From the President’s Desk

by Lindsay Perry

President of the Association of Consultants in Access Australia

February is already here and 2021 is off to a flying start. I hope everybody got a break of some description and also some rest. 2021 has the potential to be an exciting year and I personally am embracing the opportunity to make change in the access world.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the ZOOM CPD event towards the end of last year – which seems like a lifetime ago. Feedback has been positive in terms of the format and timing – and we have taken it on board as we prepare for upcoming events.

This year, we are presenting ten (yes 10!) CPD webinars. These will be national events and be held on the last Friday of each month from February through to November. I am excited to announce that all the presenter spots have been filled. Thank you to all our upcoming presenters for the voluntary contribution of your valuable time and knowledge. The series will provide a variety of technical, theoretical and informative information including changes to legislation, practice management considerations and technical dos and don’ts. A full program will be sent out in the coming weeks with details – as a sneak peek, some of our speakers will be Eric Martin, Access to Heritage Buildings; Jane Bryce, Braille Signage Content; and Howard Moutrie, Running a Successful Business.

Our new committee is busy planning the way forward for ACAA and we are in process of establishing sub-committees to look after various topics / housekeeping. If you are interested is assisting, we welcome your support and would value any contributions you can make. Feel free to contact me personally for more information. Remember your committee are all volunteers and we do try our best to address any concerns our members have.

This issue of Access Insight opens our eyes to accessible offices. From fit-out to emergency evacuation, working from home to office equipment, and the virtual world. Things that are often overlooked but very important in achieving an inclusive workplace environment. Thank you to all our contributors for your wisdom and knowledge.

If you have ideas or suggestions for upcoming issues we would love to hear from you. An enormous amount of work goes into producing each issue of Access Insight and contributions are always welcome.

Enjoy this issue!