FAQs

About 1 in 5 Australians have a disability. We want our community to be safe, inclusive and accessible for everyone. The Disability Inclusion Act requires Council to have a plan. It will guide our work to improve our spaces, services, and programs for the next four years.

The draft plan has ideas and actions to make Wollongong better for people with disability. Some of the main things in the plan are:

• Getting around – safer streets and crossings, better footpaths, accessible bus stops, parking, pick-up and drop-off areas, and improved public toilets.
• Awareness and inclusion – more disability inclusion training for staff, stronger partnerships with local groups, and greater community awareness of access and inclusion.
• Clear and accessible information – better direct communication with people with disability, more accessible videos (including Auslan), and information in plain English, Easy Read and other formats.
• Ongoing engagement – continuing to involve the community as the plan is delivered and sharing regular progress updates.
• Recreation and facilities – more accessible play spaces, beaches, pools, libraries, leisure centres and community facilities.
• Employment and customer experience – improving employment pathways, creating inclusive workplaces, and making Council services easier to access for everyone.

We want to make sure the plan reflects what matters most to people with disability, their families, carers and support networks. Your feedback will help us check if we’ve got it right. If needed, we will update the plan before the final version goes to Councillors to be endorsed (approved).

The actions and priorities in the draft plan can change based on what the community tells us. If something is missing, unclear, or needs to be improved, we can update it before Council adopts (approves) the final plan.

The plan must follow the Disability Inclusion Act and focus on things Council can do. We can’t include actions in the plan that are outside Council’s legal responsibilities or control, for example, things that belong to state or federal government. However, Council can work with other organisations, such as disability services, transport providers, or health agencies, to support or ask for those changes.

This plan is based on important laws and agreements about the rights of people with disability.

These include the:

• United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
• Disability Discrimination Act 1992
• NSW Disability Inclusion Act 2014
• NSW Disability Inclusion Plan

These laws and agreements guide how Council works to support inclusion, access, and equal participation for people with disability.

We know people use different words to talk about disability.

Some people like to say “disabled person”.

Some people like to say “person with disability”.

Some people are happy with both. 

In this project, we mostly say “person with disability”. 

We do this to respect each person as an individual first. But we know that everyone is different.

We respect the words you choose to use about yourself. You can tell us what words you prefer.

People with disability and Council staff worked together to create the plan. We looked at our current Disability Inclusion Action Plan and other important plans and policies from state and federal governments to help guide our work. People with lived experience shared their ideas through engagement activities. Their feedback helped shape the ideas and actions in the plan. A Community Advisory Group also helped make the plan. The group includes local residents with different experiences of disability and from diverse backgrounds. They helped us review what the community told us, decide what matters most, and guide the actions in the plan.

You can give feedback in different ways:  

•  Answer questions in the online survey. 
• Come along to our online information session on Tuesday 28 April at 5:30pm. Please register for this session. 
• Visit one of our pop-ups to have a chat with Council staff:
  • Let’s Talk Dapto – Dapto Ribbonwood Centre – Thursday 30 April 4pm – 6pm
  • Thirroul Community Centre and Library forecourt – Friday 1 May 10am-12pm
  • Cringila Hills Mountain Bike Park – Tuesday 5 May 12pm–1:30pm
  • Crown St Mall - Friday 8 May 9am – 1pm

In the event of bad weather, we’ll need to postpone the pop-up. We’ll post a new date on our website if this happens.

•  Get a paper survey and reply-paid envelope at your local library.
• Email us at engagement@wollongong.nsw.gov.au. 
• Call us on 4227 7111.
• Send a text to 0477 533 618.
• Write to:
  Engagement Team
  Wollongong City Council
  Locked Bag 8821
  Wollongong DC NSW 2500

You can share feedback with help from someone you trust, like a family member, friend, or support worker. You can also share feedback through a community organisation or service provider you already know.

You have until Wednesday 20 May 2026 to check out the draft plan and get your feedback to us.

If you use Auslan, watch this video to find out what’s in the plan and how to share your thoughts.