltiy) Action Plans as well as other key projects and strategies.

Emily Collins from Music NSW presented the findings of their Music Accessibility Pilot Project, a joint project funded through a City of Sydney Knowledge Exchange grant and delivered in partnership with access consultants Morwenna Collett, Judy Harwood and Holly Craig. The project assessed the accessibility and inclusion of live music venues across the City of Sydney area.

• increasing awareness and education in the music industry through disability inclusion and awareness training as well as ongoing user testing and feedback from the disability community
• providing support to music venues to undertake on-site accessibility assessments
• providing access to information, support and resources to assist venues to make improvements
• ensuring funding programs can support access costs.

City staff provided an update on the recruitment of new panel members. The recommended panel members were endorsed by Council at the Council meeting on 21 March 2022 and will begin their term at the next meeting on 27 April.