MIDCOAST Council has adopted the Disability Inclusion Action Plan 2022-2026.

Councillors unanimously voted in support of the Plan at council’s meeting on 27 July.

Advertise with News of The Area today.
It’s worth it for your business.
Message us.
Phone us – (02) 4981 8882.
Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au

The Plan centres around four key outcome areas, as identified by people with disability, the NSW Government and the community.

These include developing positive community attitude and behaviours towards people living with disability, creating liveable communities in which people with disability can feel safe and welcome to work, live and play, supporting access to meaningful employment for people with disability and their carers through inclusive employment practices and increased access to mainstream services through better systems and processes.

Mayor of MidCoast Council Claire Pontin, said it was her pleasure to present the new and revised Plan.

“Our first Plan, developed soon after the establishment of MidCoast Council, focused on education and encouraged staff to look at everything we do ‘through a disability lens’,” Mayor Pontin said.

“Our annual reporting to the Minister for Disability Services demonstrates we have achieved improved consideration of the needs of people with disability, however we can do much more.”

Mayor Pontin said consultations with people with disabilities and their carers highlighted the prejudice and bias in the community, and lack of opportunities for people with disabilities to participate in society.

“We will focus on this – not just within the Council, but in the broader community. And it is incumbent on all of us to help in removing barriers for people with disabilities,” Mayor Pontin said.

Data from the Census of Population and Housing indicates that the proportion of people living with disability in the MidCoast region is higher than the average across regional New South Wales and Australia, with 8.2 per cent compared with 6.3 per cent and 5.1 per cent respectively.

“Everybody deserves to be able to live, work and play without obstacles,” said Pontin.

“I look forward to working with Council staff and all stakeholders in the delivery of this Plan,” she said.

The Disability Inclusion Action Plan 2022-2026 can be accessed via the MidCoast Council website at https://www.midcoast.nsw.gov.au/Home

By Tara CAMPBELL