Ivan Peterson makes a well-documented safety point.

From 20-22 October in the Orange RSL, Guide Dogs NSW/ACT conducted its first Central West access awareness seminar for clients and partners.

 

The aim of the seminar was to empower clients with knowledge of relevant legislation,

Australian Standards and procedures regarding improving “access for all” in their local communities. An important group of linked objectives was to provide clients with information to assist them in establishing access advisory committees; becoming more effective as members of such committees; and to be able to assist those pro-active in advocating on access issues with various government organisations to be more effective.

 

Almost all of the clients who attended either serve on their council’s access committees or have an interest in improving access for people with vision impairment. And there is absolutely no doubt of the seminar’s outstanding success with its notable and extensive two-way flow of discussion and information.

 

There were speakers from Charles Sturt University discussing dealing with the media and giving useful tips on using media to the best advantage; from Orange City Council discussing members, operations and effective running of access committees as well as the Council’s Priority System, Council budgets and Council/RTA responsibilities; and also from the Roads and Traffic Authority covering points, such as requesting changes to roads and pedestrian access, requesting the fitting of Audio Tactile Signals to traffic

lights, and many other essential services.

 

Our keynote speaker was Ivan Peterson, National Policy Officer for Blind Citizens Australia. He spoke widely and authoritatively on the Disability Discrimination Act, Standards Australia, and the perennial matters of Public Transport and footpaths.

 

Matthew Walker, Guide Dogs NSW/ACT's regional Manager in the Central West region,

is confident that everyone who attended the seminar, clients and speakers, gained

a wealth of information and understanding in regard to problems and solutions of access

for people who are blind and vision impaired.