A new action plan to improve inclusion and accessibility and liveability for people living with a disability has been launched by Mayor Adam Roberts.
On International Day of People with Disability on Wednesday, the Port Macquarie Hastings Community Inclusion and Disability Inclusion Action Plan 2025-2029 was announced alongside members of the Enable Disability Working Group, who were integral to the development of the Plan.
"The Enable Working Group has been advocating for enhanced accessibility for people living with a disability, and input into council projects, plans and activities since their inception in 2024," said Mayor Roberts.
"The Community Inclusion and Disability Inclusion Action Plan links accessibility with liveability, which is central to our vision for the community.
"Our commitment in terms of accessibility is outlined in the plan, which is to ensure people can use and access public spaces and facilities with comfort, safety and dignity.
"While there are always improvements to be made, this plan is a move in the right direction."
The launch included powerful speeches from members of the Enable Working Group - Sarah Eade and Michael Lord who use wheelchairs and Blake Edge, a young man with vision impairment.
Listening to their lived experiences emphasised how people without disability do not fully understand the daily challenges of those living with a disability.
"I have to think carefully about where I am stepping and listen to people walking around me which causes a lot of fear and anxiety," said Blake, who only has 10 degrees of his vision left due to a genetic condition.
"Things like smooth, wide paths and tactile, bumpy parts so I know where I am, are small things that can help. That way I can keep my eyes up to take in as much beauty while I can."
Physiotherapist Bec Dalzell, who leads Diverging Pathways, admitted that able-bodied people "don't get it".
"We don't think about access or barriers that might prevent us from going to the beach or attending a ceremony at our children's school," she said.
"Which is why the three C's are so important - collaboration with people who have lived experience; compassion, as in what that means for someone's life; and creative strategies that go beyond compliance and code."
