Overview
Due to strong interest from stakeholders, the department is extending consultations to run until 30 April 2021.
You are welcome to submit new or additional responses, even if you’ve already submitted input during the consultation period (which ran from 22 February to 16 April 2021).
We’re in the second phase of our review of the Disability (Access to Premises – Building) Standards 2010.
The purpose of the Premises Standards is to make sure:
people living with disability and their family members, carers and friends have equal access to public buildings
building certifiers, developers and managers fulfil their responsibilities to people with disability under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992
The Standards:
apply to new public buildings
apply to new work like renovations on existing public buildings
could apply to an existing building
cover common areas of apartment buildings
don’t cover people’s homes
The National Construction Code (NCC) contains these Standards. It explains how buildings must be constructed. The states and territories adopt the NCC and enforce it.
The Australian Human Rights Commission can help resolve complaints of unlawful discrimination on disability grounds.
Why your views matter
The law says we need to review the Premises Standards every 5 years.
We review them to make sure they:
ensure equal access to building for people with disability
help builders understand how to make buildings accessible
work the way they should
We want to see what needs to change and when changes should happen.
We finished the first part of the review in November 2020. During this phase, people gave us ideas that helped us write a consultation paper.
We now want to find out:
what people think about these ideas
any other ideas to improve the Premises Standards
We want to hear from anyone affected by the Premises Standards.
You can be:
someone living with disability
a family member, carer or friend
a disability advocate
in the building industry
from government or local council
Your feedback will help us write a report for the government.
Consultation paper
The questions we would like you to think about are in our Consultation paper below.
You can also download an Easy Read version of the consultation paper below.
You can ask for help to read the paper. A friend, family member or support person may be able to help you.
If you have difficulty understanding or speaking English call the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450. It costs the same as a local call. The service operates nationally and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They translate over 160 languages and dialects.
Ways to engage
We want to make it easy for you so here are some ways to have your say.
Watch the webinar
Australia’s Disability Discrimination Commissioner, Dr Ben Gauntlett, introduced the review in a webinar. Watch the webinar recording.
Take the online survey
In the survey we ask questions about the ideas in our Consultation paper, or the Easy Read version. You can answer all of the questions or some of them. Follow the link to the survey below.
Upload a written submission, video or audio
The online survey lets you skip the questions and just upload a file.
The Easy Read version of the Consultation paper also has spaces to fill in your answers. You can upload it as a written submission.
Send your feedback by email or mail
If you are unable to participate online, you can do it offline.
Email your submission to PremisesStandards@industry.gov.au
Or mail it to:
Premises Standards Review Team,
Industry Growth Division,
Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources,
GPO Box 2013, CANBERRA ACT 2601
Comment on a discussion board
Let us know if you want to join our discussion board. Express your interest via our form.
Talk to our team on the phone
Our team is available to hear your feedback and help you by phone. Call 02 6213 7674 from 9:00am to 4:30pm.
Related
Consultation paper 1.3 MB (PDF document)
Consultation paper 646.5 KB (Office Word 2007 XML document)
Easy Read version of the Consultation paper 8.3 MB (PDF document)
Easy Read version of the Consultation paper 60.5 KB (Office Word 2007 XML document)