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National Disability Summit not wheelchair accessible

You have to smirk when folk make clangers like this one although its obviously not so funny by those affected.

Organisers of Australia's National Disability Summit in Melbourne have come under criticism - because the venue wasn't wheelchair accessible.

With just 7 disabled attendees, who paid upwards of $1,500 AUD to attend were allowed to attend and they were forced to share one small table at the back of the room with little visibility and very poor facilities.

Mobility-impaired speaker Deborah Haygarth was carried to the lectern as the raised stage had no ramp and was not wheelchair accessible. Who organises these events and how did they feel when they realised how badly wrong the go it?

"I watched as Deborah wheeled herself towards the stage and saw the four stairs up to the stage," activist Jax Jacki Brown said.

"I expected a ramp to appear from somewhere. When one didn’t appear I waited for apologies from the summit organisers into the microphone. None were forthcoming.

"Deborah was carried on stage by two people. She spoke eloquently about her experience of the NDIS in the Barwon trial site. Deborah was then carried off stage again at the end of the panel.

"This lack of access is a visual reminder that as people with disabilities we are not really thought of as important, that our needs are an afterthought, which can be remedied by a ‘sorry we forgot’. This is not good enough."

In addition to this, other criticisms included furniture that was not wheelchair friendly including the food at the vent being served on a table that did not allow wheelchair access ! plus the disabled toiled was used to store the spare chairs that were not required.

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