Contents

City of Bunbury Overview

Functions, facilities and services provided by the City of Bunbury

People with disability

Planning for better access

Progress since the 2007 – 2012 DAIP

Access and Inclusion Policy Statement

Development of the 2012 – 2017 Disability Access and Inclusion Plan (DAIP)

Consultation process

Findings from the Consultation Process

Access Barriers

Responsibility for Implementing the DAIP

Communicating the DAIP

Implementation and Review

Evaluation

Reporting on the DAIP

Implementation Plan

OUTCOME 1

OUTCOME 2

OUTCOME 3

OUTCOME 4

OUTCOME 5

OUTCOME 6

OUTCOME 7

Acknowledgements

The City of Bunbury acknowledges the input received from a range of individuals and community groups who have been invaluable in the preparation of this Disability Access and Inclusion Plan.

City of Bunbury Overview

The City of Bunbury is the capital of the South West Region of Western Australia and is located 176 kilometres south of Perth. Bunbury enjoys a unique location of great natural beauty, surrounded by the waters of GeographeBay and the Indian Ocean, KoombanaBay, Leschenault Estuary and Leschenault Inlet, and close to the rivers and forests of its hinterland. These natural assets, together with a diverse community, are the foundation on which Bunbury’s attractive lifestyle and culture are based.

Bunbury is one of the largest regional centres in the State of Western Australia. The City of Bunbury local government area is home to 31,000 residents. However, the Greater Bunbury Urban Area, which encompassesthe core residential areas and the spill-over suburbs of Australind in the Harvey Shire; Eaton and Millbridge in the Dardanup Shire; and Dalyellup, Gelorup and Stratham in the Capel Shire; gives a total population of more than 62,000;all of whom access Bunbury as their key service centre.

The lifestyle and opportunities available in Bunbury are attracting new residents at a strong rate. There is significant population growth anticipated over the next 20 years which will correspond with increasing demands for housing, education and recreation. It is estimated that between 100,000 to potentially more than 150,000 people could live in the Greater Bunbury Urban Area between 2031 to 2050.

Functions, facilities and services provided by the City of Bunbury

The City of Bunbury is responsible for a range of functions, facilities and services including:

Services to property: construction and maintenance of Local Government-owned buildings; construction and maintenance of roads, footpaths and cycle facilities; land drainage and development; waste collection and disposal; litter control and street cleaning; planting and caring for street trees; numbering of buildings and lots; street lighting; and bush fire control.

Services to the community: provision and maintenance of playing areas, parks, gardens, reserves and facilities for sporting and community groups; management of recreation centre and pool; public libraries and information services; citizenship ceremonies; youth services and community events.

Regulatory services: planning of road systems, sub-divisions and town planning schemes; building approvals for construction, additions or alterations to buildings; environmental health services and ranger services, including pet control; and the development, maintenance and control of parking.

General administration: the provision of general information to the public and the lodging of complaints and payment of fees including rates and pet licences.

Processes of government: ordinary and special Local Government and committee meetings; Council meetings and election of Council Members; community consultations.

People with disability

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (2009), four million people in Australia (18.5%), identify themselves as having some form of disability. This translates to just under one in five Australians reporting disability. The rate of disability increases with age, with 88% of people aged 90 and over having disability. There are 2.6 million carers who provide assistance to those needing help because of disability or age.

According to the Bureau’s latest statistics (2011), there are around 2,500 people with profound or severe disability living within the City’s boundaries and spill-over suburbs. A report published by the Disability Services Commission entitled: Profile of Disability: South West Statistical Division: City of Bunbury,indicates that within the City’s boundaries there are 6,500 people with disability overall.

The Bureau’s 2011 data shows that the percentage of people over 55 living within the City’s boundaries is 27%, which is above the state average of 23%, and this number is projected to continue to rise. It is anticipated that in line with this increase, the incidence of disability will also rise.

These figures lend weight to the importance of this Disability Access and Inclusion Plan as the primary planning tool for how the City of Bunbury aims to make its buildings, services, facilities and information more universally accessible. What the figures don’t reflect are the numbers of people with disability who visit or would like to visit the region, or the numbers of parents using prams, cyclists, and culturally and linguistically diverse tourists that have benefited and will benefit from universal access initiatives undertaken by Council as well as Bunbury businesses.

Planning for better access

It is a requirement of the Disability Services Act (1993) that all Local Governments develop and implement a Disability Access and Inclusion Plan (DAIP) that outlines the ways in which they will ensure that people with disability have equal access to its facilities and services.

Other legislation underpinning access and inclusion includes the Western Australia Equal Opportunity Act (1984), the Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with a Disability.

Progress since the 2007 – 2012 DAIP

The City of Bunbury is committed to facilitating the inclusion of people with disability through the improvement of access to its buildings, facilities, services and information. The City adopted its first Community Access Plan (CAP) in 2002 to address the barriers within the community for people with disability, which was replaced in 2007 with the five-year Disability Access and Inclusion Plan.

Since the adoption of these plans, the City has implemented many initiatives and made significant progress towards better access, including:

  1. People with disability have the same opportunities as other people to access the services of, and any events organised by the City of Bunbury.
  • The City worked with Morrissey and Bunbury Community Home Care to create an accessible senior’s event component to the Australia Day celebrations.
  • The Access Officer consulted and worked with the City Events team on the inaugural Funtabulous Kidfest, to provide improved access including ramps.
  • The City organised RIPPA-Fest 2011 and 2010 in collaboration with the Disability Services Commission, Investing in Our Youth, Activ, and other local agencies, an event in a public space to celebrate people with disability and their inclusion in the community.
  • City Library redevelopments and renovations were conducted in accordance with relevant building codes and standards to provide full accessibility.
  • Libraries have been investing in equipment and technologies that facilitates improved access to information to people with impairments, including recent subscriptions to Audio E Books, Daisy Reader from the Association of the Blind, Play Aways, iPads and CCTV.
  • Library staff have received training in supporting others to use equipment and technologies for people with impairments, including accessing recent training sessions from the Association of the Blind on the use of colours, style guide and font sizes.
  1. People with disability have the same opportunities as other people to access buildings and other facilities of the City of Bunbury.
  • The Community Access Committee worked together with the Parking Coordinator to audit all of the ACROD bays in the CBD area, and all actions were completed and integrated into the GIS Mapping System.
  • Installed a ramp for the Scott Street Viewing Node.
  • Installed a concrete path leading from the carpark to the picnic table near the carpark south of the City of Bunbury Surf Lifesaving Club.
  • Installed an adult change table at the Rocky Point toilet block.
  • The City organised for a concrete footpath and patio area to be donated from Boral Contractors for the Sail into Life program.
  • The City worked in partnership with the South West Development Commission, Enable South West and South West Fundraisers to secure three beach wheelchairs for residents and visitors to Bunbury.
  • The City organised in collaboration with Better Life Centre for two wheelchairs for visitors to the BunburyWildlifePark.
  • Achieved funding for the Bunbury Accessible Playground which is in the final stages of construction.
  • The Community Access Committee and Access Officer worked with the South West Sports Centre to install three new electric door openers to provide improved access for patrons and staff with disability.
  • The Community Access Committee and Access Officer liaised with the South West Sports Centre for the installation of a new handrail in the South West Sports Centre change-room.
  • The Community Access Committee and the Parking Coordinator worked together to improve ACROD parking outside the BunburyRegionalArtGallery.
  1. People with disability receive information from the City in a format that will enable them to access the information as readily as other people are able to access it.
  • The Access Officer liaised with the Association of the Blind on providing information from Bunbury 2030 consultation campaign in accessible formats, such as in larger print documentation.
  • Advertisements for public consultation DAIP focus groups went into newspapers in larger print format.
  • Information about access and inclusion and the Community Access Committee was placed on ‘on hold messages’ when people phone the City of Bunbury.
  • Access and inclusion information included in the customer service screen available for public information when in the Council reception area.
  • Access and inclusion information included in a variety of different media, including radio, newsletters, newspapers.
  • Completed You’re Welcome WA Access Project in collaboration with the Shires of Capel and Dardanup, resulting in detailed, up-to-date website information of local businesses, attractions and facilities that have accessible features.
  • Information gathered from various audits of City of Bunbury facilities (toilets, parking and visitor accommodation), was entered into the City of Bunbury website to help residents and visitors locate them.
  1. People with disability receive the same level and quality of service from City of Bunbury staff as other people receive from City staff.
  • The City organised Disability Awareness Training for the Engineering Department, attended by six engineers.
  • The profile of access and inclusion has been raised amongst City of Bunbury staff through high profile projects such as the Bunbury Accessible Playground, the You’re Welcome Access WA Initiative, and RIPPA-Fest (International Day of Disability).
  • The profile of the Community Access Committee has been raised amongst City staff through regular invitations to attend meetings and hear about access and inclusion matters being raised.
  • The profile of the Access Officer’s role has been raised as a liaison point for City of Bunbury staff on queries on matters of access and inclusion.
  1. People with disability have the same opportunities as other people to provide feedback and make complaints to the City of Bunbury.
  • There is an opportunity for online feedback on the City of Bunbury website under ‘Accessible Bunbury’.
  • There is an ongoing opportunity for feedback to the City of Bunbury verbally via the Community Access Committee.
  • The Customer Service counter was recently renovated to include a lowered section for people with a wheelchair to more easily approach and communicate with staff.
  • Customer Service staff recently fed back that people using a wheelchair require a portable EFTPOS machine so they can be served effectively at the lowered counter in reception; this is in the process of being undertaken.
  1. People with disability have the same opportunities as other people to participate in any consultation by the City of Bunbury.
  • Recent Bunbury 2030: Your City Your Say consultations were held in a range of different accessible venues, and had opportunity for feedback in different forms, including pamphlets and online.
  • The City of Bunbury Cultural Mapping and Strategy Consultations were held in a range of accessible venues, and people with disability were invited to share their views and feedback.
  • Focus groups for the Disability Access and Inclusion Review were held on site where possible, for people with disability at their regular meeting venue, including the Association for the Blind, Milligan House, Enable South West and the Senior Citizen’s Centre.
  • People with disability and their family/ carers were invited to form the Working Party for the Bunbury Accessible Playground.
  • The Community Access Committee has formal community representation including members with disability.
  • The Community Access Committee were consulted on a range of projects, including:
  • City Library renovations
  • Closing the Gap Public Artwork installation
  • Big W carpark renovations
  • CBD Style Guide
  • Centrepoint carpark renovations
  • BunburyRegionalArtGallery renovations
  • Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre carpark re-development.
  • Media releases go to both print and electronic media and are promoted on the website.
  • The proactive Community Access Committee has been meeting regularly and monitoring the progress of the Disability Access and Inclusion Plan.
  • The Community Access Committee regularly has guest visitors and speakers from a variety of disability organisations and groups, which enables a broad range of views on disability and access issues from the local community.

Access and Inclusion Policy Statement

The City of Bunbury is committed to ensuring that the community is an accessible and inclusive community for people with disability, their families and carers.

The City of Bunbury interprets an accessible and inclusive community as one in which people with disability can access and are welcomed to participate in all Local Government functions, facilities and services (both in-house and contracted), in the same manner and with the same rights and responsibilities as other members of the community.

The City of Bunbury:

  • recognises that people with disability are valued and contributing members of the community who make a variety of contributions to local social, economic and cultural life;
  • believes that a community that recognises its diversity and supports the participation and inclusion of all its members makes for a richer community life;
  • believes that people with disability, their families and carers should be supported to remain in the community of their choice;
  • is committed to consulting with people with disability, their families and carers and, where required, disability organisations to ensure that barriers to access and inclusion are addressed appropriately;
  • is committed to ensuring that its agents and contractors work towards the desired outcomes in the DAIP;
  • is committed to working in partnership with local community groups and businesses to facilitate the inclusion of people with disability through improved access to information, services and facilities in the community.

The City of Bunbury is committed to achieving the six desired outcomes of its Disability Access & Inclusion Plan. These are:

1. People with disability have the same opportunities other people to access the services of, and any events organised by, the City of Bunbury.

2. People with disability have the same opportunities as other people to access the buildings and other facilities of the City of Bunbury.

3. People with disability receive information from the City of Bunbury in a format that will enable them to access the information as readily as other people are able to access it.

4. People with disability receive the same level and quality of service from the City of Bunbury staff as other people receive from City staff.

5. People with disability have the same opportunities as other people to provide feedback and make complaints to the City of Bunbury.

6. People with disability have the same opportunities as other people to participate in any public consultation by the City of Bunbury.

Development of the 2012 – 2017 Disability Access and Inclusion Plan (DAIP)

It is the Community Development Directorate and the City of Bunbury Community Access Committee’s role to oversee the development, implementation, review and evaluation of the DAIP. The Access Committee is a formal Committee of Council.

Consultation process

During 2012, the City undertook a review of the 2007-2012 DAIP and consulted with key City employees, community members and local agencies to draft a new DAIP to guide further improvements to access and inclusion.

The Disability Services Act Regulations (2004) set out the minimum consultation requirements for public authorities in relation to DAIPs. Local Governments must call for submissions (either general or specific) by notice in a newspaper circulating in the local district of the Local Government, under the Local Government Act (1995), or on any website maintained by or on behalf of the Local Government. Other mechanisms may also be used. A minimum period of three weeks is recommended for this public notification, and other mechanisms may also be used.

During April and May of 2012, the community was advised through the local newspapers, the City of Bunbury’s website, and the South West Agency Partnerships (SWAP) Network emailing group that there was an opportunityto provide input into the review and development of the plan. The public were invited to attend a number of focus groups to provide their input, and thus assist in the continual process of addressing the barriers that people with disability and their families experience in accessing information, services and facilities.