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Media Release
26 October 2006Council calls for no more delay on accessible building legislation
At a public forum organised by Yarra City Council and the Victorian Council of Social Services on Monday 23 October, over 100 participants called upon the State and Federal Governments to introduce much-needed accessible building legislation without delay.
City of Yarra Councillor, Kathleen Maltzahn, said all parties, residents and community groups who attended the forum also unanimously urged the State Government to allow councils to incorporate accessible building standards within local planning schemes.
“Without adequate access, people can’t get jobs, can’t visit friends and family and can’t stay in their homes as they get older. Access is a basic right, and should be non-negotiable,” she said. “If the State Government can’t make this right a reality, local government should be allowed to.”
“After five years of talk on access, the State Government is still refusing to take action. It is resisting calls for steps as simple as making sure all new homes have flat entrances and doors wide enough for wheelchairs to get into,” she said.
“Puzzlingly, changes to make houses accessible are estimated to add as little as 3% (at most) to building costs, saving thousands of dollars later down the road in retro-fits.”
“Twenty percent of the general population has a disability. If you add in people over the age of 60 the figure increases significantly.
“If we don’t start planning now for our ageing population, in a few years we’re either going to be trapped with buildings that shut out an even greater number of people, or stuck with renovation bills that we could have avoided by building houses properly in the first place.”
The Mayor of Yarra City Council, Cr Jackie Fristacky, said the forum was successful and productive.
“This event helped raise awareness of this important issue,” she said. “I was extremely pleased at the level of participation from attendees, which was reflected in the solid outcome reached at the forum’s conclusion.”
A motion was passed at the forum:
- Calling on the State and Federal Governments to take a leadership role and introduce changes to existing planning and building laws, to establish consistent and uniform minimum accessible building standards and to allow councils to incorporate accessible building standards in local planning schemes.
- To support the introduction of education initiatives and good practice guides to change community attitudes - provided this occurs with legislation changes.
- Urging councils, agencies and advocacy groups to establish a network to continue to advocate and campaign for the introduction of State and Federal Government legislation.
- Requesting that the outcomes of the forum are communicated to relevant State and Federal Government Ministers, members of Parliament and candidates standing in the upcoming State election, calling for action as a matter of priority
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