Annual Report 2004–05
Commonwealth Disability Strategy
The Commonwealth Disability Strategy requires the department to develop and implement a Disability Action Plan which contains strategies to eliminate disability discrimination in the department’s operations and workplace.
The department’s report against its desired outcomes under the Disability Action Plan is provided in tables 6 and 7.
Table 6 Performance as a service provider under the Commonwealth Disability Strategy, 2004–05
| Outcome 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Staff are aware of the range of disabilities people may have, the types of assistance that can be provided, and where to obtain assistance; and can respond appropriately to requests for assistance from people with disabilities. | ||
| Performance indicator | Implementation report | |
| Details are readily available to staff on
how to provide assistance when specific access requests are
received from people with disabilities. |
All program areas reported that their staff
were aware of the types of disabilities people may have and
the assistance that could be provided. Staff were aware that
the available aids to access included:
|
|
| Where appropriate, record the number and details of people with disabilities seeking assistance, and develop appropriate strategies to improve access to services. | Most program areas reported that they had
not received any special requests for assistance, and therefore
had not had to develop new strategies to improve access to
services. |
|
| Raise awareness of the desired outcomes for people with disabilities; the types of disabilities people may have; and the content of this plan. | All program areas reported that awareness raising had taken place at staff meetings. Three articles on the content of the Disability Action Plan and aids available to people with disabilities were published in the departmental information bulletin during the year. | |
| Outcome 2 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Departmental publications and records of the Senate are accessible to people with disabilities. | ||
| Performance indicator | Implementation report | |
| Information to be loaded onto the internet and intranet in a format users can manipulate or download. | All program areas reported that information
was being loaded onto the internet and intranet in formats
that facilitate user access and downloading. In particular:
|
|
| Future and current documents conform with required standards, and the format and layout of documents are user–friendly in terms of attributes such as font size, spacing and background colour. | In cooperation with the Vision Australia Foundation,
work continued to improve access to parliamentary websites
for users with impaired vision. An accessibility review was carried out on the PEO website by the National Information and Library Service, resulting in a good accessibility compliance rating. |
|
| Where appropriate, advertise email contact details, and/or use of the Parliament House TTY facility (via switchboard). | Email contact details and internet addresses
were provided on literature and publicity material. Arrangements to more widely advertise access to the Parliament House TTY facility commenced. |
|
| Outcome 3 | ||
|---|---|---|
| People with disabilities are able to attend and participate in Senate hearings, seminars and lectures, and view exhibitions. | ||
| Performance indicator | Implementation report | |
| Include advice, in advertising material,
that special access arrangements may be made if prior notice
is given. Where practicable, take into account suitable access for people with physical disabilities (including wheelchair access) when organising venues for committee hearings, seminars and lectures, and designing exhibitions. Organise audio loop accessibility, where appropriate, and ensure that areas are well lit for lip-reading purposes. Ensure that there are handouts of notes available for those who attend seminars. |
Details of any special access arrangements
were sought when making venue bookings for committee-related
activities and when organising PEO programs. Examples of special
arrangements made in 2004–05 include:
|
|
| Undertake a periodic review of signs leading from the Senate entrance to the committee rooms to ensure ease of access. | Signs leading from the Senate entrance to committee rooms were reviewed periodically, particularly in preparation for estimates hearings, and additional signs were prepared where necessary. | |
| Outcome 4 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Increase the ability of people with disabilities to participate in the committee inquiry process. | ||
| Performance indicator | Implementation report | |
| Committee website homepages to advise that committees can accept various communication formats. | Appropriate inquiry web pages gave advice that committees would accept various communication formats. | |
| Committee correspondence to all submitters and witnesses to include information about assistance available to those with disabilities. | The Committee Office began to take steps to include information in relevant correspondence about assistance available to submitters and witnesses who have disabilities. | |
| As appropriate, notify disability groups of inquiries that are relevant to their members. | Disability groups were notified of inquiries that were particularly relevant to their members. | |
| Ensure a consistent approach across committees in the selection of hearing venues, which takes account of disability access issues. | The Committee Office’s database of hearing venues lists disability access options for some venues. | |
| Outcome 5 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Senators and/or their support staff with disabilities are able to work effectively in Parliament House. | ||
| Performance indicator | Implementation report | |
| Advise senators and their support staff of the availability of ergonomic and specialised furniture and equipment, and respond to requests for such resources, or for office modifications. | Senators and their support staff were advised of the availability of special furniture and equipment as follows:
|
|
| Respond to requests from senators to arrange modifications to the chamber. | The Black Rod’s Office responded to requests for modifications to the chamber as they arose. | |
| Ensure that security staff are aware of their responsibility to provide assistance to senators, their staff, and others who may be experiencing difficulties with heavy doors. | Security staff were advised of their responsibility to assist senators, senators’ staff and others, as required, to open heavy doors. | |
| Request the Department of Parliamentary Services (DPS) to regularly review disability access issues; for example, wheelchair access from car parks and doorway access to linkways and courtyard areas. | The department’s OH&S adviser raised the matter of a regular review of access issues at a parliament-wide OH&S Committee meeting. The DPS advised that an access review had been carried out by a consultant and that, when any access issues were raised, DPS staff would refer to the standards set out in the access review report. | |
| Senators and their staff are aware of the availability of specialised transport. | The availability of specialised transport within Parliament House was advertised in the senators’ handbook (A Guide to Services, Entitlements and Facilities for Senators). | |
| Provide captions, via the teletext system, to assist occupants in Parliament House to monitor Senate proceedings. | A teletext captioning service for the Senate chamber was maintained during the reporting period. Redevelopment of the system—to suit the new digital broadcasting format, provide greater flexibility and synchronise the system with the speaker identification captions broadcast by the DPS—was completed and the new system was launched in May 2005. The new system allows operators to change the font size, colour and style to enhance caption readability. | |
Table 7: Performance as an employer under the Commonwealth Disability Strategy, 2004–05
| Outcome 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| People with hearing, visual or mobility disabilities have access to departmental recruitment information, and can participate fully in a selection process. | ||
| Performance indicator | Implementation report | |
| Recruitment material includes information on the Parliament House TTY service. | An Information for Applicants brochure was made available to potential applicants, providing information on Parliament House’s TTY service. | |
| Recruitment material is available in alternative formats, including hard copy, and via the internet. | When a position was advertised, recruitment material such as selection documentation, the Information for Applicants brochure, and the Personal Particulars of Applicant form were made available in hard copy and on the internet. | |
| Applicants are advised to inform the selection advisory committee (SAC) chair if special arrangements are required during a selection process. | The personal particulars form asked applicants whether they would require any special arrangements, such as a special permit car-parking space, if attending Parliament House for an interview. If applicants indicated any special requirements, necessary arrangements were made. | |
| Selection panels take account of special needs, and are aware of and apply the principle of reasonable adjustment. | Human resource staff briefed the chairs of all SACs, and provided them with the Policy on Recruitment and Selection. The policy statement reminds staff of the requirement to ensure that the principles of equity and fairness are applied; and that we provide a workplace that is free from discrimination and recognises the value of diversity. | |
| Outcome 2 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Staff with disabilities are not
inhibited by inappropriate workplace design, access issues,
or furniture or equipment. |
||
| Performance indicator | Implementation report | |
| A workplace assessment is undertaken within one month for new employees. | A workstation assessment was conducted for all new employees within the first two weeks of their employment. | |
| An annual OH&S audit is carried out in all work areas. | A workplace inspection was conducted in every work area at least once during the year. | |
| Modifications to workstations are implemented, or alternative furniture or equipment is provided, where necessary. | The necessary ergonomic equipment was provided, or adjustments were made, as required. Any requirements stemming from workstation assessments were followed up to ensure that they had been implemented. | |
| Information on available equipment and aids is advised to staff via the information bulletin, or when an individual request is made. | The provision of such advice to staff via the information bulletin will commence during the next reporting period. | |
| Outcome 3 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Staff with disabilities are able to participate fully in training programs. | ||
| Performance indicator | Implementation report | |
| Ensure that there are handouts of notes available for those who attend seminars. | Presenters provided handouts of notes/overheads to attendees at seminars. All presenters were reminded to provide handouts when coordinating departmental training sessions. | |
| Where identified, special needs will be attended to for staff with disabilities who want to participate in a training program. | No special needs were reported. | |
| Outcome 4 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Staff with disabilities have ready access to departmental information. | ||
| Performance indicator | Implementation report | |
| Policies and guidelines are available on the intranet. | All departmental policies and documents were placed on the intranet. | |
| Information bulletin is available in hard copy and electronically via the intranet. | The information bulletin was both printed in hard copy and converted to PDF and loaded onto the intranet. A bulletin index was also available on the intranet. | |
| Outcome 5 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Complaint and grievance mechanisms are in place to address issues and concerns raised by employees. | ||
| Performance indicator | Implementation report | |
| Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is made available to all employees, and advertised regularly in the information bulletin. | Information on the EAP was made available
on the intranet and in a hard-copy brochure, and was advertised
on the back of the information bulletin. All new staff were provided with the EAP brochure and informed of its availability at an induction seminar. Articles on the EAP were placed regularly in the information bulletin. |
|
| Grievance mechanisms are contained in the certified agreement and periodically advised to staff. | Information on grievance mechanisms is contained in the current certified agreement and provided to staff on request. A written human resources advice on review of employment-related actions was published and distributed to staff via the information bulletin. | |