Vision Australia has welcomed a decision by one Australian that will be a significant step forward for the inclusion of people with a disability, such as blindness or low vision, in the workforce.
The New South Wales State government yesterday announced that it will now require all government agencies to procure information and communication technology (ICT) that is accessible to people with a disability.
Vision Australia is delighted by this announcement. The Australian Standard for accessible ICT (AS EN 301 549) was adopted by the Australian public service in March 2017 and we have urged for it to be enforced ever since.
People who are blind or have low vision are 10 times more likely to be unemployed than the general population and one of the main reasons for this is inaccessible workplace ICT.
We look forward to increased employment opportunities for people who are blind or have low vision as a result of the NSW Government’s action.
It’s unacceptable that so many people across Australia who are skilled, capable and passionate about contributing to the community are unable to participate as a result of workplaces being ill equipped to support the needs of all employees.
We will continue to urge the remaining governments to use their purchasing power to support the procurement of accessible technology that suits the needs of all employees.
Vision Australia is also a signatory to a global charter made up of disability advocacy bodies calling on governments to purchase accessible equipment for their workplaces.
For assistance with accessible technology in your workplace as an employee or employer, contact us today.