Disability Discrimination Act

The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) protects people from direct and indirect discrimination in:

Employment

Education

Access to premises

Provision of goods, services and facilities

Accommodation

Buying land

Activities of clubs and associations

Sport

Administration of Commonwealth Government laws and programs

The Australian Human Rights Commission leads the implementation of the DDA through the guidance of the Disability Discrimination Commissioner.

The DDA allows the Attorney-General to make standards on particular topics. Two standards have been made[1]:

Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport

Establish minimum accessibility requirements to be met by providers and operators of public transport conveyances, infrastructure and premises. The Standards take into account the range of disability covered by the DDA and apply to most public transport.

Disability Standards for Education

Give students and prospective students with disability the right to education and training opportunities on the same basis as students without disability. This includes the right to comparable access, services and facilities, and the right to participate in education and training without discrimination. Such rights are not merely formal.