Make safety and implementation accountable

The draft adds Part 31A, requiring operators and providers to implement strategies and programs to prevent harassment or victimisation of people with disability. The strategy must be prepared after consultation with people with disability, state and territory government bodies, the Commission and other relevant people or organisations; it must be published and updated every five years. Schedule 34 stages many new obligations: frequently on new assets or installations from commencement, with selected existing assets and services transitioning over five or ten years.

Functional impact

Physical access without safety is not equal access. A clear prevention strategy can address the harassment, refusal, intimidation and social barriers that stop people travelling independently.

Provider impact

This requires executive ownership, consultation that is accessible and paid, incident data, cross-agency coordination, training, reporting and continual improvement. Transition dates also demand a disciplined asset and procurement register.

Strategic implementation process

1. Co-design the strategy with people with disability and publish governance, actions and measures.
2. Create safe reporting pathways, including accessible, anonymous and non-digital options.
3. Link behaviour, training and contractor requirements to incident review and consequences.
4. Maintain a transition dashboard showing each obligation, trigger, owner, evidence, budget and target date.

Move from policy to safer travel

We can facilitate a disability-led prevention strategy and build an implementation dashboard that decision-makers can use.