Transcript VCOSS and the Disability Advisory Council of Victoria

Disability Action Southeast (an action group of the
Disability Resources Centre) & Victorian Council of Social
Service
Accessible Housing Forum
What is the problem?
Bernd Bartl
City of Casey Council Chambers, Magid Drive, Narre Warren
Monday, 18 May 2009
11.15am – 11.35pm
 Bernd Bartl 2009
What is the problem?
1.
2.
3.
4.
The history
The standards
The problem
Where to?
Accessibility-for-all: a matter of logic
Houses are built for human habitation
Buildings are built for human occupation
If houses and buildings are not fit for some
people’s habitation or occupation then, either:
a) the people who they do not fit are not
human; or
b) how houses and buildings are designed
and built must change to make them fit for
everyone (and existing buildings must be
altered)
Accessibility-for-all: a matter of sanity
• Almost everyone will suffer a mobility or vision impairment
at some time in their life
• If not with an impairment oneself, friends, relatives and
neighbours will have
• If no one in a household presently has an impairment,
chances are that future households in the dwelling will
• We are an ageing population and incidence of impairment
increases with age
• Upfront design and construction of accessibility-for-all is
low- or no-cost, whereas retrofitting is expensive (often
prohibitively so)
Productivity Commission (2004) Reform
of Building Regulation, Research Report
“Governments sometimes intervene in
the market for the social purpose of
ensuring certain minimum standards of
accommodation (including access to
buildings) for all. It is most unlikely that
certain building qualities, such as access
for people with disabilities, would be
delivered widely in the absence of
government intervention.” (17 November
2004; Overview, p.XXIII)
The history
International
• Sweden
Introduced housing visitability building
regulation in 1976.
• Britain (England and Wales)
Introduced housing visitability building
regulations (Part M) in 1999.
• Republic of Ireland in 2000.
• Greater London Authority increased
requirements (April 2004).
The Law and Persons with Handicaps,
South Australian ‘Bright Report’: Justice
Charles Hart Bright, Chairman
“If AS [Australian Standard]1428 were
altered to include basic design rules for
private residences as well as public
buildings, it would be a relatively simple
matter to incorporate these requirements
into the Building Regulations. “
(1978, p.173)
RESCODE
ADVISORY COMMITTEE PANEL
REPORT TO MINISTER
submitted to Minister 20 December,
2000; publicly released 15 January 2001)
“The ground floor of dwellings should
be accessible or able to be easily
made accessible to people with
limited mobility.”
Planning and Environment Act 1987
• Clause 55.02-3 Dwelling diversity objective
To encourage a range of dwellings sizes and types in
developments of ten or more dwellings.
Standard B3
Developments of ten or more dwellings should provide a range of
dwelling sizes and types, including:
-Dwellings with a different number of bedrooms.
-At least one dwelling that contains a kitchen , bath or shower
and a toilet and wash basin at ground floor level.
(55.02 Neighbourhood Character And Infrastructure)
• Clause 55.05-1 Accessibility objective
To encourage the consideration of the needs of people with limited
mobility in the design of developments.
Standard B25
The dwelling entries of the ground floor of dwellings and
residential buildings should be accessible or able to be easily
made accessible to people with limited mobility.
(55.05 On-Site Amenity And Facilities)
ABEWG
Accessible Built Environment Working
Group (ABEWG), State government
access advisory group convened by
the Building Commission, established
June 2001. Workplan of 18 December
2001 ABEWG meeting includes:
“Release RIS [Regulatory Impact
Statement; on housing accessibility
standard] for public consultation; August September 2002”
Local Planning Scheme Amendments
• Manningham Planning Scheme Amendment C33 Panel
Report, 2 October 2003
• Melbourne Planning Scheme Amendment C60(i) Panel
Report, 14 October 2003
• Moonee Valley Planning Scheme Amendment C50 Panel
Report, June 2004
• Yarra Planning Scheme Amendment C66
Panel Report, October 2004
Note: incorporate both housing and public and commercial premises
access provisions
Melbourne 2030
Melbourne 2030 Implementation
Reference Group: Priority
Implementation Issues (26 March 2004)
“Key issues requiring ongoing
management by state government
Introduce requirement for new homes and
renovations to meet visitable standards to
enhance access for the elderly and people
with disabilities.” (p. 49 of 53)
OSISDC
Outer Suburban/ Interface Services Development
Committee
Inquiry into Sustainable Urban Design for New
Communities in Outer Suburban Areas,
reported 5 October 2004
“The Committee recommends that inclusive and accessible
design be given serious consideration by the Victorian
Government to bring Victorian standards in line with UK
standards, in relation to visitability.”
(Recommendation 6)
“The Committee recommends the Victorian Government
investigate the economic and social viability of incorporating
Australian Standard 4299 – Adaptable Housing (1995) into
the Victorian Building Regulations as a requirement for all
new housing in Victoria.”
(Recommendation 7)
Responses to OSISDC Inquiry
Victorian Government Response (16 May 2005)
Government response accepted recommendations ‘in
principle’; but made any real systemic regulatory change
dependent on accessible housing research jointly funded by
the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) and the Building
Commission. This research received November 2005 but not
made public.
Victorian Opposition
Shadow Planning Spokesperson, Ted Baillieu: “call[ed] on the
current minister to take this opportunity to take a lead. . . . He
has a chance here to take a step forward and respond to the
OSISDC report, and to indicate to those communities which
have been pushing this issue for some time that there is a
way forward.” (Legislative Assembly, 23 March 2005)
Victorian Competition and Efficiency
Commission (VCEC)
Housing regulation inquiry
Issues paper (December 2004)
DACV / VCOSS forum (February 2005)
Draft report (July 2005)
Final report (October 2005)
Government response (April 2006)
A Fairer Victoria: Progress and Next Steps
. . currently considering the report of the Accessible
Housing Taskforce. We will improve accessibility of
housing for people with a disability by working with
housing industry organisations to develop:
• a best practice industry guideline for developers and
builders on how to incorporate accessible and adaptable
features into dwellings; and,
• practice notes that contain technical specifications on
accessibility and adaptability.
We will also develop a web-based directory to provide a
one-stop resource of information on housing accessibility
and adaptability for the community and housing industry.
We will also educate consumers about the benefits of
accessible and adaptable housing. (June 2006)
Disability Advisory Council of Victoria /
12 organisations
Accessible Place, Accessible State 2020
12 organisations, including Equal Opportunity Commission
Victoria, Paraquad, Blind Citizens Australia and VCOSS,
make 30 recommendations; including:
•Statewide visitable housing building regulation in 06/07 (R15)
•Approval of Melbourne City Council (MCC) planning access
provisions as a pilot and alignment of other local government
provisions with MCC ones (Rec.s 17 & 16)
•Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) national Access to
Premises standard to come into effect May 2006 (level of
provision as specified in the February 2004 draft version in
full) (Rec 24)
(Recommended Policy Outline for the Victorian Government,
DACV, December 2005)
Accessible Housing Taskforce
• Established August 2005, to report on how need
for accessible housing can best be met in Victoria
• Reported to Planning Minister beginning May 2006
“the key recommendation”, that:
“future medium-density [multi-unit development up to
3 storeys] and high-density [higher than 3 storeys]
housing should have: an accessible path to a level
entry; wider doorways and corridors; noggings
and/or reinforced bathroom and toilet walls; and an
accessible toilet with an outward swinging door.”
(The Age, 11 June, p.2)
• Part of ‘A Fairer Victoria’ government social justice
agenda
Victorian ALP 2006 election
a reelected Bracks Labor Government will establish a state-wide Accessible
Housing Program, delivering the following initiatives:
An industry led ‘Homes for Life’ guide to assist industry and consumers in the delivery
of accessible housing.
A campaign to promote greater understanding and awareness of accessible building
issues within the construction industry and the broader community. This campaign will
be delivered by utilising the education and promotional resources of the Building
Commission, Human Services, VicUrban, the Equal Opportunity Commission and
the Office for Disability.
Establish a simple and low cost access rating system to indicate how accessible and
adaptable a dwelling is to potential tenants and purchasers.
Taking account of the recommendations of the Accessible Housing Taskforce, where
local governments propose amendments to their local planning schemes in relation to
housing accessibility, Labor will ensure that a consistent approach is achieved by
specifying that a suite of standard ‘low cost/no cost’ measures are included in the
amendments. Such measures will apply only to the ground floor of new medium
density developments and one out of five units in new high density apartment blocks.
(Addressing Disadvantage: Investing in a fairer Victoria, 20 November 2006;
Planning in partnership with local communities, 22 November 2006)
Victorian Universal Housing
Alliance (VUHA)
Homes for all of us, all the time
‘Universal Housing, Universal Benefits’
(A VCOSS discussion paper on universal
housing regulation in Victoria)
Tuesday, 29 July 2008
Local Planning Scheme Amendments
(continued)
• Melbourne Planning Scheme Amendment C60(i B)
• Yarra Planning Scheme Amendment C84
• Port Philip Planning Scheme Amendment C62
• Moonee Valley Planning Scheme Amendment C90
Note: (1) all Municipal Strategic Statements (MSS)
(2) incorporate both housing and public and commercial
premises access provisions
PRACTICAL AND ACCESSIBLE
HOMES FOR ALL VICTORIANS ?
(1) The Build for Life awareness campaign will inform builders,
designers and consumers of accessible design elements to be
built into new homes.
(2) A draft regulatory impact statement will be released for
public comment later in the year and will investigate
implementing minimum mandatory requirements four accessible
features into Victoria’s building regulations:
• A clear path from the street to a level entry;
• Wider doorways and halls;
• A toilet suitable for people with limited mobility on entry level;
and
• Reinforced bathroom walls so grab rails can be fitted
inexpensively if they are needed in the future.
(Planning Minister Justin Madden and Community Services and
Senior Victorians Minister Lisa Neville, Tuesday, 14 April 2009)
Build for life
Briefing Paper on Accessible Housing
• Features foreshadowed in the RIS would cost
around $870 for an average home, according to
research by the State government and leading
quantity surveyor Davis Langdon.
• Research shows renovating a typical home to
add the access features foreshadowed in the
regulation would cost around $19,400 – 22 times
the cost of including them upfront.
The standards
Australian Standards
(current)
• AS 1428 Part 1 (mobility)
• AS 1428 Part 2 (enhanced mobility)
• AS 4299, Categories A, B and C
(adaptable housing)
Inclusive housing standards
None in national building regulations
(Building Code of Australia)
South Australia and ACT have requirements
for percentage of new housing
Build for life (proposed dimensions)
Continuous path of travel (from street to
 a level entry) Specification needed; & all entries
(a) Wider door (800mm or 850mm clear width)
 850mm (only) acceptable
(b) Wider corridors (900mm)
1000mm acceptable, 1200 preferable
Toilet at entry level (900mm wide)
1000 X 2000mm acceptable, & demountable non-load
bearing wall
Reinforced bathroom wall, nogging (small area)
 Need large area
Build for life (proposed percentage
and missing essential element)
1 in 5 (20%) of lifted buildings
Only exempt non-shared entrance
buildings from having lift, but require
adaptability for lift (load-bearing
wall(s) and space for installing lift)
Any percentage of lifted building is
stupid and unacceptable
No requirement for type of shower
Hobless shower (no step)
Planning
• Change to State Planning Framework
to require accessibility planning from
very beginning
• Local planning amendments (can set
higher standards)
The problem
Money?
One of the richest populations on a planet which
has only dreamt of this level of wealth in the past.
Ignorance?
More reports, recommendations, working
groups, taskforces, discussion and debate than
rain drops in a summer shower
Lack of expertise?
We can get people on the moon, and making
housing accessible does not seem intrinsically
more technically difficult
So, maybe it is:
a lack of generosity
a lack of will
a lack of vision
a reluctance to change
a denial of our need to connect with others
a denial of our human vulnerability
Addressing these lacks, reluctance and
denials will enrich everyone.
Where to?
• draft Regulatory Impact Statement
(RIS) improvement
Victorian Competition and Efficiency
Commission (VCEC) Regulatory
Impact Statement (RIS) inquiry
Exemptions and Exceptions to the Equal
Opportunity Act (1995) review
Scrutiny of Acts and Regulations
Committee (SARC) Victorian Parliament
www.parliament.vic.gov.au 10 July 2009
Lobby, advocate
Publicize, protest, rage
Whose homes?
Answer: for everyone?
‘If not now, when?’
‘If not us, who?’
After Primo Levi and Hillel
Hillel in The Sayings of the Fathers: "If am not for
myself, who will be for me? If am for myself alone,
what am I? If not now, when?"
 Bernd Bartl 2009