Inclusive and Accessible Special Event Planning: An Australian Perspective

Abstract

People with disabilities have a right to access the full range of social activities and services available in a society. Nonetheless, the way that the built and social environments are constructed restrict access of the group to participation, and hence, their rights of citizenship. This paper looks at how those engaged in the organisation of events can facilitate the involvement of people with disabilities in the conferences, festivals, and sporting events that they conduct. The paper begins by providing a brief overview of selected statistics and legislation associated with disability in Australia. The paper then looks at the operationalization of event planning in Australia through a review of complaint cases made under the Disability Discrimination Act, 1992. The review provides an insight into the current discriminatory practices employed by event and venue managers. The paper then presents a ‘best practice’ case study of the Sydney 2000 Olympic and Paralympic Games to show how disability and access issues were incorporated into the event planning and operations processes. The paper concludes with some directions that event and venue managers may employ to better incorporate people with disabilities within their programs.