Building an accessible South Australia: What is a Disability Inclusion and Access Plan?
Written by Samoda Silva
Illustrations by Justin Olivares & Denny Krvavac
In April 2025, public consultation was opened for the draft of the State Disability Inclusion Plan (DIP) for 2025-2029.
What is the State Disability Inclusion Plan?
Launched initially in 2019, this is South Australia’s roadmap to address the needs of South Australians with disabilities. It sets out specific actions to be taken by South Australian government agencies and local councils to promote an accessible and inclusive state.
If you take a look at the draft state DIP, you will see it mentions five ‘domains’, which are a set of themes that when put to consultation, the disability community identified as key areas for state and local government to address over the next four years of the plan.
The five domains are:
- Access
- Opportunity
- Support
- Wellbeing
- Justice
These areas are broad, but are broken down into specific “Priority Areas” in the Outcomes Framework.
Each Priority Area has an outcome, which sets out what the state government wants to achieve. They also have a set of ‘Measures’ which define a measurable result aligned with the outcome.
The Framework also sets out the key state authorities that the Priority Areas apply to.
For example, Priority Area number 2 within the ‘Justice’ domain is “responding to emergencies.”
The intended broad outcome is that “the safety of people with disability during emergencies is prioritised.”
The way the state government intends to measure the results related to this Priority Area is by evaluating:
- “The total number of emergency-response resources and supports developed specifically for people with disability, including those available in accessible communication formats or tailored to the needs of people with disability”
- “Total number of systems in place to ensure emergency responses are tailored to meet the needs of people with disability” (including wheelchairs, communication devices and assistance animals).
The plan indicates that the relevant state authorities are the police, the South Australian Fire and Emergency Services Commission (SAFECOM) and the Department for Health and Wellbeing.
So, we have a desired outcome, and how we will measure that outcome. But how will we actually achieve that outcome?
This is where the Disability Access and Inclusion Plans come in.
State Government agencies and local councils, referred to as “State authorities”, will implement the State Plan through their own Disability Access and Inclusion Plans (DAIPs).
Think about it this way: The State Plan explains what the state government wants to achieve and why they want to do it. DAIPs detail how state authorities will achieve it and when they will do it.
It also means that every organisation’s DAIP will be different to be specific to what they do, how they interact with the public and what services they offer.
For example:
- The Department for Infrastructure and Transport’s DAIP includes actions to improve accessibility of public transport and roads
- The Electoral Commission of SA’s DAIP includes actions to enhance accessibility for voters with disability, and improve disability awareness among ECSA staff working at elections
- The City of Adelaide’s DAIP has actions relating to developing quiet/sensory friendly spaces in the city.
All State authorities are legally required to have a DAIP, as per s 16 of the Disability Inclusion Act SA (2018).
Who needs a DAIP?
According to the Disability Inclusion Act, a ‘State authority’ includes:
- A state government department (i.e., the Department of Human Services);
- Other organisations that the Minister for Human Services has required have a DAIP (i.e., SAFECOM)
- Local councils (i.e., Adelaide Hills Council).
The Act also says a DAIP must be reviewed every four years.
What does the state DIP say about accessible communications?
Priority Area 5 in the ‘Access’ domain relates to “communication and information.” It is the state government’s vision to ensure that people with disabilities “can find the information they need, in the format(s) they need it in”, and this extends to WCAG accessible content and Easy Read. The DIP highlights the value of accessible communication formats in bridging the gaps in information for people with disabilities. This is particularly important when considering information from state authorities, related to laws and policies, which are often dense, complex, and difficult to interpret — even for people without accessibility needs.
Additionally, the Disability Inclusion Act outlines that a State authority “must publish its DAIP “in a format that is accessible to people with disability” (s 16(7)).
This is where easyread.tech can help.
At easyread.tech, we specialise in transforming complex documents into Easy Read formats that are clear, concise, and tailored to people with intellectual disabilities, low literacy, or cognitive decline.
We have worked with state and federal government agencies before, like the Department of Social Services and SA Health, to deliver accessible versions of strategies and plans. Our experienced team understands how to work with complex source material and translate it into an output that is accurate and accessible.
We also feel that living documents like a DAIP don’t have to look dull. If a DAIP is a resource that is meant to inform the community about what a particular organisation is doing to champion accessibility and inclusivity in the state, then that resource should not look like another uninviting corporate report; — it should look and feel like something people would actually want to read.
We have an existing collection of over 3000 custom images, carefully designed to complement text in an Easy Read document, and be reflective of the diverse communities and individuals we have in South Australia.
Easy Read documents (alongside any document that is public facing) should be creative and visually engaging, all while serving its purpose and reflecting your organisation’s brand identity. The team at easyread.tech understands how to strike that balance, and can help your organisation deliver a resource that will resonate with the people you serve.
1 in 5 people in South Australia live with a disability. The DIP and the relevant Act demonstrate that it is an imperative that they are not excluded from information and communications that other South Australians can access and engage with. The DIP and the DAIPs are depicting an inspiring vision that sees South Australia as a state where everyone can participate equally without barriers and exclusion; — and this starts with information and communication.
Talk to easyread.tech today to see how we can support your organisation in developing their DAIP or other accessible resources.
