Commonwealth legislation
The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 requires us to ensure people with disability have the same access to information and services as others in the community. Under the Act, you can’t discriminate against a person with disability by excluding access to information and services.
Victorian legislation
The Disability Act 2006 (Vic) states under the objectives and principles that people with disability have the same right as other members of the community to access information and communicate in ways that are appropriate to their communication and cultural needs.
The Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Vic) makes it against the law to discriminate against someone because of specific personal characteristics.
The Public Administration Act 2004 (Vic) sets the standards for public sector communication and government advertising on television.
The Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 (Vic) states in section 18.2.b “Every eligible person has the right, and is to have the opportunity, without discrimination to have access, on general terms of equality, to the Victorian public service and public office.”
Other guiding legislation and international conventions
Australian Human Rights Commission: World Wide Web Access, Disability Discrimination Act Advisory Notes, 2.2 states: ‘equal access is required by law(opens in a new window)’.
The Commonwealth Government, through the 2010 Web Accessibility National Transition Strategy, (opens in a new window)implemented a policy of web accessibility for federal, state and local governments.
The Commonwealth Government also approved the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD)(opens in a new window). Article 9(opens in a new window) and Article 21(opens in a new window) state: ‘access to information, communications and services (including the internet) is a human right’.
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