Held on 3 December each year, the 2021 theme is ‘fighting for rights in the post-COVID era’, with a focus on the challenges, barriers and opportunities for people who live with disabilities in the context of a global pandemic.
Today the Australian Government launched Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021-2031, which is available on the new Disability Gateway website, including in Easy Read and Auslan.
The Strategy was developed by all levels of government along with people with disability, their families, carers and representatives.
It will drive change over the next decade to uphold the rights, inclusion and participation of people with disability in all areas of Australian life. It aims to improve the lives of around 4.4 million Australians with disability.
Through our work, we support people with disability and help them participate in all aspects of life.
We oversee the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport and are currently reviewing these to make sure they meet the current needs of Australians with disability.
We encourage full participation in Australia’s vibrant arts and cultural sector through our Arts and Disability Hub, which brings together government programs, publications, resources and helpful links.
Our Accesshub has information about communication options for people who are Deaf, hard of hearing or who have a speech impairment. This includes the National Relay Service, which provides ways to communicate with a hearing person over the phone with the help of a relay officer.
