Australian Employers Network on Disability

30 November 2007

The Disability Discrimination Commissioner, Mr Graeme Innes AM, has released the following statement for International Day of People with Disabilities (Monday 3 December 2007).

The message is also available to download in MP3 format from the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission website at: www.humanrights.gov.au/about/media/audio_grab/20071129_Innes_IDPD_message.mp3

TRANSCRIPT:

Hello, I'm Graeme Innes, Australia's Disability Discrimination Commissioner – and a person with a disability.

Our calendar is full of international days. But the International Day of People with Disabilities is a particularly important one.

Firstly, because it's very relevant to the 20% of Australians with disabilities - one in five people in our community.

Secondly, because it symbolises the importance of changing community attitudes towards people with disabilities.

For too long, people with disability have been excluded from our community, because they are not understood, or are regarded as objects of pity or charity. But today, we seek to be equal members of society, as co-workers, family members, friends and colleagues. To not include us means that our community would not be a rich, diverse and sustainable community.

Disability discrimination legislation requires that people with disabilities be treated equally, and given access to all areas of public life. And the Human Rights Commission is - in partnership with many other organisations - working hard to make that a reality, in areas such as:

* design of the built environment;

* access to public transport;

* improved employment opportunities;

* access to entertainment and information through captions and audio description; and

* access to cyberspace and e-commerce through an accessible internet.

We can all play a part in that process, by including people with disabilities, as we do other members of our community, as part of our lives: at school; work; or in community and sporting activities; by working with disability advocacy organisations to achieve positive change; or by supporting the many areas in which all levels of government and private enterprise are facilitating change.

People with disabilities are not heroes, and are not victims. We are agents of our own destiny, seeking an equal place in the Australian community.