Michael Clancy
02-62714460

Disability Rights Unit

Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission

GPO Box 5218

SYDNEY NSW 1042

Attached is the Australian Electoral Commission's (AEC) submission in response to the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission's request for information regarding the above.

The attached submission outlines the measures the AEC puts in place to ensure that people with disabilities have access to information regarding the electoral process and physical access to polling places where this is possible.

The AEC has a proven commitment to increasing the services available to people with disabilities and will continue to assess and improve these services.

Please contact Michael Clancy, acting Access and Equity Officer, on 02-6271 4460 should you require further information about this submission.

Yours sincerely

Andy Becker

Acting Electoral Commissioner

28 February 2000

To address the issue of access to information about the electoral process for people with disabilities, a copy of the Australian Electoral Commission's Communication Strategy for People with a Disability, is attached.

The strategy was developed for the 1999 Referendum and is indicative of services that the AEC provides for all federal elections and referendums.

The strategy outlines the information services provided for the following disability groups:

• People who are blind or who have a visual impairment
• People with a physical disability
• People with insufficient literacy and language skills.
• People who are deaf or who have a hearing impairment.

2. Physical access to Polling Places

Polling place access is a matter that the Australian Electoral Commission takes very seriously and, over recent years, the Commission has instituted a number of initiatives to facilitate better access – particularly access for those with a mobility disability. While these initiatives have greatly increased the number of polling places with full or limited wheelchair access, the very short notice provided to the Commission when a Federal election is called restricts which venues can be used as polling places.

Federal elections are normally called with only 33 days notice. In practical terms this means that many suitable venues, with full wheelchair access, are otherwise booked and unavailable to us. In many areas this leaves us with few alternatives but to use school premises for polling. As the Commission utilises premises only once every two or three years, the Commission has very limited ability to encourage owners - be they government or private - to upgrade their level of access

In 1997 the Commission initiated discussions with the previous Disability Discrimination Commissioner, Ms Elizabeth Hastings, in order to see what could be done to improve the situation in regard to wheelchair access. This led to a meeting between HREOC staff, including Ms Hastings, and AEC staff on 22 May 1997. The meeting provided a forum for a wide range of issues to be discussed. Ms Hastings suggested that, rather than having two categories of wheelchair access – full access according to AS1428 or no wheelchair access – a third category "access with assistance" be adopted.

A decision was made that the Commission would implement this suggestion and the Commission's computer systems, procedure manuals, Head Office advertising instructions and the Polling Place Assessment Report were amended accordingly so that three categories would be in place in time for the 1998 Federal election. Polling places were inspected in accordance with the new categorisation.

Other initiatives were also pursued and implemented – such as providing appropriate polling places with a cardboard table and voting screen that a person in a wheelchair could use.

Apart from these new initiatives, Divisional Returning Officers were encouraged to make contact with any disability organisations or groups in their local areas with a view to obtaining suggestions on appropriate premises for polling places. Unfortunately, in a number of instances, suggested premises were unavailable due to being otherwise booked when required.

The Commission operates 7,600 polling places nationally on election day. For the 1993 Federal election, just over 40% were categorised as having full wheelchair access. For the 1996 Federal election this had improved to 50% - although it is probable that some of these polling places were not in full accordance with AS1428 access standards. For the 1998 Federal election there was a combined total of 58% for full access and limited access polling places. The Commission also provides postal and pre-poll voting for those who wish to use these options.

Each Federal election the Commission conducts a survey of voters. While a relatively small sample size is used, it provides a statistically valid indication of client satisfaction. For the 1998 Federal election a telephone survey was conducted and was designed so that respondents with a disability could identify that fact. The survey indicated a high level of satisfaction with the services provided by the Commission.

The results of this survey will be taken into account when designing training materials and developing procedures for the next Federal election.

The AEC has always demonstrated a commitment to people with disabilities. This approach predates any legislative requirement. It should be noted that the Commission is

aware of the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act and that some people with disabilities want to cast their vote in person on election day in the same manner as most other voters. The Commission goes to great effort to ensure that this can happen and will continue to explore and find ways to provide the best possible service to all electors.

28 February 2000