Review of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992

Productivity Commission to Review the Disability Discrimination Act

The Commonwealth Government has asked the Productivity Commission to conduct an inquiry into the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and associated regulations. The Commission is required to report to the Government by 5 February 2004.

The Commission will examine the social impacts of the legislation on people with disabilities and on the community as a whole. It will consider whether the objectives of the legislation — including eliminating discrimination on the grounds of disability — have been achieved. It will also examine the legislation’s impact on competition and whether amendments to the legislation are warranted.

The Government has not asked the Commission to inquire into government disability services, but these may be relevant where the legislation has implications for their delivery.

The Presiding Commissioner, Helen Owens, said the Commission would be consulting widely. She strongly encouraged public participation in the inquiry. 'This is a chance to tell the Commission how well the Disability Discrimination Act is working, what the social and economic effects are, and how the legislation might be improved.'

The inquiry is particularly relevant for people with disabilities, their associates and representatives, service providers, businesses and those involved in overcoming disability discrimination. Interested parties are invited to make submissions and to attend public hearings.

To assist the Commission, the Government has appointed Dr John Paterson as an Associate Commissioner for the duration of the inquiry.

The Commission will publish an issues paper shortly and will be holding hearings in May. A draft report is planned for September 2003. Further information, and online registration, are available on the inquiry home page at www.pc.gov.au/inquiry/dda/index.html.

Download Volume 1 by chapters

• Preliminaries (Word - 1867 Kb)
• Preliminaries (PDF - 206 Kb)
  

• Key points (Word - 70 Kb)
• Key points (PDF - 13 Kb)

• Overview (Word - 370 Kb)
• Overview (PDF - 85 Kb)

• Recommendations (Word - 92 Kb)
• Recommendations (PDF - 28 Kb)

• Findings (Word - 139 Kb)
• Findings (PDF - 44 Kb)

• Chapter 1 This inquiry (Word - 116 Kb)
• Chapter 1 This inquiry (PDF - 59 Kb)

• Chapter 2 Disability and human rights (Word - 169 Kb)
• Chapter 2 Disability and human rights (PDF - 66 Kb)

• Chapter 3 Disability in Australia (Word - 533 Kb)
• Chapter 3 Disability in Australia (PDF - 61 Kb)

• Chapter 4 Disability discrimination legislation (Word - 362 Kb)
• Chapter 4 Disability discrimination legislation (PDF - 88 Kb)

• Chapter 5 Eliminating discrimination (Word - 1341 Kb)
• Chapter 5 Eliminating discrimination (PDF - 199 Kb)

• Chapter 6 Benefits and costs of the DDA (Word - 268 Kb)
• Chapter 6 Benefits and costs of the DDA (PDF - 182 Kb)

• Chapter 7 Necessity and focus of the DDA (Word - 203 Kb)
• Chapter 7 Necessity and focus of the DDA (PDF - 107 Kb)

• Chapter 8 Eliminating discrimination (Word - 287 Kb)
• Chapter 8 Eliminating discrimination (PDF - 168 Kb)

• Chapter 9 Equality before the law (Word - 262 Kb)
• Chapter 9 Equality before the law (PDF - 122 Kb)

• Chapter 10 Promoting community recognition and acceptance (Word - 250 Kb)
• Chapter 10 Promoting community recognition and acceptance (PDF - 116 Kb)

• Chapter 11 Definitions (Word - 220 Kb)
• Chapter 11 Definitions (PDF - 111 Kb)

• Chapter 12 Exemptions (Word - 308 Kb)
• Chapter 12 Exemptions (PDF - 144 Kb)

• Chapter 13 Complaints (Word - 453 Kb)
• Chapter 13 Complaints (PDF - 139 Kb)

• Chapter 14 Regulation (Word - 277 Kb)
• Chapter 14 Regulation (PDF - 126 Kb)

• Chapter 15 Other issues (Word - 265 Kb)
• Chapter 15 Other issues (PDF - 123 Kb)

Download Volume 2 by chapters

• Appendix A Eliminating discrimination in work (Word - 1319 Kb)
• Appendix A Eliminating discrimination in work (PDF - 155 Kb)

• Appendix B Education (Word - 894 Kb)
• Appendix B Education (PDF - 125 Kb)

• Appendix C Access to premises and public transport (Word - 774 Kb)
• Appendix C Access to premises and public transport (PDF - 99 Kb)

• Appendix D Goods, services and facilities, and social participation (Word - 577 Kb)
• Appendix D Goods, services and facilities, and social participation (PDF - 202 Kb)

• Appendix E Commonwealth laws and programs (Word - 736 Kb)
• Appendix E Commonwealth laws and programs (PDF - 91 Kb)

• Appendix F Quantitative analysis and data sources (Word - 1059 Kb)
• Appendix F Quantitative analysis and data sources (PDF - 96 Kb)

• Appendix G Conduct of the Inquiry (Word - 761 Kb)
• Appendix G Conduct of the Inquiry (PDF - 50 Kb)

• References (Word - 164 Kb)
• References (PDF - 94 Kb)