Disability
Discrimination Commissioner
Human
Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
Re :
Application by ORTA for temporary exemption under the Disability Discrimination
Act section 55
Dear
Commissioner
The
Australian Quadriplegic Association (AQA) represents the interests of people
with severe physical disabilities. A number of our members regularly use the
wheelchair accessible bus services that have been introduced over recent years
on a limited number of routes in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide. We are shocked to discover that these
accessible services may now be taken away from our members for at least two
months because of an apparent lack of planning by ORTA and the NSW Government
in regards to accessible transport requirements for the Games. What particularly irks our members is that
it is nearly 7 years since Sydney was first announced as the 2000 Games venue.
It would appear that this exemption application by ORTA is the result of an
‘afterthought’ after it realised that it had not adequately assessed the need
for accessible transport in its planning for the Games.
Because of
this, AQA is not prepared to endorse
this exemption application by ORTA unless the following conditions are met:
·
ORTA
offers alternative arrangements to those people who can only travel in
accessible transport and who will be financially disadvantaged if they lose
their wheelchair accessible bus service during the Games (eg. covering any
additional costs for their wheelchair accessible taxi travel)
·
The
NSW Government fast-tracks the retrofitting
(installation of wheelchair ramps) of the 81 low floor Scania buses
owned by the State Transit Authority. If it wants to use these vehicles for the
Games, ORTA should compensate the State Transit Authority for the cost of
retrofitting.
·
Noting
the urgency of the need for accessible buses for the Games, ORTA should also be
asking the State Transit Authority for the use of those Scania low floor buses that
already have flip back chairs in place. These could provide wheelchair access
with portable ramps. If no longer required by State Transit Authority after the
Games, the portable ramps could then be given to CityRail.
·
As an
act of goodwill towards the disability
sector, ORTA publicly acknowledges the need for the DDA Accessible Transport
Standards and lobbies the Federal Government for the Standards to be enacted as
a matter of urgency
·
ORTA
assures the disability and aged sectors that it will not be taking over
wheelchair accessible vehicles operated by HACC community transport services.
Yours
sincerely
Mark Relf
A/g Chief
Executive Officer