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Draft Disability Inclusion Action Plan 2026–2030

Project Overview

North Sydney Council is seeking community feedback on its Draft Disability Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP) 2026–2030. This four-year plan sets out how Council will improve access, inclusion and equity for people with disability across programs, services, facilities and workplaces.

The Draft DIAP reflects legislative requirements and community priorities and has been shaped through extensive engagement with people with disability, carers, advocates, Council’s Access and Inclusion Committee and the broader community.

The Draft DIAP is structured around four focus areas aligned with the NSW Disability Inclusion Framework:

  1. Positive attitudes and behaviours:Building disability confidence across Council and the community, strengthening awareness, education and inclusive communication.
  2. Liveable communities:Improving access to public spaces, facilities, infrastructure, events and services through inclusive and universal design.
  3. Employment: Creating inclusive employment pathways and workplaces where people with disability can participate, thrive and progress.
  4. Systems and processes: Ensuring Council’s information, policies, governance, digital platforms, and internal systems are accessible, inclusive, and easy to use.

We want to hear your feedback on the plan. Have your say by 20th May 2026.

Provide you feedback

About the Draft Plan

People with disability are an integral part of the North Sydney community. However, many people continue to face barriers to participating fully in everyday life.

The Draft Disability Inclusion Action Plan 2026–2030 provides a practical and coordinated framework for identifying and removing these barriers within Council’s influence. It is grounded in the Social Model of Disability, which recognises that disability arises from barriers in society, rather than from an individual’s impairment.

The Plan outlines clear actions to embed access and inclusion across Council’s:

  • Planning and decision-making
  • Services and facilities
  • Public spaces and infrastructure
  • Communications and digital platforms
  • Employment and organisational culture

The Draft DIAP has been co-designed with people with lived experience of disability and informed by:

  • Ongoing advice from Council’s Access and Inclusion Committee
  • Engagement with people with disability, carers and advocates
  • Input from Council staff across services
  • Online engagement through Your Say and eNewsletters
  • In-person engagement at community events and locations across the LGA

Council received feedback through multiple accessible channels, helping to ensure the Draft Plan reflects lived experience and community priorities.

  • Draft Disability Inclusion Action Plan 2026-2030 - Feedback

    The purpose of the feedback form is to enable the community to provide valuable input on the Draft Disability Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP) for North Sydney Council. All feedback received will be considered and reported back to Council.

    You can provide feedback:

    • Online: by completing the online feedback form (see below)
    • Email: yoursay@northsydney.nsw.gov.au
    • Post: to North Sydney Council, PO Box 12, NORTH SYDNEY NSW 2059

    Please include ‘Disability Inclusion Action Plan’ or 'DIAP' in the subject line of all email or written feedback.

    All submissions in their entirety are made publicly available in the report to Council. Personal identifying information, and content which is discriminatory, hateful or which may defame, offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate will be redacted.

    Provide your feedback

Disability in North Sydney

2.5% of the population required assistance in their day to day lives due to disability

15,165 residents are over the age of 60 representing 22% of the population

7% of the population live with a mental health condition

5,417 carers provide unpaid assistance to a person with a disability, long term illness or old age, representing 9% of the population aged 15+

27.1% of the population live with at least one long term health condition

Project Document Library

FAQ

A Disability Inclusion Action Plan explains what Council will do to make its services, buildings, public spaces, workplaces and information more accessible and inclusive for people with disability.

It is also a requirement under NSW legislation

Under the NSW Disability Inclusion Act 2014, councils are required to update their Disability Inclusion Action Plan every four years.

North Sydney Council’s current DIAP is nearing the end of its term. The Draft DIAP 2026–2030 builds on the achievements of the previous plan and responds to new challenges, priorities and opportunities identified through community engagement.

The Disability Inclusion Action Plan does not sit on its own.
It is designed to work alongside Council’s other key strategies and plans.

The actions in the Plan are linked to Council’s:

  • Community Strategic Plan
  • Delivery Program 2025–2029
  • Operational Plan 2026–2027
  • Workforce Strategy

This helps make sure access and inclusion are built into everyday Council planning, decision‑making and service delivery, rather than treated as a separate activity. It also helps Council track progress, plan resources and report on outcomes.

The Draft Plan was developed with advice from people with disability, carers and advocates.
Council also worked closely with the Access and Inclusion Committee, Council staff and the wider community through online and in‑person engagement.

People with lived experience of disability know best what works and what does not.
Your feedback will help Council understand what matters most and make sure the Plan focuses on real issues and practical actions.

Anyone can provide feedback. This includes:

  • People with disability
  • Carers, families and supporters
  • Service providers
  • Anyone who lives, works, studies or visits North Sydney

Project Links

DIAP Timeline

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    Implementation and reporting
    • Actions from the Disability Inclusion Action Plan will be delivered over four years.
    • Implementation will be aligned with Council’s Delivery...
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    Review and finalisation
    • Council will review all feedback received during the exhibition period.
    • A further report will be presented to Council outlining community...
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    Public exhibition of Draft DIAP
    • The Draft Plan is placed on public exhibition for a minimum of 28 days.
    • The community is invited to review the Draft Plan and provide...
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    Council endorsement for public exhibition of the Draft

    Council endorsed the Draft Disability Inclusion Action Plan 2026–2030 for public exhibition at its meeting on Monday, 13 April 2026.
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    Development of Draft DIAP
    • Council reviewed feedback received from the 2025 engagement.
    • The Access and Inclusion Committee provided ongoing advice throughout the...
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    Community engagement to inform the Plan

Disability in Australia

In 2022 60.5% of working age people with disability have jobs compared to 84.9% without a disability

80% of people with disability have a non visible disability

1 in 8 Australians provide unpaid care to people with disability and older people, with  3 million carers nationwide in 2022

1 in 6 people with disability expereinced discrimination in the past year

1 in 5 Australians live with a disability