¶ COLLIE Shire’s draft Disability, Access and Inclusion Plan (DAIP) 2025-2029 is out for public comment.
Council gave the go ahead for advertising of the plan, which seeks to ensure services and facilities are open, inclusive and accessible for all Collie community members, at its July meeting.
The current DAIP had a review date of November 30, 2022, however the shire said it was delayed due to staff turnover and vacancies.
During this time, the shire liaised with the Department of Communities about the delay and submitted DAIP progress reports.
The DAIP covers outcomes including ensuring people with a disability can access shire services and events, along with buildings and facilities, and have ready access to shire information.
Other outcomes include ensuring people with a disability receive a comparable level and quality of service from shire staff, and that they have the same opportunities to make complaints to the shire.
Participation in community consultation is also a priority area, along with ensuring people with a disability have the same opportunities to obtain and maintain employment with the shire.
Release of the plan for comment follows sharp criticism of the shire’s approach to disability access and inclusion at council’s June meeting.
APM Communities local area coordinator Sarah Bowes, representing the Collie Disability Reference Group (DRG), said the DRG struggled to advocate at a local government level in Collie due to a lack of appropriate forums.
Ms Bowes said Collie does not have a Disability Access and Inclusion Committee and that its Community Safety and Wellbeing Committee, on which the DRG has two seats, meets infrequently.
“The problem being, how do you get your voice?” she said.
“You haven’t got the systems in place for appropriate consultation, which is what’s lacking in Collie at the moment.”
The draft DAIP is available to view on the shire website and at its Throssell Street administration office until July 30.
Further information is available at www.collie.wa.gov.au/council/out-for-comment/.