Disability inclusion act proposed by Labor backbencher Suzanne Orr

Labor backbencher Suzanne Orr has launched community consultation on the Disability Inclusion Bill she hopes to introduce to the Legislative Assembly later this year.

The bill will be focused on removing barriers for people with a disability and is aimed at putting the onus on agencies to proactively remove those barriers rather than those with a disability being forced to seek individual arrangements.

Ms Orr said the bill would move the territory towards a social model of understanding and addressing disability.

A "social model of disability" is one that recognises society must adapt to allow people living with disability or impairments to participate in society on an equal basis with others.

"Historically people with disability have been required to adapt to a world that fails to respond to their needs, this isn't fair and through this bill we hope to change that," Ms Orr said.

"A social model of disability recognises that to support people with disability we as a community need to alter the physical, attitudinal, communication and social barriers that we often unintentionally, through these norms, establish."

The bill would require ACT government agencies to develop disability inclusion plans relevant to their organisations and these plans would require agencies to detail how they will adapt their processes to be more inclusive of people with disability.

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The proposed bill would also establish a disability advisory council which would advise the government about issues affecting people with disability. Matters the council could advise government on include the National Disability Insurance Scheme, the rights of people with disability and building an inclusive community.

People can be appointed to the council if they are a person with a disability, are the carer of a person with disability, are committed to promoting disability inclusion or have expertise in relation to disability services and inclusion.

NSW and South Australia are the only Australian jurisdictions to have disability inclusion acts.

Ms Orr has released a draft exposure bill for public consultation. It is expected to be introduced to the Assembly before the end of the year.

"It is estimated that there are over 80,000 people in the ACT who identify as living with a disability, and we have concerningly high reports of discrimination with one in 10 people with a disability experiencing discrimination," she said.

"We need to ensure that people with a disability feel included and supported in our community. This Disability Inclusion Bill will drive long term and systemic change to better promote the inclusion of people with disability in the ACT community."

Ms Orr's bill has been welcomed by Advocacy for Inclusion, with the organisation's head of policy Craig Wallace saying it was an important step forward.

"The Disability Inclusion Bill provides a sensible and comprehensive framework for ensuring that strategies and plans are introduced and maintained across time, as well as placing expectations on all agencies to develop such plans to a good standard," Mr Wallace said.

"A legislative underpinning for inclusion strategies and plans is an important step forward."

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