Being Heard - Steps You Can Take

Disability Services Commission

Your Rights

Good access and inclusion benefits everyone in the community. But despite significant improvements in this area, people with disabilities and their families still experience access barriers in many areas of community life.

People with disabilities have the same rights as the rest of the community to access services, facilities and information. These rights are enshrined in legislation and failure to provide the same levels of access or opportunities could be viewed as discrimination.

The Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act (1992) and the Western Australian Equal Opportunity Act (1984, amended 1988) provide legislative protection to people with disabilities.

Being heard - steps you can take

If you believe you have been discriminated against because of your disability, there are a number of steps you can take towards resolving this. It is important that you have your say as this may also benefit others experiencing a similar difficulty.

Step 1: Informing the service provider of your concerns

Firstly raise your concerns with the person who provided the service, facility or information you were unable to access. Ways of doing this include telephoning, writing a letter or sending an email.

What to say?

Describe the type of difficulty or discrimination clearly to ensure the service understands why you can not access it, including dates, times, location and names of staff if relevant.

You may like to include that State and Commonwealth legislation make it unlawful to discriminate against a person due to disability.

Its best to put your concerns in writing and keep a copy of all communications, including dates, in case you need to follow it up later.

Step 2: What if nothing happens?

If you haven’t had a response after a reasonable period of time telephone, email or write to see what actions have been taken. If you still feel that nothing has progressed you may wish to contact the service provider’s Chief Executive Officer or the elected representative of your Local, State or Commonwealth Government.

Step 3: Further assistance

If there is no response, if you do not agree with the action taken or would like further advice, advocacy or support, the organisations listed below can be contacted.

Step 4: Access improvement

When your concerns have been addressed, you may want to telephone or write to say thank you. Saying thank you can also help to achieve further access improvements in the future.

Local Area Coordinators (LAC)

Provide information about your rights and resources in your community. To find out who the LAC is in your area phone the Disability Services Commission on 9426 9200

TTY: 9426 9315

Country: 1800 998 214

Disability Discrimination Unit -Sussex Street Law Centre

Telephone: 9470 2676

TTY: 9470 2831

Country: 1800 642 791

Email:

Website:

People with Disabilities WA Inc.

Telephone: 9386 6477 Country: 1800 193 331 TTY: 9386 6451 Email: Website:

Ethnic Disability Advocacy Centre

Telephone: 9388 7455 Country: 1800 659 921 Email: Website:

Equal Opportunity Commission of Western Australia

Telephone: 9216 3900

TTY: 9216 3936

Country: 1800 198 149

Email:

Website:

Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (Commonwealth)

Complaints Infoline: 1300 656 419

TTY: 1800 620 241

Email:

Website: