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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE DISABILITY ACTION PLAN

2014-17 OCTOBER 2014

Department of Justice

Policy History

Approved by and date Agency ExecutiveRescinded dateEndorsed by Agency Disability Working GroupCommencement Date:

Document control

TRIM Reference Version No: 1

Published on Xxxx

Review date: June 2017

Document revision

Version Date Who What

Table of ContentsObjective........................................................................................................................ 1

Scope.............................................................................................................................. 1

Defining Disability...........................................................................................................1

Agency Policy Statement................................................................................................1

Organisational context....................................................................................................2

Whole of Government Approaches.................................................................................4

Department of Justice Disability Action Plan...................................................................6

Consultation....................................................................................................................6

Resourcing the Plan........................................................................................................6

Monitoring and Reporting...............................................................................................7

Evaluation....................................................................................................................... 7

Action 1: Access to Services and Programs................................................................8

Action 2: Access to Employment Opportunities, Career Development, Retention and

Recruitment...............................................................................................13

Action 3: Access to Buildings, Facilities, Venues and Off-Premises Events................17

Action 4: Access to Information (printed materials, websites, audio and video).......23

More Information..........................................................................................................26

Accountabilities............................................................................................................26

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Objective

The Aim of the Department of Justice (the Department) is to achieve ‘a fair, just

and safe Tasmania’. This will be achieved by:

Providing an accessible system of justice

Protecting and respecting rights

Improving laws, influencing behaviour and enforcing responsibilities.

The Department is committed to the Tasmanian Government’s Disability Framework for Action 2013- 2017, a whole-of-government approach to policy, planning, service delivery and evaluation that seeks to remove barriers and enable people with disability to enjoy the same rights and opportunities as other Tasmanians.

Scope

This Action Plan applies to all employees, statutory office holders and officers of

the department. This Action Plan supersedes the Department of Justice’s

Disability Action Plan 2005-2010.

Defining Disability

In preparing this Action Plan, the Department has adopted a definition of disability described by the World Health Organisation as:

"Disabilities is an umbrella term, covering impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions. Impairment is a problem in body function or structure; an activity limitation is a difficulty encountered by an individual in executing a task or action; while a participation restriction is a problem experienced by an individual in involvement in life situations. Thus disability is a complex phenomenon, reflecting an interaction between features of a person’s body and features of the society in which he or she lives” (http://www.who.int/topics/disabilities/en/)

Agency Policy Statement

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People with disability represent a significant stakeholder group for the Department as it has a number of outputs, and provides administrative and other support to statutory authorities, that have

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a specific disability focus, along with others that have very high levels of engagement with people with disability.

As such, the Department’s Disability Action Plan needs to be developed and implemented in ways that ensure understanding and responding to disability are considered as core business for all parts of the Department.

Those outputs which have a specific disability focus include:

Office of the Anti-Discrimination Commissioner

Anti-Discrimination Tribunal

Guardianship and Administration Board

Mental Health Tribunal

Workers Compensation & Rehabilitation Tribunal

Asbestos Compensation Tribunal

Office of the Public Guardian

Victims Support Services

WorkSafe Tasmania.

In addition, those which have very high levels of engagement with people with disability include the Magistrates Court, Community Corrections, and the Tasmania Prison Service.

The Department recognises that to improve engagement with people with disability actions cannot be seen as ‘add-ons’ to its strategic and business planning, but rather must form a central element of all Department activities.

Organisational context

The Department of Justice provides systems and services in order to maintain and promote rights and responsibilities, resolve disputes and contribute to the aim of a safer and more inclusive society that will benefit the Tasmanian community as a whole.

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The Department of Justice comprises:

Births, Deaths and Marriages

Building Standards and Occupational Licensing

Community Corrections

Consumer Affairs and Fair Trading

Corporate Support and Strategy

Crown Law

Monetary Penalties Enforcement Service

Strategic Legislation and Policy

Tasmania Prison Service

Victims Support Services

WorkSafe Tasmania

The Department provides administrative support to a number of outputs that are independent statutory bodies, including the:

Supreme and Magistrates Courts

Tasmanian Industrial Commission

Legal Aid Commission of Tasmania

Tasmanian Electoral Commission

Office of the Anti-Discrimination Commissioner

Anti-Discrimination Tribunal

Asbestos Compensation Tribunal

Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Tribunal

WorkCover Tasmania Board

Guardianship and Administration Board

Office of the Public Guardian

Mental Health Tribunal

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Parole Board of Tasmania

Poppy Advisory and Control Board

Resource Management and Planning Appeal Tribunal

Tasmanian Planning

Commission. The Department

also:

Acts as the employing agency for the staff of the Offices of the Solicitor-General, the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Crown Solicitor and the Ombudsman, which have been separate entities for budgetary purposes since 2010-11 and 2007-08 respectively.

Provides corporate services to the offices of the Ombudsman and the Health Complaints Commissioner and to the Integrity Commission.

Whole of Government Approaches

At both national and state levels there are broader, whole of government agendas, frameworks and commitments that have informed the development of this Action Plan.

Key actions and initiatives identified under these wider strategies have been incorporated into this Action Plan where appropriate.

National Disability Strategy

The National Disability Strategy 2010-2020 (the Strategy), developed and endorsed by national, state and local government, sets out a ten year national policy framework for improving life for Australians with disability, their families and carers.

One of the six priority areas identified in the Strategy is “Rights protection, justice and legislation”, with a stated outcome of ensuring that “people with disability have their rights promoted, upheld and protected”.

The Strategy identifies five key Policy Directions:

1. Increased awareness and acceptance of the rights of people with disability.

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2. Remove societal barriers preventing people with disability participating as equal citizens.

3. People with disability to have access to justice.

4. People with disability to be safe from violence, exploitation and neglect.

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5. More effective responses from the criminal justice system to people with disability who have complex needs and heightened vulnerabilities.

These are then translated into the following 12 specific areas for future action:

1. Promote awareness and acceptance of the rights of people with disability.

2. Monitor and ensure compliance with international human rights obligations.

3. Develop strategies to reduce violence, abuse and neglect of people with disability.

4. Review restrictive legislation and practices from a human rights perspective.

5. Examine recommendations arising from the report of the Joint Standing Committee on Migration on migration treatment of disability, Enabling Australia.

6. Improve the reach and effectiveness of all complaint mechanisms.

7. Provide greater support for people with disability with heightened vulnerabilities to participate in legal processes on an equal basis with others.

8. Ensure people with disability have every opportunity to be active participants in the civic life of the community—as jurors, board members and elected representatives.

9. Support people with disability with heightened vulnerabilities in any contacts with the criminal justice system, with an emphasis on early identification, diversion and support.

10.Ensure that people with disability leaving custodial facilities have improved access to support in order to reduce recidivism. This may include income and accommodation support and education, pre-employment, training and employment services.

11.Support independent advocacy to protect the rights of people with disability.

12.Ensure supported decision-making safeguards for those people who need them are in place, including accountability of guardianship and substitute decision-makers.

Tasmanian Government Disability Framework for Action 2013-2017

At a state level, the Department is mindful that the Tasmanian Government’s

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Disability Framework for Action 2013-2017 (DFA) specifically identifies “Rights Protection, Justice and Legislation” as a key area of action for the next four years, and accepts that we have a key role to play in achieving the Government’s objectives in this area.

In order to achieve this, the DFA identifies the following priorities:

Increase awareness and acceptance of the rights of people with disability

Protect rights

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Enable rights and responsibilities to be exercised

Provide more effective responses from the criminal justice system to people with disability who have complex needs or increased vulnerabilities.

These priorities have informed the development of this Action Plan.

Department of Justice Disability Action Plan

The Department has developed this Action Plan to identify the ways in which it will work to achieve the objectives set out in the DFA.

This Action Plan covers the following key areas:

Access to Services and Programs

Access to Employment Opportunities, Career Development, Retention and Recruitment

Access to Buildings, Facilities, Venues and Off-Premises Events

Access to Information (printed materials, websites, audio and video).

The Department has also identified procurement as an overriding issue for government, and is of the view that disability access should always be a key criterion in any procurement process.

The Department has established an Agency Disability Working Group which brings together representatives from across the Department who have an interest or expertise in disability issues and/or are directly involved in areas that are identified within this Action Plan.

Consultation

During the life of this plan further consultation will occur with the following stakeholders:

senior officers of the Department of Justice

the Premier’s Disability Advisory Council

people and organisations who represent the interests of people with a disability.

Resourcing the Plan

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The majority of initiatives in this Plan will be resourced within current divisional budgetary allocations. However, there will clearly be an impact on those resources to deliver the outcomes detailed in this document. For example, the training that is proposed in relation to revised

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recruitment and procurement processes will be funded from within the Department’s corporate training program and will occur in place of other activities.

Monitoring and Reporting

The Agency Disability Working Group established to oversee development of the Department’s Action Plan will have an ongoing role in reviewing the plan and monitoring implementation and assessing progress of the actions that have been identified.

Reports on progress will be provided in the following ways:

The Agency Disability Working Group will provide regular reports to Agency Executive

The Head of Agency will report to the Premier’s Disability Advisory Council

Individual output managers will be asked to report on relevant activities as part of their output’s business planning and performance reporting process.

Evaluation

The success of the plan will be determined by regular monitoring and reporting against the KPI’s identified in the plan.

To this end there will be an annual review and the Disability Action Working Group will have an ongoing role in coordinating this evaluation process which will be conducted in June of each year.

An annual report on progress against the KPI’s will be provided to Agency Executive and other key stakeholders as well as published on the Department’s website.

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Action 1: Access to Services and Programs

The Department of Justice delivers a diverse range of services and programs, as well as providing administrative support to a number of statutory authorities.

People with disability represent a very significant stakeholder group for the Department as it has a number of outputs that have a specific disability focus and others that have very high levels of engagement with people with disability. As such, access to services and programs is recognised as being a priority area for improvements.

The services and programs of the Department include the following:

Courts: Magistrates Court and Supreme Court

Tribunals: Anti-Discrimination Tribunal; Asbestos Compensation Tribunal; Guardianship & Administration Board; Health Practitioners Tribunal; Mental Health Tribunal; Resource Management & Planning Appeal Tribunal; Tasmanian Industrial Commission; Workers Rehabilitation & Compensation Tribunal

Commissions/Commissioners: Anti-Discrimination Commissioner; Legal Aid Commission; Tasmanian Electoral Commission; Tasmanian Planning Commission

Other statutory authorities: Crown Law

Other: Births, Deaths and Marriages; Building Standards and Occupational Licensing; Community Corrections; Consumer Affairs and Fair Trading; Monetary Penalties and Enforcement Service; Office of the Public Guardian; Tasmania Prison Service; Victims Support Services; Worksafe Tasmania

Many, but not all of these, are key components of the Tasmanian Justice System. Those that are outside what might be understood as the Justice System include, for example, the Health Practitioners Tribunal, the Tasmanian Electoral Commission and Building Standards and Occupational Licensing1.

Those which have a specific disability focus include: the Anti-Discrimination Commissioner and Anti- Discrimination Tribunal, the Guardianship and Administration Board, the Mental Health Tribunal, the Workers Compensation & Rehabilitation Tribunal, the Asbestos Compensation Tribunal, the Office of the Public Guardian, Victims Support Services and WorkSafe Tasmania. In addition,

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those which have very high levels of engagement with people with disability include the Magistrates Court, Community Corrections, and the Tasmania Prison Service.

1 While not a key component of Tasmania’s Justice System, Building Standards and Occupational Licensing has an important role to play more broadly in ensuring compliance with relevant building regulatory frameworks

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Access to services and programs is often negatively affected by practices that are continued without consideration of the impact they have on people with disability and by attitudes and behaviours based on a lack of awareness of disability. A key focus for work in relation to Action 1 will be challenging those practices, attitudes and behaviours.

Where we are at:

We have already:

Had several outputs identifying access issues for people with disability and implementing service improvements to address those issues.

Had targeted work undertaken by the Tasmania Prison Service to provide better assessment of inmates in terms of disability and needs relating to disability.

We will continue to: Support outputs to implement service and program access improvements.

Seek the resources to enable the Tasmania Prison Service to continue its assessment of and support for inmates with disability.

Emerging issues: As noted above, various outputs have undertaken service and program

improvements to respond better to the needs of service users, including some initiatives specifically targeted to improve access for people with disability. These improvements have not, however, previously been identified as potential whole-of-agency strategies. A key issue, therefore, is the need to identify the various actions and strategies that have been implemented to date, and consider their potential for implementation on a whole-of-agency level.

The Federal Disability Discrimination Commissioner, Graeme Innes AM, has recently completed an inquiry into equality before the law for people with disability. In his inquiry report, Equal before the law: towards disability justice strategies, Commissioner Innes identified the work being done in South Australia to develop a State Government Disability Justice Strategy as an effective mechanism for identifying and addressing the many barriers to equality before the law for people with

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disability. He recommended that all states and territories develop such a strategy. In response to that report, the Anti-Discrimination Commissioner has developed a project plan for the development of a disability justice strategy forTasmania. The aim of the strategy is to bring together all justice system agencies to work on identifying areas where people with disability experience discrimination or

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barriers to equality in that system and to identify what changes are needed to remove these.

Actions

What we are going to do Performance Indicator

Who (lead) By When

Ask each output to identify what it currently does to seek feedback from people accessing services or programs and what, if any, aspect of that feedback process seeks information on accessibility for people with

Reports received from each output

Agency Executive

November 2014

Ask each output what it has identified (or had identified to it by others) in terms of unmet needs of people with disability or barriers for people with disability


Agency Executive

November 2014

Ask each output what it has done to improve access to programs and services for people with disability


Agency Executive

November 2014

Outputs in relation to the three preceding actions and identify whole- of-agency strategies to be implemented

Review completed and further strategies identified and reported to

Agency Disability Working Group

December 2014

Development of a Disability Justice StrategyStage 1 – Identify current

levels of support and current barriers to full access for people with disability

Stage 2 – Develop new or

Draft disability justice strategy completed and provided to the Attorney-General and other relevant

ADC with AE and other agencies of government

December 2015 (depending on budget availability)

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Who (lead)

By When

revised arrangements to increaselevels of support and remove barriersStage 3 – Gain support and Government approval for the proposed arrangements and integrate them into a draft strategyStage 4 – Finalise and release the Disability Justice Strategy and build all components into relevant agency and output business plans for Establish key reporting

elements for all outputs in relation to accessibility of services, which will be built into output business plans

Output business plan and Agency business plan template includes key elements to be reported against and reports provide up-to-date information to be considered by the

AE March 2015

Make achievement of identified improvements in access to services and programs a KPI for all senior managers and Agency

KPIs identified and included in all senior management and

Secretary TBC

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Who (lead)

By When

AE performanceplans.AE and senior management report on progress both in review process and to Agency as a whole

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Action 2:Access to Employment Opportunities, Career Development, Retention and Recruitment

The Department supports the view that all members of the community have the right to compete for jobs, and work in the Department, with appropriate support, education and training.

Where we are at:

We have already:

Whenever roles are advertised, Human Resources review Statements of Duties to ensure that the requirements of the job avoid any direct or indirect discrimination in relation to disability.

Interview processes are flexible to respond to identified needs, and do not unfairly disadvantage people with a disability.

We will continue to:

Expand employment opportunities for people with disability throughout the Department.

Review and update recruitment policies and

processes. Emerging issues:

In future, work will occur to collate data and develop profiles of those employees who have a disability.

Actions


Who (lead) By when

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Review and update the Department’s Workplace Diversity Policy to ensure that it effectively addresses the actions and processes relevant to the employment of people with disability (including process for considering and obtaining advice on workplace adjustments)

Workplace Diversity Policy updated and distributedWorkshop held to educate senior managers on the revised

HR in conjunction with the Agency Disability Working Group

December 2014

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Who (lead) By when

requirements andprocesses

Identify relevant Disability Employment Service Providers and provide information to all senior managers on the specific services available

Suitable service providers identified, initial contact made and a list of services available

Human Resources December 2014

Identify and promote opportunities for work placements, cadets, trainees and graduates using the following whole-of- government initiatives: Employment of People

with a Disability Program

Graduate Program for People with Disabilities

People with Disabilities

At least one placement per year of a person with disability

Human Resources in conjunction with Outputs

Ongoing

Incorporate Access Support Officer duties into identified HR roles. These staff will be responsible for: remaining abreast of

current issues being the point of contact

for staff and managers seeking advice on recruitment issues

providing support and advice on adjustments to

Report on contacts and identified issues to the Disability Working Group

Human Resources/Deputy Secretary Corporate Support

December 2014

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Who (lead) By when

candidates and employees withdisability.

Hold targeted discussions at senior management and supervisor level about what workplace flexibility means in practice for candidates and employees with a disability.

Discussions held at Senior Managers Forum and information relayed to relevant staff

Human Resources/ Deputy Secretary Corporate Support

December 2014

Update recruitment policy and procedures to require diversity (including disability) to be appropriately reflected on selection panels, and provide relevant information to ensure the employment of people with a disability is a consideration in all recruitment processes

Revised recruitment policy developed and communicated to managers and supervisors

Human Resources October 2014

Deliver awareness training for managers and supervisors to create a better understanding of the recruitment and employment of people with disabilities (Opportunities to tap into existing training provided by external organisations (for example the Brain Injury Association of Tasmania and National Relay Service) will be explored in the first instance however if nothing suitable is

Appropriate training program identified and promoted to managers and supervisors statewide

Director Human Resources

December 2014

Review Departmental induction package to ensure disability awareness information is included

Appropriate changes incorporated in to induction package

Organisational Development/Human Resources

August 2014

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Who (lead) By when

Investigate and promote the support available through the Australian Government Employment Assistance Fund to provide work related modifications and services for people with a disability requiring support and/or workplace adjustments

Information distributed to output managers, included in recruitment and induction information and published on the

Human Resources

June 2015

Ensure that all advertisements and recruitment documents are provided in an accessible format

Documentation reviewed on an annual

Human Resources/Access Support Officer

Immediate and ongoing

Include a “valuing diversity” statement in all job advertisements and Statements of Duties to highlight our commitment to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce.

Ensure statement is provided in all advertisements and recruitment


December 2015

Investigate participation in the Australian Network on Disability (through membership at either Agency or Whole-of-Government level)

Recommendation provided to Agency Executive


August 2014

Specific requirement for all management level positions to have expertise, or complete training, in employment of people with disability and identify a suitable training

Percentage of managers within the Department who have completed

Organisational Development

December 2015

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Action 3:Access to Buildings, Facilities, Venues and Off-Premises Events

Physical accessibility is crucial for people with a disability to take advantage of the broad range of services and facilities that the Department provides, and to participate as employees, volunteers, interns and in other occupational roles.

People with a disability, like all other members of the community, have the right to access public facilities and other buildings to enable them to fully utilise the Department’s services in a safe, equitable and dignified way.

The Department is aware that people with a disability are significantly overrepresented in the criminal justice system. In particular, we know that prisoners are more likely to have a serious mental illness or an acquired brain injury than other members of the Tasmanian community.

The Department is committed to ensuring renovations and major capital building works to Department of Justice owned buildings comply with the Disability Discrimination Act 1992, the Anti- Discrimination Act 1998 and the Disability (Access to Premises – Buildings) Standards 2010

The Department is now raising the issue of accessibility as part of lease negotiations with the owners/managers of premises the Department either currently leases or is considering leasing. Where leased buildings do not meet accessibility requirements and owners/managers are not willing to make necessary modifications, alternative, fully compliant leased premises will be sought as leases expire.

In addition, where the Department undertakes any refurbishment works within premises it leases, disability access is addressed as part of the design process.

More broadly, the Department is considering the role its Building Standards and Occupational Licensing Branch (BSOL) can play in ensuring premises owned or occupied by government comply with the Disability (Access to Premises – Buildings) Standards 2010, and that government agencies are aware of disability access issues and requirements. It is also anticipated that BSOL can provide guidance, education and assessment services across the Tasmanian building and certification industries generally to enhance awareness and compliance.

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Where we are at:

We have already:

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Integrated a focus on disability improvements into the Department’s Strategic Asset Management Plan (SAMP 2013-15) and its Essential Maintenance Program (EMP) which funds minor projects (< $100,000).

Recent examples of projects undertaken to address access issues include:

o Installation of tactile indicators to steps in front of and within the Hobart Supreme Court

o Widening of doorways where possible

o Improving and repairing hearing loops in courts

o Installing audio visual equipment in courtrooms.

As part of Stage D1 of the Risdon Prison Infrastructure Redevelopment Program a new 10 Bed inmate accommodation unit and a multi-purpose Industries Building and Activities Building, containing sport and recreation and programs facilities, have been constructed. The facilities meet the current requirements of the Building Code of Australia and all new buildings meet the current requirements of the Disability (Access to Premises – Buildings) Standards 2010 providing access to services and amenities for inmates with disability.

Undertaken an access audit of leased premises at 54 Victoria Street Hobart. Following the audit, negotiations were undertaken with the lessor. These negotiations resulted in the following:

o Provision of an identified, standards-compliant accessible visitor parking bay in the basement of the building

o Hobart City Council upgrading the identified parking on the street in front of the building to more closely comply with the standards

o A commitment from the building owners to upgrade the currently non-compliant lift within the building.

Submitted a range of projects for capital works funding under the Department of Treasury and Finance Structured Infrastructure Investment Review Process (SIIRP) including:

o Hobart Supreme Court Re-development:

Steps within judicial and public access areas of court rooms 1-3 fitted with brass, non-slip, contrast step edging reducing risk of slips or falls by users. The same upgrades have also

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been undertaken to two stairwells to access Judges Chambers.

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Major upgrade of slate public access forecourt area between the Criminal and Civil Court Buildings which included installation of approximately 1600 individual; stainless steel tactile indicators. This has resulted in the steps being less slippery and providing visual definition of step edges.

New disability access signage has been installed at the entrance to the Andrew Inglis Clark Law Library on the ground floor, providing directions on how to use the primary disability access to the court facility.

Works to maintain voice amplification systems in court rooms, which amplify human voices to make them louder and more clearly heard throughout the courtrooms.

Works to maintain personal hearing loops throughout all court rooms to maintain access for persons with auditory disability.

Design planning associated with scheduled video conferencing upgrades to Supreme Courts state-wide.

Main conference room on the bottom level of the civil court building has had the entrance door widened to improve access.

The Hobart Supreme Court buildings have a number of access limitations for persons in wheelchairs or with reduced mobility. As major capital funding is currently not available to address these issues external signage has been upgraded, directing persons to the intercom and lift area of the civil building, as well a directive sign to enter the criminal building.

o Burnie Court Complex

Preparation of a Business Case for a new Supreme and Magistrates Court building in Burnie, this project would overcome a range of issues with the existing facility including providing disability access that meets current standards in relation to courtroom and public use spaces:

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Hearing loop in all court rooms as part of Audio Visual upgrade during 2012.

o Launceston Court Complex

Preparation of a Business Case for a new Launceston Supreme and Magistrates Court Complex (greenfield site), this project would also overcome a range of issues with the existing facility including providing disability access that meets current standards in relation to courtroom and public use spaces.

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A stair lift will shortly be installed to address issues regarding access to Court 2 and adjoining areas.

The addition of a portable video conferencing system in the conference room means that people with disability can now appear via video link from the ground floor. This service will remain available until the stair lift is installed.

o Strategic Assessment and Option Analysis for a new prison in the north of the state, this new facility would provide accommodation for a range of inmates including those with disabilities.


Undertake minor access improvements under the Department’s Essential Maintenance Program.

Seek major capital asset replacement funding for Department owned buildings through SIIRP.

Strategically review leased building holdings and negotiate access improvements with lessors.

Stage access appraisals of Department owned and leased buildings.

Emerging issues:

The quantum of disability improvements that can be achieved under the Department’s Essential Maintenance Program is limited by budget.

Major works to improve access to Courts and Prisons are subject to major capital funding bids through the SIIRP.

Substantial upgrades to existing building will trigger the need to comply with current Disability (Access to Premises – Buildings) Standards 2010requirements, even if the building complied with a lesser standard that was in place at the time it was built

There is a need to consider emergency evacuation procedures for some buildings DoJ occupies (including 14th floor Trafalgar, 1st level Magistrates Court) where lifts may become unavailable during fire

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Actions


Who (lead) By When

Arrange training for responsible officers to undertake access appraisals.

Approach with DHHS and DPIPWE about the Building access review template they are currently developing to identify whether or not the tool and supporting training could be made available to DoJ

Number of staff who have completed training.

Target: 4 to 5 staff:

(2 x CorporateServices, 1 x

Magistrates Court, 1 x

Supreme Court, 1 x Tasmania Prison Service

Facilities Management

30 June 2015

Conduct access appraisals of Justice owned properties.

Number of access audits

Target: Minimum of 2 properties per year


Annual Basis

Conduct access appraisals of Justice leased premises and negotiate with lessors in relation to addressing identified issues.

Number of access audits completed annually


AnnuallyAccess audits

conducted 6-9 months prior to any lease renewal.Undertake works to address

access issues to Justice owned buildings (subject to funding availability)

Number of disability access projects funded under the Department’


Annually

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Who (lead) By When

Target: Minimumof 2 properties per yearDevelop a Departmental

policy and procedure which specifies the disability access requirements that all new developments, rentals and refurbishments must meet.


28 November2014

Ensure the disability access requirements identified above are built into the specifications for all new and refurbished offices

Number of capital works projects, leases and refurbishments undertaken annuallyTarget: N/A


AnnuallyStandards provided to any prospective lessor.

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Action 4:Access to Information (printed materials, websites, audio and video)

Access to information is an integral element of ensuring that people within the community understand the role of the Department of Justice, are aware of the services we offer and know how to access these.

The Department produces an extensive amount of information in a variety of formats, the most common being written information – either in hard copy or online.

Where we are at:

We have already:

Undertaken an audit of the department’s websites and assessed their compliance in terms of both design and content

Provided training in accessible Word and PDF documents to approximately 50 staff

Produced and published resources to assist staff in producing accessible documents

Reviewed the Tasmania Prison Service’s methods of communication, with a view to making information more accessible for both inmates and visitors (for example converting written information to audio and visual formats which play in reception and waiting areas and while holding in telephone queues, making brochures more visual rather than text based, publishing information pitched at a grade 8 literacy level).


Update existing websites to ensure content and design are WCAG 2.0 compliant

Provide training and support to staff to ensure they are aware of their obligations and also best practice in producing information

Identify alternative ways that we can provide information, especially in areas of most relevance to people with a disability

The Tasmania Prison Service has a planned work program for the next three years to continue to make information more accessible for people with a

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range of disabilities.

Emerging issues:

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The focus to date has been on websites and printed materials.There is a need now to broaden our focus to other forms of information the Department produces

Increasingly people are being encouraged to produce documents in plain English and with a focus on the needs of their audience.

Actions


Who (lead) By When

Commence review of Departmental intranets and workspaces to identify areas where they fail to comply with accessibility standards

All sites reviewed and report completed

Tina Holvey and Susan Evans

December 2014

Complete review and upgrade of all Department of Justice websites to achieve compliance with accessibility requirements - content and design

100% of sites compliant with WCAG 2.0 Level AA

Content editors in outputs with technical guidance and support from Tina Holvey

Design compliant by January 2015

Date for content compliance TBC

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Provide additional training to content authors on producing accessible Word and PDF documents

48 people completed training

External training opportunities identified and shared with relevant Departmental

Susan Evans and Jennifer Lee

Ongoing with training offered at least once a year and more often as necessary

Initial list provided by December 2014

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Who (lead) By When

staff annually

Prepare a checklist to enable web content developers to self-assess their pages to ensure they are not only compliant but also meet best

Checklist developed and published

Susan Evans

By 1 December2014 –reviewed

Develop further guidance materials to assist content authors to ensure their documents are readable and accessible

Ongoing Tina Holvey and Susan EvansIdentify opportunities to

have information materials reviewed and tested by people with a disability

Mechanism developed and implement

Susan Evans and Jennifer

By 31 March2015

Increase the focus on readability of documents

Further work required to determine the specific actions to achieve this

Susan Evans, Tina Holvey and Jennifer

Ongoing

Convene a working group of agency staff who produce information materials for peer support, to provide a forum for information sharing and training purposes

Quarterly meetings of group


First meeting held by 1October 2014

Increase the use of audio and video as a way of providing information to clients and stakeholders

Agency wide responsibility

Ongoing – identify some priority projects to Identify existing services and

training available to assist us in ensuring our information is accessible. This would include a list of external services that can assist in

List published and reviewed bi- annually


Ongoing

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Who (lead) By When

example the National Relay service)as well as details of other training and service providers that may be of interest or relevance

More Information

For further information about the Department of Justice Disability Action Plan 2014-2017 please contact:

Robert Williams Deputy Secretary Department of Justice Phone (03) 6165 4943Email: [email protected]

Accountabilities

Implementation

Compliance

Monitoring andEvaluation

Agency Executive

Development and/orReview

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