Contact Council
t (03) 9205 5555
e info@yarracity.vic.gov.au
Home Page > Publications > Media releases > Past Media :
In this section:
24 Hour Mega Swim
Abolish zone 3
access
Accessible buildings
Accessible footpaths
Action
ALGWA Conference
ani_reg
Annual community celebration
Australia Day Celebrations
Best bike paths
Better way
Boathouse
Bocce
budget survey results
Budget2006-07
Celebrating Yarra Children
CEO
Chinese community
Christmas tree
Citizenship discussion
Clean up graffiti
Clean Up Yarra Day
Clean up yarra
Community grant
Community grants 2007
Community grants
Community space
Congestion
Council advocates
David Hicks
Detox
Drip irrigation
Eddington Enquiry
Environmental Yarra
Fair Trade
Federal budget
FINA
Fitzroy Football Club
Fitzroy past
Fitzroy Pool Parking
Fitzroy Pool
Fitzroy Town Hall
Fitzroy Town Hall_2
Fitzroy Town Hall_4
Footpath Upgrade
Footpath
Go
Graffiti Removal Projects
Great community leader
Green Star
Greenhouse emissions
Hard issues
hard issues2
Hard waste in Yarra
Heritage in Yarra
Heroes
Heroes2
Historical Waiters’ Race
hit n miss
Household panel
index
Lest we forget
Library Services
LinkUp Melbourne
Local families
Local Government
Local history
Lunar New Year
M2007 in Yarra
Mayors for Peace
Midsumma Movies
Minister
Minister’s decision
mphp
MSS
Music noise in parks
NAIDOC
Netball
New Mayor
Noise
On your bike
Opportunity to give
Parking in Yarra
Paws in the Park
Progress on Smith Street
Refugee Week in Yarra
Regional bike count
ribbon
Richmond Town Hall
Richmond UDF
Ride to School Day
ritz
sacs
Santa
Saving water in Yarra
Seniors' Christmas Lunch
Shining stars
Signage
Smith Street Photo Prize
Sports ground
Stefano de Pieri
Street parking changes
Students
Summer Concert Series
Sustainable Cities Forum
Swimming
Timor aid
Timor conflict
Tobacco06
tree day
upgrade
VCAT
VicRoads
Victoria Park update
Victoria Park
Video Ezy
village
Vision for Victoria Park
Volunteer day
Women’s Day
Young Yarra swimmers
Youth art workshops
Youth camp
Media Release
23 March 2007Council urges Australia’s leaders to sign UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with a Disability
Yarra City Council will write to Prime Minister John Howard, the Attorney General, Phillip Ruddock and Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd, urging them to sign and ratify the United Nations Convention on protecting the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
The decision followed the presentation of an urgent report by Cr Kathleen Maltzahn, Chair of Council’s Disability Advisory Committee (DAC) at Tuesday night’s Council Meeting, 20 March 2007.
The report was spoken to by Martin Leckey, a member of DAC and direct contributor to the convention, who asked Council to confirm its commitment to be inclusive of people with disabilities by putting pressure on the country’s leaders to sign this landmark human rights initiative.
“We are strongly behind this issue, as it is central to the rights of people with a disability to live and work in the Yarra community,” said Mayor, Cr Jenny Farrar.
“This is an extremely important strategic decision which has many vital policy implications, especially in the area of planning.
“Yarra City Council has a proven track record in supporting people with a disability.
“Just last year we hosted an Accessible Buildings Forum aimed at lobbying the government on accessible building policy reform, and we are proud to facilitate a very active and involved Disability Advisory Committee,” she said.
Cr Maltzahn also spoke strongly in support of the motion.
“Council should take this step to push other levels of government to improve accessibility across Australia through the development of government policy and new legislation,” she said.
“Australia supports numerous other Human Rights Conventions, on issues such as Rights of Children, Civil and Political Rights and Religious beliefs, why should this be any different.”
The Convention opens for signatures from countries around the world on 30 March 2007, needing the support of at least twenty signatories to be formally ratified.
Countries who sign the Convention will need to report on compliance to an international committee every four years.
Further information
For media enquiries about this issue, please contact:
Media Officer
Richmond Town Hall
333 Bridge Road Richmond
Telephone 9205 5047, 0438 664 050
Email info@yarracity.vic.gov.au
Links
Within this site
Yarra City Council
Media releases 2006
External sites (Yarra City Council accepts no responsibility for the information or opinions contained within external sites)
Victoria Online
| Text
size