Page 2849 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 16 August 2017
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MR GENTLEMAN (Brindabella—Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Minister for Planning and Land Management and Minister for Urban Renewal) (6.04): I thank Ms Lee for her motion on disability parking permits and for highlighting their importance to members of our community.
In summary, the government agrees with the motion put forward today. As indicated by Ms Lee, the government has some amendments, which are acceptable to her. I have circulated those amendments and I now seek leave to move both amendments together.
Leave granted.
MR GENTLEMAN: I move:
(1) After paragraph (1)(d), insert:
“(e) eligibility for mobility parking permits, known as Australian Disability Parking Permits, is determined by a nationally-consistent set of standards;”.
(2) Omit paragraph (2)(b), substitute:
“(b) encourage informed, appropriate use of disability parking spaces;”.
As the minister responsible for parking policy in the territory, I am very proud to highlight the government’s work in supporting people with disabilities through the mobility parking scheme.
As an inclusive community, the ACT government’s policy is to ensure that people with disabilities have full and direct access to all public places in the ACT. The provision of accessible transport and convenient parking is integral to fulfilling this commitment. This government continues to support parking for people with disabilities in a variety of ways, including our generous disability parking permit system.
The Australian disability parking scheme, a nationally harmonised mobility parking scheme, was developed in 2008 in conjunction with the Australian government and state and territory governments. The scheme establishes nationally consistent eligibility criteria and national minimum parking concessions to help reduce the barriers for permit holders when travelling interstate. The ACT government remains committed to these standards.
Three categories of mobility parking permits are available in the ACT: temporary permits requiring certification from a medical practitioner, automatically expiring after a set period; long-term permits requiring medical certification every three years; and permanent permits issued where the person’s condition is permanent, requiring only an initial medical certification.
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