Hamilton Island Retail Access for People with Disability

March 31, 2010
Bruce Bromley

Keywords – Hamilton Island Disability Disabled Accessible Access Wheelchair

Considering Hamilton Island is one of Australia’s Premiere destinations, for “People with a Disability” barriers are everywhere.

This is the first of a series of blogs on our experiences here. Areas I will address are

Retail access
Food Premises
Accommodation
Paths & Walkways

What does the Building Code of Australia require for retail Class VI Occupancy?

D3.2 General building access requirements
(a) Buildings must be accessible as required by Table D3.2.
(b) Parts of buildings required to be accessible must comply with this Part and AS 1428.1.
(c) External access to a building required to be accessible must be in accordance with this Part and AS 1428.1, and must be provided—
(i) from the allotment boundary at the main points of entry; and
(ii) from any accessible carparking space on the allotment in accordance with D3.5; and
(iii) from any adjacent and associated accessible building on the allotment; and
(iv) through the principal public entrance.

Class 5, 6, 7 and 8
To and within—
(i) the entrance floor; and
(ii) any other floor to which vertical access by way of a ramp, step ramp or kerb ramp complying with AS 1428.1 or a passenger lift is provided.

What are the issues?

Steps!!! there are steps everwhere, every shop has a step at the entry.

There are no accessilble sanitary facilities.

For national organisations like Australia Post and the National Australia Bank I find it totally unacceptable their premises are not accessible.

Disabled Access Hamilton Island Australia Post

They may need a reminder on what the Disability Discrimination Act states

Section 23 : Discrimination in access to & use of premises

Unless unjustifiable hardship applies, a person must not be discriminated against because of the person’s disability, or the disability of any associate:

by denying access to or use of public premises;
in the terms or conditions for entry or use of such premises;
in the means of access to such premises;
by denying the use of public facilities in such premises;
in the terms or conditions for use of such facilities;
by being required to leave such premises or cease to use such facilities.

Discrimination is allowed if premises are existing, and alterations required to make them accessible would impose unjustifiable hardship on the person providing the accessibility.

Section 24 : Discrimination in access to & use of goods, services and facilities

Unless unjustifiable hardship applies, a person must not be discriminated against because of the person’s disability, or the disability of any associate

by refusing to provide goods or services or to make facilities available; or
in the terms or conditions on which goods or services are provided, or facilities are made available; or
in the manner in which goods or services are provided or the facilities made available.

Discrimination is allowed if providing the goods or services, or making the facilities available, would impose unjustifiable hardship on the person providing or making them available.

Poor Disabled Access Hamilton Island
The two above photos are of a real estate agent and the island Pharmacy, these are typical buildings on the main street at the marina again all with steps.

Poor Disabled Access Hamilton Island
The above retail outlets are located within the Tavern (refer food premises section)

Poor Disabled Access Hamilton Island
Floral Collections