FEATURED ARTICLE
People, Pandemics and Premises by Joe Manton Director – Access Institute
Joe established one of the first access consultancy companies in Australia, Access Audits Australia (AAA), in 1993 and subsequently developed Access Institute a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) that developed and delivers the only nationally recognised qualifications in access in Australia in both the Certificate IV and Diploma of Access Consulting. Her work focuses on both legislated access requirements as well as Universal Design. Joe and her team are highly sought after by many organisations, for their up to date access knowledge and advice across Australia, as well as overseas. Joe is also a member of the Industry Reference Group of Livable Housing Australia (LHA), and as well as Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) under the National Disability Insurance Scheme. She developed and delivers the Livable Housing Australia (LHA) Registered Assessors course as
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espite the challenges presented to the whole community during the COVID 19 pandemic, much significant work has continued to progress regarding how we can make life for everyone more accessible, more inclusive, more productive and more enjoyable. In terms of the built environment and buildings in particular, 2020 has seen a variety of initiatives progress in a range of sectors, that will see governments across Australia build on an emerging understanding of the critical role that good access to the built environment plays in everyone’s lives. Clearly from a mobility perspective, the ability for people to access buildings and facilities as well as the external environment, means more people can participant in community life. Equally from a social and psychological perspective, the importance of considering the principles of Universal Design are 16
well as the Accredited Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) Assessors course on behalf of NDIS. Joe also developed and delivers the Changing Places Assessors course, that incorporates the requirements for Accessible Adult Change Facilities in the new 2019 National Construction Code (NCC). Joe has undertaken access studies in Australia and the U.K. She is a qualified and Accredited Access Consultant and a Fellow of the Association of Consultants in Access Australia (ACAA). Joe leads a multi-disciplinary team of experienced and qualified access professionals and trainers who have extensive skills gained from both professional and personal experience in addressing a wide range of access issues. Joe and Access Institute are recipients of a range of awards relating to access and Universal Design training in the built environment. now being recognised and understood as critical building blocks for the mental health and wellbeing of all community members. For example, 2020 has seen the Australian Buildings Code Board (ABCB) publish the National Registration Framework for Building Practitioners Discussion Paper 2020, with recommendations that, if adopted, will recognise and reinforce the importance of the role that suitably qualified access consultants play in the design and certification of access requirements in buildings. Whilst the focus of this role is primarily about ensuring minimum compliance is achieved in buildings, it will also provide a basis from which skilled access consultants can raise the awareness of developers to the benefits and opportunities of incorporating the principles of Universal Design into developments of all scales and types.
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