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People With a Disability
As of 2008, approximately 23% of the residents of Whitehorse are estimated to have a disability. This includes more than 2020 children, 17,090 people of working age, and 14,300 older residents. Just over a third of these people have disabilities causing profound or severe restriction in relation to communication, mobility and self-care. For 13,100 residents, their disabilities place limits upon employment or educational opportunities.
There are several different types of disability:
- The disability may be permanent or temporary
- It may exist from birth or be acquired later in life
- A person may have one disability or a number of disabilities
- A person's disability may be apparent, such as loss of a limb, or hidden, such as epilepsy or a mental illness
- Disability may be more or less severe in its impact
- People with the same disability are as likely as anyone else to have different abilities
Whitehorse Disability Advisory Committee
Residents, community organisations and businesses have the opportunity to work with Whitehorse City Council on issues facing people with a disability or mental illness. Council is seeking involvement from the community in the Whitehorse Disability Advisory Committee as well as input into the Whitehorse Disability Policy and Action Plan.
The Whitehorse Disability Advisory Committee is made up of representatives from the community who provide strategic advice to
Council to help reduce the barriers for people with a disability who live, visit or work in Whitehorse.
Council is calling for expressions of interest from members of the community who would like to participate in the committee over the
coming four years (2012-16). Committee members do not need any formal qualifications or experience and will represent a broad range of interests and perspectives including people with a disability, and service provider and community representatives. Nominations for the Whitehorse Disability Advisory Committee close on 30 September 2011.
The Position Description and Expression of Interest form can be downloaded here: 
Whitehorse Disability Advisory Committee Member PD (31.00kB)
The Whitehorse Disability Policy and Action Plan 2008-2011 encompasses:
- Intellectual disability
- Physical disability
- Sensory disability
- Acquired brain injury
- Neurological impairment
- Psychiatric disability
Council wants people with a disability and their carers to be able to:
- Access the information and services they need
- Participate in decision making
- Get to where they need to go
- Feel part of the community
- Feel safe and supported
- Have opportunities to work, exercise, socialise and be creative.
In order to achieve this, Council:
- Provides home, personal and respite care and assisted transport
- Employs a MetroAccess Officer who aims to make Whitehorse more welcoming and inclusive for people with a disability
- Consults with Whitehorse Disability Advisory Committee, disability service providers, community groups and individuals
- Assists local businesses with being accessible
- Runs disability awareness training for Council staff
The Disability Act 2006 legislates that government and community must work together to support the rights and needs of people with a disability. The act includes information about:
- The rights and responsibilities of people with a disability
- The rights, responsibilities and rules for disability service providers
- How people with a disability can get support and services that other people in the community get
- How and when people with a disability will get disability services what they can do if they are told they cannot get disability services
- The rights of people who live in a disability residential service