Celebrating inclusivity this International Day of People with Disability

2021-12-03

The ACT community is celebrating the rich diversity of Canberra this International Day of People with Disability (I-Day) as part of our collective, ongoing vision to be an inclusive and accessible place for all.

Minister for Disability Emma Davidson says that the community, organisations, businesses, and ACT Government are uniting to celebrate the talents and experience of people with disability and the incredible contributions they make across Canberra.

“The diverse celebrations for I-Day this year is a testament to Canberra’s dedication to build a better normal with genuine inclusivity, where a person’s ability, sex, cultural background, or experience does not impact their access to participation,” Minister Davidson said.

“When we are kind, caring and supportive of one another, we improve social wellbeing outcomes for our whole community; where more people can engage in our political, social, economic and cultural life. As we focus on social recovery, it’s important we truly co-design with the disability community to ensure our future is one deeply-rooted in equity.

“A series of videos will be released on ACT Government channels over the coming weeks to celebrate the many stories of the resilience, adaptability and leadership across Canberra’s community to better support people with disability.”

The Disability Justice Strategy Second Annual Progress Report was tabled in the Legislative Assembly yesterday, outlining key achievements delivered over the past 12 months to progress the strategy and improve access to support across Canberra’s justice systems.

“Under the strategy Disability Liaison Officers have been employed across eight justice agencies in the ACT to make our justice system more accessible, inclusive and equitable for people with disability. The voice of people with disability has been at the forefront of the design, implementation and monitoring of the ACT Disability Strategy to continually improve outcomes for our community,” Minister Davidson said.

“Canberra Community Law have also played a significant role implementing the Disability Justice Strategy. As part of this work, they have developed social scripts in partnership with Autism Spectrum Australia to help people with disability better understand, navigate and communicate with legal services.”

Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021-2031 will also launch today, providing a framework for inclusive policies, programs, and infrastructure to improve access to participation across the country. In the coming months, the ACT Government will develop a 10-year disability strategy in line with the national framework and complement the Territory’s Disability Justice Strategy.

To further support our community become more inclusive and accessible for people with disability, the ACT Government Disability Inclusion Grants are open to assist community groups, organisation and small businesses through programs, training and mobility infrastructure and technology. The grants offer funding of up to $20,000 and are open until 14 February.

More information: