Disability Action Plan

1.1   The Productivity Commission's latest Disability Action Plan 2007-10 sets out its commitment and approach to addressing awareness, access and opportunities for people with disabilities in accordance with the APS Values, Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) and Commonwealth Disability Strategy.

1.2   Related documents are the Commission's Collective Agreement, Equity & Diversity Plan, Service Charter and Access & Equity Plan.

2   Definitions

2.1   The definitions of disability and discrimination for the purposes of the DDA are set out at Annex A.

3   Commonwealth Disability Strategy (CDS)

3.1   The CDS was introduced in 1994 to assist Australian government agencies meet their obligations under the DDA. An evaluation of the CDS was conducted in 1999 and again in 2005-06.

3.2   The CDS sets out the following broad principles which agencies are to address:

• Equity: people with disabilities have the right to participate in all aspects of the community including the opportunity to contribute to its social, political, economic and cultural life
• Inclusion: all mainstream Australian government programs, services and facilities should be available to people with disabilities.  The requirements of people with disabilities should be taken into account at all stages in the development and delivery of these programs and services
• Participation: people with disabilities have the right to participate on an equal basis in all decision-making processes that affect their lives
• Access: people with disabilities should have access to information in appropriate formats about the programs and services they use
• Accountability: all areas of Australian government organisations should be clearly accountable for the provision of access to their programs, facilities and services for people with disabilities. This includes specifying the outcomes to be achieved, establishing performance indicators and linking reporting on outcomes of the Strategy to mainstream reporting mechanisms.

4   Management Advisory Committee Report 6 (MAC 6)

4.1   In addition to the CDS, in August 2006 the MAC 6 on the Employment of People with Disability in the APS was released.  It contains eight objectives for promoting the employment of people with a disability in the APS.  This document is available on PC Net/ Personnel/ Accessibility & Diversity.

4.2   This report and subsequent APS Commission Good Practice Guides, such as Ability at Work, will be incorporated into ongoing initiatives through this latest Disability Action Plan.

5   The Commission's Role

5.1   The Productivity Commission is the Australian Government's principal review and advisory body on microeconomic policy and regulation.

5.2   The Commission's core function is to conduct public inquiries on key policy or regulatory issues bearing on Australia's economic performance and community wellbeing.  It also undertakes a variety of research at the request of government and to support its responsibilities.

5.3   The Commission's work covers all levels of government and encompasses all sectors of the economy, as well as social and environmental issues.

6   The Commission's Approach

6.1   The Commission is committed to promoting the APS Values and addressing the CDS principles through the following strategies:

A   Employee awareness-raising

We will continue measures to promote heightened awareness amongst our employees of the CDS principles through:

• making the CDS and this Plan available to all employees
• promoting CDS principles and this Plan at appropriate opportunities (such as the Chairman's staff meetings, Staff News, International Day for People with a Disability (3 December) and specific training sessions)
• training and provision of information for selection panels as required
• ensuring induction programs include information about the CDS and this Plan.

B   Internal policies and procedures

In developing and reviewing our internal policies and procedures, we will ensure that the needs of employees and stakeholders with disabilities are considered through:

• specifically 'asking the question' of ourselves before signing off on policies and procedures
• in line with MAC 6 objectives review Recruitment Guidelines
• investigate opportunities to provide work experience and mentoring and attract additional employment applicants with a disability
• assess networking opportunities with other agencies and organisations.

C   Undertaking our core business

In conducting our public inquiries, research projects and other activities we will assess the impact of our policy proposals on the lives of people with disabilities prior to finalisation of those proposals through:

• including in our activity checklists the requirement to consider CDS principles, and recording such consideration in the public document or internal records
• providing guidance to our employees on the steps to be considered by having available an appropriate checklist (see Annex B).

D   Consultation

Where considerations reveal a likely impact on the lives of people with disabilities, consultation with those people or their representatives will be initiated through:

• determining the nature and extent of such consultations on a case-by-case basis as this is likely to vary according to individual circumstances.

E   Information provision

Where we identify, or people with disabilities self-identify, the need for information in formats other than those normally provided, we will endeavour to meet such needs in a timely manner through:

• ensuring our website complies with World Wide Web Consortium's (W3C) standards for accessibility (Priority 1), working towards Priority 2, and elements of Priority 3 checklists
• including on our web site information related to accessibility issues and assistance
• meeting all reasonable requests for the provision of information in accessible formats, such as Braille, large print and audiocassette, as soon as possible.  This will be facilitated through the register of providers of diversity information and services.  Providers from a number of sources, including the CDS register are included and additional details on the timeframes for providing material, costings and booking procedures outlined.
• undertaking any other reasonable actions to ensure timely accessibility to Commission information
• maintaining a 'register of requests for information and assistance' to assist in planning for future needs and to aid our external reporting requirements.

F   Access to premises

We will ensure our activities are undertaken in premises accessible to employees and stakeholders with disabilities through:

• having regard to the needs of people with disabilities in respect of our existing premises, any new premises we may consider, and any external premises we may use in the conduct of our activities (eg training venues, public hearings)
• making appropriate arrangements to specifically assist people with disabilities with access to Commission premises and venues.

G   Reporting

We recognise our external reporting obligations and will meet the CDS reporting requirements through:

• reporting against the appropriate performance indicators as defined in the CDS (see Annex C)
• maintaining and updating Australian Public Service employment data (APSED) and other records to enable factually based reporting on the various performance measures.

H   Complaints mechanisms

We will have available for stakeholders and employees avenues by which to raise issues and concerns relating to disability matters for:

• external stakeholders, through the avenues set out in the Commission's Service Charter
• employees, through the avenues set out in the Commission's Collective Agreement and individual Australian Workplace Agreements.

I   Monitor and review

We will monitor and review the operation of this Plan to ensure that we continue to meet our CDS obligations through:

• Management Committee receiving a report from the Diversity Coordinator every six months, or as required should particular significant issues arise
• keeping employees informed on progress with the Plan at appropriate intervals
• reviewing the Plan ahead of its nominated expiry or in light of any significant change in government requirements.

6   Further information

6.1   For further information, contact the Diversity Co-ordinator in Personnel on Ext 2237.

6.2   This document is available electronically to all employees on PC Net/Employment Conditions/Personnel Policy and Procedures/Accessibility & Diversity.