South Australia Launches Comprehensive Disability Inclusion Plan for 2025–2029

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South Australia has unveiled an ambitious Disability Inclusion Plan for 2025–2029, designed to improve access, participation and equality for people living with disability. The strategy, co-developed with individuals who have lived experience, requires more than 100 state government agencies and local councils to create and implement their own tailored plans, ensuring inclusion becomes an embedded part of daily operations.

The new plan builds on the state’s first disability strategy released in 2019, shifting focus towards a social model of disability that highlights systemic and environmental barriers rather than individual limitations. The Department of Human Services will lead this effort, with all participating agencies responsible for creating Disability Access and Inclusion Plans that align with the broader state vision. These plans are expected to provide clear and measurable actions across a range of areas affecting daily life.

The strategy targets five key domains. These include fostering inclusive communities and physical environments, improving education and employment opportunities, expanding access to personal and community support, strengthening health and wellbeing services, and upholding safety, rights, and justice for people with disability. Each area is intended to address practical barriers and promote genuine participation across public services and society.

A significant feature of the plan is its recognition of intersectionality. It highlights the needs of older people with disability and acknowledges the critical role of carers. By factoring in these additional layers of experience, the strategy aims to ensure support is responsive to the diverse circumstances people face.

The timing of this initiative underscores its importance. More than one in five Australians, about 5.5 million people, live with some form of disability. Disability discrimination remains the leading cause of complaints lodged with the Australian Human Rights Commission. These figures point to a continued need for governments to take active and structured measures to reduce inequality and improve access.

Human Services Minister Nat Cook emphasised the commitment behind the plan, saying it represents an important step in making South Australia a safer and more inclusive place for all residents. She credited people with lived experience, members of the Disability Minister’s Advisory Council, and other stakeholders for shaping the strategy and ensuring it reflects real challenges and priorities.

Accountability is central to the new approach. Agencies will be required to report on outcomes and progress, ensuring the plan’s ambitions do not remain aspirational but are translated into tangible improvements. By embedding inclusion into everyday governance, the state seeks to make equitable access a standard rather than an exception.

This landmark plan positions South Australia as a leader in disability inclusion, providing a model for how government agencies can work together to remove barriers and foster participation. Its success will depend on how effectively these measures are implemented, but it offers a structured framework that other states may look to emulate as they refine their own policies.