Skip to content

Following recent changes to departmental responsibilities, functions of the former Department of Housing and Public Works have been transferred to new departments. Work is underway to develop and update departments' websites.

Inclusive communities

We will make our communities more inclusive by providing better facilities for people living with disability.

All Queenslanders should have the support they need to lead happy and full lives.

People living with a disability often need additional support in environments in which the rest of us take for granted.

An important part of supporting people who live with a disability is ensuring that Queensland buildings have the features needed to make our communities more inclusive.

This includes considerations like accessible public toilets with a hoist or swing rail, with appropriate changing facilities and continence bins in public toilets.

We have advanced reforms that will help make large public facilities like hospitals, shopping centres and assembly building more accessible for all Queenslanders.

As of 1 May 2019, the National Construction Code mandates the inclusion of accessible adult change facilities in certain new and significantly refurbished buildings. Generally, these include:

  • large shopping centres;
  • large sports venues, museums, art galleries and theatres; and
  • airport terminals.

Action items

  • Provide dignity to carers of, and people with disability by requiring accessible sanitary facilities in all new major public facilities.
  • Drive the development of a national regulatory impact assessment and potentially expand the National Construction Code to better consider the accessibility requirements of people with disability in public facilities.
  • Develop a Queensland Development Code to make facilities in new large public venues, such as stadiums and theatres and large scale shopping centres, more accessible for people with disabilities, in particular those with significant mobility impairment.
  • Encourage the voluntary uptake of measures to make public facilities more accessible for people with disabilities in places where the future Queensland Development Code will not apply.
Last updated: 
9 September 2020