newy.com.au – Maitland City Council has adopted a new four-year Disability Inclusion Action Plan aimed at improving accessibility and removing barriers for people with disability, their families and carers across the city.
The Disability Inclusion Action Plan 2026–2030 was shaped by more than 500 pieces of community feedback and will guide council’s access and inclusion priorities over the next four years. It responds to growing demand for more accessible and inclusive communities, with Maitland recording a higher proportion of people living with disability than the NSW local government area average.
Coordinator Community and Recreation Planning Whitney Williams said the plan had been informed by extensive consultation and the lived experiences of local people.
“Through our consultation, people told us that barriers still exist when accessing public spaces, finding employment, navigating information and using everyday services.
“This plan outlines practical actions that will help people with disability participate more fully in community life, whether that’s attending an event, accessing a Council service, finding employment or moving around our city with confidence and independence,” Ms Williams said.
Feedback from the community identified the need for more accessible public spaces, better-connected pathways, more inclusive employment opportunities and easier access to information. In response, the plan sets out actions to improve access across community facilities and public spaces, support inclusive employment and ensure accessibility is considered when future infrastructure, services and programs are designed.
“Accessibility should be considered from the beginning, not as an afterthought. It needs to be embedded in how we design public spaces, deliver services, plan events and communicate with our community,” Ms Williams said.
“Creating a genuinely inclusive Maitland is a shared responsibility and requires collaboration between Council, businesses, community organisations, government agencies and residents.”
The plan will also help inform the development of Maitland’s first Social Strategy and contribute to council’s broader work to improve social wellbeing outcomes across the city.
The Disability Inclusion Action Plan 2026–2030 is available at mait.city/DisabilityInclusionActionPlan
