Vision Australia congratulates the Queensland Parliament for improving access for people with a disability in the company of an assistance dog.
The new laws, which will take effect next year, will mean that family members who assist dog handlers also have access rights, and cards which identify dog handlers will be issued more quickly.
Queensland is leading the way when it comes to the rights of seeing eye dogs and their users.
The latest amendments to the Guide, Hearing and Assistance Dog Act 2009 have expanded access rights to alternative handlers, who assist primary handlers of a certified dog. They will also streamline the process of issuing handler identity cards by removing the requirement to prove a disability when renewing, and by allowing authorising trainers and training institutions to issue the cards.
Leigh Garwood, Vision Australia’s General Manager of Seeing Eye Dogs Australia, welcomed the announcement, commenting that the sector has been working closely with the Queensland Government to bring about these improvements.
“We’re especially pleased the latest changes also include measures to strengthen complaints investigation and compliance enforcement mechanisms within the Act," said Mr Garwood.
“Queensland is truly leading the way in introducing measures to enforce access rights for people with disability in the company of a certified assistance dog, and more specifically for the benefit of the blindness and low vision community."
Vision Australia has also been working with the Victorian Government to improve public awareness around access issues, however penalties for enforcement are sadly lacking in that state.
Vision Australia is calling on the Victorian Government to introduce a system of penalties so that on-the-spot fines can be issued to individuals and business owners and operators who refuse access to people in the company of their accredited Seeing Eye Dog.
“Introducing penalties in Victoria would bring a much needed enforcement mechanism into the regulatory system. Other states, including Queensland, New South Wales and Tasmania, all have a system of penalties already in place and we desperately need consistency in this approach,” he stated.
Vision Australia has found that 55 per cent of their clients have been refused access to a public space while out with a Seeing Eye Dog, while at least one in two have experienced discrimination.
"We need dedicated legislation in Victoria to strengthen the rights and responsibilities concerning Assistance Dogs, and to provide a clear means of redress in cases of breaches and non-compliance”, Mr Garwood concluded.