Liam McNally
People living with disabilities in the Melton municipality may soon have easier access to events with council considering making accessible portable toilets a requirement for all events ran by the shire.
At a council meeting on Monday, February 27 Councillor Kathy Madjlik moved for council to provide a report to consider what options are available in providing portable accessible toilets at all major Council events where portable toilets are hired and what policies require amending to ensure that this becomes a standard practice for all future Council events.
Cr Madjlik also moved for the costs to be discussed at the upcoming budget deliberation, and for a trial accessible toilet to be provided for council’s Harmony Day event on Saturday, March 18.
The motion was passed unanimously by council and Cr Madjlik thanked her fellow councillors for supporting her advocacy.
“I’m a big advocate and supporter of having our events and having our council as accessible as possible to people who live with a disability as well as those who may need the accessibility that don’t have a specified disability so I highly thank my councillors,” she said.
Leading Melton disability support service Pinarc chief executive Peter Newsome welcomed the potential action from council.
“Decisions such as this ensure the voice of people with a disability is heard and recognised as valued,” he said.
“In essence this commitment to community will reduce social isolation of a typically marginalised group and make more people feel valued as community members.
“Importantly, people with a disability are consumers and should be able to access events.”
Promoting suitable events to their clients are a core part of Pinarc’s service, and Mr Newsome said ensuring the events have accessible bathrooms is a “fundamental” aspect of that.
“Melton is growing rapidly and that naturally means that there’s more people with a disability living here,” he said.
“We do a lot of advocacy and promotion about suitable events for people with disabilities, we work with councils, state government, from our point of view we need to work together
“We really welcome this position from council.”
