ࡱ; +,  !"#$%&'()*-./0123456789:;<=>Root Entry Fy$9CompObjbWordDocumentpObjectPool|$9|$9 4@   FMicrosoft Word 6.0 Document MSWordDocWord.Document.6;  Oh+'0$ H l   D hF:\APPS\MSOFFICE\NORMAL.DOT7DEVELOPMENT OF A DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION ACTION PLAN General User General User@qܥe3 eLpIllllllllllllll$fmfmfmfmfmfm pmXfmo1mmmmmmmmnnnn,oDcoDooTJpbollm'(mmmmomllllmmmmmmllmllmnlPlllllllllmnm)m NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AUSTRALIA DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION ACTION PLAN January 1997 Introduction The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (the Act) provides for a very broad definition of disability so that everybody who has a disability can be protected from discrimination. All disabilities, such as physical, intellectual, sensory and learning disabilities, are covered. Section 4 of the Act provides as follows: disability, in relation to a person, means: (a) total or partial loss of the persons bodily or mental functions; or (b) total or partial loss of a part of the body; or (c) the presence in the body or organisms causing disease or illness; or (d) the presence in the body or organisms capable of causing disease or illness; or (e) the malfunction, malformation or disfigurement of part of a persons body; or (f) a disorder or malfunction that results in the person learning differently from a person without the disease or malfunction; or (g) a disorder, illness or disease that affects a persons thought process, perception of reality, emotions or judgment or that results in disturbed behaviour; and includes a disability that: (h) presently exists; or (i) previously existed but no longer exists; or (j) may exist in the future; or (k) is imputed to a person. The Act aims to remove barriers to full participation of people with a disability in many areas of community life, such as employment, education, leisure and recreation, and the administration and delivery of Commonwealth programs. Discrimination is defined as less favourable treatment against somebody because of a disability, or the disability of a relative or associate. The Act defines two broad types of discrimination: direct discrimination which occurs when an individual is treated less favourably because of their disability. indirect discrimination is treatment which is neutral on its face but disadvantages a person with a disability and which is not reasonable. The Act is complaints based legislation. This allows a person with a disability, or somebody acting on their behalf, to lodge a discrimination complaint with the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (the Commission). The Commission will attempt to resolve the complaint or problem through conciliation. However, if this fails, the matter can proceed to a formal hearing by the Commission and, if the complaint is made against the National Museum (or any other Commonwealth department or agency), the Commissions determination is binding. Why does the National Museum of Australia have an Action Plan? The Act provides for agencies to lodge Action Plans with the Commission by 1997. An Action Plan allows change to occur in a proactive manner rather than reacting to complaints which might be made. The Action Plan may be taken into account by the Commission if complaints are lodged against the National Museum. An Action Plan is basically about good management and customer focus which is in accord with the National Museums equal opportunity principles and practices and the Governments broader social justice agenda. The Action Plan will ensure that people with a disability are not unfairly disadvantaged in any aspect of the National Museums delivery of services and programs to the public, in its employment procedures, and its working environment. What does the Action Plan cover? The Action Plan outlines the action to be taken by the National Museum to ensure that people with a disability have equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from the National Museums programs and services. It covers a variety of issues relating to discrimination against people with a disability including: actual and potential discriminatory practices; mechanisms to address discrimination; timeframes within which identified problems will be addressed and by whom; desired outcomes. This Action Plan has been developed after broad consultation within the National Museum. The National Museums functions and responsibilities The role of the National Museum of Australia is to increase awareness, appreciation and understanding of Australias history by developing, maintaining, researching and communicating information on a collection of historical material of national significance relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australia, the history of Australia since 1788 and the interaction of Australias people with the environment. The Commonwealth Government has indicated its commitment to the development of a Museum complex on Acton Peninsula, Canberra, to be opened to the public in 2001. In addition, the Museum maintains an active outreach program through travelling exhibitions, education programs and on-line products. What are the potential barriers to access and participation for people with a disability? The National Museum does not at this stage in its development have a permanent central showcase in Canberra. It is envisaged that a purpose built facility will be built on Acton Peninsula, Canberra and opened to the public in 2001. In the interim the Museum manages a modest and temporary visitor centre at Yarramundi Reach, and leases exhibition spaces in Old Parliament House, Canberra, and Edmund Wright House, Adelaide. The National Museums major focus to date has been, within the resources available to it, to develop and implement a national outreach program of travelling exhibitions and limited public programs to reach audiences in metropolitan and major regional centres. The National Museum is also utilising new technologies, such as CD-Roms, in the delivery of public programs aimed at reaching all Australians, and is currently developing on-line services, primarily by using the Internet. It is acknowledged that there are aspects of existing program development and delivery structures which may prevent full participation and equal treatment of people with a disability. Core strategies for action The Action Plan is structured around a number of core strategies prescribed under the strategy to ensure people with a disability can participate in and benefit from the National Museums programs and services. 1. Planning and Policy Development Planning refers to those aspects of the program development and administration which relate to the assessment of the extent of a need or problem and how best to address them through policy and program development. Included under this heading are corporate plans, budgeting, employment processes, public program evaluation and procedures/guidelines. Currently, there are a number of constraints which may limit adequate and full consideration of the needs of people with a disability in planning and policy development: public program, including exhibitions, development processes do not systematically take into account the needs of people with a disability; public program material often refers to the needs of disadvantaged people such as people from a non-English speaking background, but consideration of people with a disability is more limited and less consistent; policy development processes do not systematically take into account the needs of people with a disability; there is insufficient utilisation of data on people with a disability in the National Museums planning systems. 2. Accountability This covers aspects of program administration which result in feedback on performance and expenditure. There is no systematic assessment or reporting on the National Museums performance in meeting the needs of its customers who have a disability. 3. Communication The National Museum communicates with its customers in a number of ways - through promotional material on services and programs, its public programs (travelling exhibitions, education programs, and the like), its on-line services, and through telephone and written contact with staff. Communication barriers can be a major obstacle for many people with a disability in dealing with the National Museum. Information about the Museum and its programs is often the first step to access and participation. Unless people with a disability are able to find out about the programs and services available, they may never become a user of the Museum. Information on the National Museums programs and services are not always available in forms accessible to all people with a disability. For example, some information is inaccessible to people with a print disability, an intellectual disability and/or a hearing impairment. Many of these barriers stem from a lack of available technologies and the cost of producing information in alternate formats. 4. Consultation and Participation These terms refer to the mechanisms for ensuring there are opportunities for community input into a range of Museum activities such as program design, delivery and evaluation. The National Museum has a strong customer focus and makes efforts to consult with client groups on a range of issues relevant to them. However, this level of consultation has been directed primarily to cultural issues (for example, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural and heritage issues) and the content of specific exhibitions and other programs. Consultative mechanisms could be strengthened to ensure that the views of people with a disability are heard in meaningful and constructive ways. For example, consultants engaged by the National Museum to provide technical advice on and specifications for the design of exhibitions are not always required to demonstrate sensitivity to the needs of people with a disability where this is appropriate. There is no agreed consultation protocol to assist staff in the issues to consider when consulting with people with a disability. Where appropriate, people with a disability or their representatives should also be represented on advisory bodies or project teams or, at the least, involved through alternative networking arrangements. 5. Education and Training This covers the Museums responsibility to inform and educate staff about their rights and obligations under legislation such as the Disability Discrimination Act. Supervisors and co-workers alike may not be aware of the abilities and/or needs of people with a disability in the workplace or the adjustments that can be made to assist them reach their full potential in the workplace. Similarly staff need a greater awareness of the Act to enable them to take into account the needs of people with a disability in policy development, program implementation and service delivery activities in a more systematic and effective way. 6. Accessibility of buildings This refers not only to Museum offices, venues and storage repositories but also to venues where temporary exhibitions are displayed. Not all offices, venues and facilities are fully accessible for people with a disability. This has an impact for both staff and visitors with a disability. Implementation of the Action Plan The responsibility for identified tasks associated with each action and establishing mechanisms and processes to ensure that the stated actions and outcomes are achieved rests with individual sections. This will be most effective where each identified task is assigned to an individual or project team. Oversighting responsibility for the effective implementation of the Action Plan rests with the National Museums senior management group (Director, General Manager Core Operations and General Manager Product Development). Reporting on progress against actions listed rests with the relevant section heads. Promotion of the National Museums Action Plan It is important that all staff within the National Museum are aware of their individual responsibilities under the Act and in implementing the Action Plan. Awareness will be increased by distributing the Action Plan to staff, highlighting each areas responsibilities for implementation and provision of ongoing advice and information about the Act and the Action Plan. The Action Plan should be made available to disability organisations. Monitoring, evaluation and reporting on the Action Plan Given that this is the first Action Plan for the National Museum under the Act, it focuses on the establishment of processes to identify barriers and investigate options for responding to them. It is envisaged that the review processes contained in this first plan will yield more detailed and specific actions, targets, and performance information in future versions. Reporting against actions included in the Action Plan will be through the standard corporate reporting processes and included in annual reports and other relevant documents. Reporting on progress on the Action Plan will be on an annual basis, and the Action Plan will be reviewed biennially, beginning in 1999, in consultation with people with a disability. Core Strategy: Planning and Policy Development IssueActionAreaTimeOutcomeNeeds of people with a disability to be systematically taken into account in Museums policy development and review processesAll Museum committees with responsibility for delivery of programs and services to address needs of people with a disability. Needs of people with a disability are addressed by all project development groups/teamsCore Operations and Product Development Divisions Programming Committee/ Product DevelopmentOngoingNeeds of people with a disability appropriately reflected in Museums corporate, operational and other planning documents Appropriate guidelines and procedures developed and reflected in public programs and services.EmploymentReview personnel policies and plans to ensure that they are consistent with the provisions of the Act.HR Manager and personnel staffby December 1997 and ongoingChanges incorporated into policies and plans as appropriate. Provide any relevant equipment, including new technologies, and other support needed to assist staff with a disability to perform their duties.  Managers and supervisors; information technology consultants As required Equipment provided within one month of request. People with a disability experience no disadvantage in accessing new computer hardware/ software.  Provide relevant technical and other support in relation to organisational change and technological developments for people with a disability Managers and supervisors As required People concerned have their needs met and experience no disadvantage compared with other staff within three months of the changes. Core Strategy: Accountability IssueActionAreaTimeOutcomeMonitoring and evaluation of EEO PlanAs stated in the National Museums EEO Plan 1996-99, set reasonable targets in line with PSMPC guidelines to gradually increase representation of EEO groups, including people with a disability.Senior Management GroupOngoingBy 1999, 3 per cent of the Museums staff to include people with a disability. EEO principles to be consistently applied across all areas of strategic and management planning. Senior Management Group Ongoing Annual report to Director to report on progress against plans and targets. Ensure SES and senior officer performance agreements include at least one target EEO objective and performance information.  Senior Management Group and Managers responsible for reviewing performance agreements Ongoing in line with performance agreement cycle All SES and senior officers have addressed EEO in their performance agreements.  Core Strategy: Consultation and Participation IssueActionAreaTimeOutcomeConsultation with people with a disabilityConsultation protocol developed for including and specifically consulting with people. Staff to be made aware of and utilise protocol wherever appropriate.Manager, Public Programs/ Manager, Exhibitions Co-ordination/ Public relations officer30 June 1997Consultation protocol adopted as Museum policy and guidelines. Where appropriate, advisory committees to include representation from peak disability groups; networking mechanisms developed. Senior Management Group; Programming Committee by 31 December 1997 and ongoing Input by people with a disability in the development, implementation and delivery of public programs and services. Core Strategy: Communication IssueActionAreaTime OutcomeAvailability of information on Museums programs and services for people with a disability in accessible formsReview Museums information and communication strategies to ensure all information is accessible for people with a disability.Product Development Division/ Manager, Public Programsby 30 June 1997Existing guidelines revised and new standards developed and implemented. Exhibition text and public programs made progressively available to people with a disability Product Development Division; Manager, Public Programs; Programming Committee by 1999 Appropriate exhibition and public programming guidelines issued. Greater accessibility to Museums public programs and services by people with a disability. Core Strategy: Accessibility to Buildings IssueActionAreaTimeOutcomePhysical accessibility to and within all Museum leased buildings, exhibition spaces, and external facilities.Identify all obstacles to access at Museum premises for people with a disability Ensure temporary exhibition venues in regional centres provide access by people with a disability. Manager, Site and Asset Development; Manager, Corporate Services; Accommodation Committee Travelling Exhibitions CoordinatorOngoing OngoingAll buildings within the Museums control meet access standards Temporary exhibition venues meet access standards. Ensure proposed new Museum complex on Acton Peninsula address needs of people with a disability. Functional brief to address these needs, using in particular AS 1428. Manager, Site and Asset Development; Senior Management Group by 1999  All buildings to meet access standards. Core Strategy: Training and Education IssueActionAreaTimeOutcomeTraining - Increase staff awareness of the Act and their obligationsProvide advice, information and training sessions to all Museum staff on the relevant provisions of the Act. Encourage staff with a disability to develop an IDP which identifies their training, career and development needs. Human Resources Manager Managers, supervisors, HR managerby December 1997 and then ongoing OngoingInformation provided to all staff and updated when required. 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