From the President’s Desk

by Lindsay Perry

President of the Association of Consultants in Access Australia

Welcome to another edition of Access Insight! I am not exactly sure where this year is going – I thought last year went quickly but 2021 is giving 2020 a run for its money.

There are quite a few things going on that affect access consultants at the moment. The eagerly awaited AS1428.1 (2020): Design for access and Mobility Part 1: General requirements for access – New building work is due for release in May with the update to AS1428.5 (2009): Design for access and Mobility Part 5: Communication for people who are deaf or hearing impaired rumoured to follow shortly after.

On the 31 March 2021, myself and some fellow ACAA members joined an online focus group discussion as a part of The Disability (Access to Premises – Buildings) Standards 2010 review. Building industry representatives have been encouraged to get involved to help identify changes or improvements to the Premises Standards. The discussion was very positive and well facilitated.

Our CPD webinars are up and running – the first two being a huge success and very well attended. Thank you all for making this little project become a reality. It’s not quite the same as a conference but it does, I think, provide a friendly and welcoming atmosphere to learn more about what we love to do. If you have any ideas for future topics/ subjects don’t hesitate to make suggestions. Hopefully we can all meet face-to-face soon.

This edition of Access Insight offers a diverse range of subject matter from legal battles to swimming pools; all gender toilets to international standard reviews; and mental illness to Canadian innovations in universal design. Thank you to all our contributors for your time, knowledge and passion.

Our next issue will take an international look at the world of access.

Enjoy this issue!