The Penrith Disability Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP) 2026-2030, that will help make Penrith a more accessible and inclusive City for everyone, has been endorsed by Council.
Over the last several months, Council invited people with disability, carers, friends and service providers to share their insights and lived experiences to help make the DIAP reflective of the Penrith community’s needs.
Community feedback has been incorporated into the 4-year plan. Some of the key actions include:
- enhancing the Accessible Penrith hub
- improving Council’s website to meet current accessibility standards and introducing an accessibility widget to support a range of user needs and accessibility profiles
- implementing an Accessible Events Checklist to ensure Council events are welcoming, inclusive and accessible for all community members, and
- exploring opportunities to increase awareness and adoption of the Sunflower Symbol across Penrith community services and Council’s Customer Service. The Sunflower Symbol is a simple tool that can be voluntarily shared if you have a disability or condition that may not be immediately apparent, showing others that you may need a helping hand, understanding or more time in shops, at work, on transport or in public spaces.
Penrith Mayor Todd Carney thanked the Penrith community for taking the time to provide their feedback on the plan.
“We’ve engaged with the community and our Access Committee to get their feedback on the plan in its draft form and are proud to present a finalised plan for action,” Cr Carney said.
“Each day, people living with disability can experience barriers that prevent them from leading meaningful, independent lives. This plan identifies opportunities for improvement and will help guide Council in continuing to make Penrith a more accessible and inclusive city for everyone.
“Council uses the DIAP to advocate to other levels of government, businesses and organisations. We’ve made great strides in creating a more accessible and inclusive City thanks to the input from our community.
“I look forward to sharing how Council continues to deliver on its commitments over the next 4 years and to hear more from the community about how the projects and actions from the DIAP address and improve access and inclusion in Penrith,” he said.
Council will now continue to work with partners to improve outcomes in areas including developing positive community attitudes and behaviours, creating liveable communities, supporting access to employment and improving access to services through better systems and processes.
Read the DIAP 2026-2030 at penrith.city/AccessiblePenrith
