The Federal election was called on 28 March 2025. As this website is hosted by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts, the site will only be updated with material in line with the Caretaker Conventions. Please note that the content of this site relates to the Australian Government’s existing policy.

Stage 1 Reforms

Consultation and Decision Regulation Impact Statements

On 12 February 2021, the Department published the Reform of the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport: Consultation Regulation Impact Statement (Consultation RIS.) The Consultation RIS included regulatory and non-regulatory reform options for 16 areas of the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport 2002 (Transport Standards).

The Consultation RIS was open for public feedback until 23 April 2021. The Department sought public feedback on whether the proposed reform options will improve public transport accessibility for people with disability and whether they will enhance the public transport experience for all Australians.

Following the close of the consultation period, the Department developed a Decision Regulation Impact Statement (Decision RIS) that outlines the options for reform, findings from the public consultation and provides illustrative costs and benefits for each reform option.

The Decision RIS containing the first tranche of 16 reform areas was confirmed by Infrastructure and Transport Ministers on 11 February 2022.

The Consultation RIS, summary Consultation RIS and Decision RIS are available here:

Stage 1 reform areas

Stage 1 of the reform process identified 16 areas of reform, based on consultation with the disability community, governments and the public transport industry.

A summary of the initial 16 areas of reform is available here DOCX: 135 KB PDF: 181 KB 

To find out more about any of our reform areas, download one of our fact sheets below:

  1. Staff training and communication DOCX: 379 KB  PDF: 166 KB
  2. Mobility aid safety DOCX: 379 KB  PDF: 186 KB
  3. Priority seating DOCX: 379 KB   PDF: 165 KB
  4. Allocated spaces in transit DOCX: 379 KB  PDF: 165 KB
  5. Digital information screens DOCX: 379 KB  PDF: 165 KB
  6. Lifts DOCX: 379 KB   PDF: 170 KB
  7. Website accessibility DOCX: 379 KB   PDF: 164 KB
  8. Communication during service disruption DOCX: 379 KB  PDF: 166 KB
  9. Gangways DOCX: 380 KB  PDF: 165 KB
  10. Assistance animal toileting facilities DOCX: 381 KB  PDF: 166 KB
  11. Emergency egress DOCX: 380 KB  PDF: 165 KB
  12. Fit for purpose accessway DOCX: 380 KB  PDF: 166 KB
  13. Wayfinding DOCX: 379 KB  PDF: 164 KB
  14. Tactile ground surface indicators DOCX: 379 KB  PDF: 165 KB
  15. Passenger loading areas DOCX: 379 KB  PDF: 186 KB
  16. Multiple formats of information DOCX: 381 KB  PDF: 165 KB

Consultation RIS summary translations and other formats

A summary of the Consultation RIS is available in easy English here:

tell us what you thing cover image Easy English - Tell us what you think DOCX: 2123 KB  PDF: 685 KB

public transport for people with disability cover image Easy English - Tell us what you think DOCX: 6445 KB  PDF: 1735 KB

A summary of the Consultation RIS is available in the following languages:

  1. Arabic DOCX: 24 KB PDF: 155 KB
  2. Simplified Chinese DOCX: 24 KB PDF: 191 KB
  3. Traditional Chinese DOCX: 24 KB PDF: 204 KB
  4. Farsi DOCX: 25 KB PDF: 165 KB
  5. Greek DOCX: 30 KB PDF: 168 KB
  6. Italian DOCX: 29 KB PDF: 138 KB
  7. Khmer DOCX: 32 KB PDF: 181 KB
  8. Korean DOCX: 54 KB PDF: 260 KB
  9. Spanish DOCX: 27 KB PDF: 113 KB
  10. Vietnamese DOCX: 33 KB PDF: 242 KB

​​​​​Public submissions to the Consultation RIS

Submissions received in response to the Stage 1 Consultation Regulation Impact Statement can be accessed through the links below. The submissions published on this website have been made available as part of a public consultation process. The submissions do not necessarily represent the views of the Department or indicate a commitment to a particular course of action.

Submissions marked confidential or those that were determined to contain private or confidential information have not been provided. All submissions provided to the Department were given consideration in the development of the Decision Regulation Impact Statement.

No Submissions PDF
1 Jane Gauci PDF: 100 KB
2 Inclusion Australia PDF: 669 KB
3 Cina L PDF: 114 KB
4 Disability Resources Centre PDF: 246 KB
5 Greg Dennis PDF: 67 KB
6 Robert Plant PDF: 117 KB
7 Barryldene Carlson PDF: 111 KB
8 Brendon Charles Donohue PDF: 80 KB
9 Visability PDF: 124 KB
10 All aboard PDF: 225 KB
11 confidential confidential
12 Eric Martin and Associates PDF: 46 KB
13 Assistive Technology Suppliers Australia PDF: 210 KB
14 Brisbane City Council PDF: 379 KB
15 confidential confidential
16 Public Interest Advocacy Centre PDF: 256 KB
17 Queenslanders with Disability Network PDF: 3039 KB
18 Carers NSW PDF: 72 KB
19 Advocacy Tasmania PDF: 174 KB
20 Travellers Aid Australia PDF: 87 KB
21 National Disability Services PDF: 194 KB
22 confidential confidential
23 National Inclusive Transport Advocacy Network (NITAN) PDF: 173 KB
24 confidential confidential
25 Federation University PDF: 1159 KB
26 confidential confidential
27 Municipal Association of Victoria PDF: 269 KB
28 Australian Taxi Industry Association PDF: 411 KB
29 Ku-ring-gai Council PDF: 233 KB
30 confidential confidential
31 confidential confidential
32 Physical Disability Council of NSW PDF: 319 KB
33 Bus Industry Confederation (BIC) PDF: 1530 KB
34 confidential confidential
35 Accessibility Solutions PDF: 744 KB
36 Changing Places Australia PDF: 394 KB
37 Vision Australia PDF: 232 KB
38 Department of Transport Main Roads Western Australia Public Transport Authority PDF: 310 KB
39 Transport for New South Wales PDF: 530 KB
40 Transport and Main Road Queensland PDF: 970 KB
41 Operator Survey 1 PDF: 133 KB
42 Operator Survey 2 confidential
43 Operator Survey 3 confidential
44 Operator Survey 4 confidential
45 Operator Survey 5 PDF: 121 KB
46 Operator Survey 6 confidential
47 Operator Survey 7 PDF: 125 KB
48 Operator Survey 8 confidential
49 Operator Survey 9 PDF: 153 KB
50 Operator Survey 10 PDF: 130 KB
51 Public Transport User Survey 1 PDF: 139 KB
52 Public Transport User Survey 2 PDF: 173 KB
53 Public Transport User Survey 3 PDF: 129 KB
54 Public Transport User Survey 4 PDF: 143 KB
55 Public Transport User Survey 5 confidential
56 Public Transport User Survey 6 confidential
57 Public Transport User Survey 7 PDF: 127 KB
58 Public Transport User Survey 8 PDF: 130 KB
59 Public Transport User Survey 9 PDF: 123 KB
60 Public Transport User Survey 10 PDF: 159 KB
61 Public Transport User Survey 11 PDF: 131 KB
62 Public Transport User Survey 12 PDF: 111 KB
63 Public Transport User Survey 13 confidential
64 Public Transport User Survey 14 PDF: 137 KB
65 Public Transport User Survey 15 confidential
66 Public Transport User Survey 16 confidential
67 Ishpal Phone Submission PDF: 183 KB
68 Summary of short survey response PDF: 103 KB

The department has sought to ensure submissions provided by authors are accessible in pdf format. Should a document not meet a reader’s accessibly needs please contact us at DisabilityTransport@infrastructure.gov.au.