Australian Disability Gateway
The Disability Gateway has resources and information on all of the following:
- employment
- education
- aids and equipment
- health and wellbeing
- income and finance
- transport.
It helps people with disability, their family, friends and carers, find support in their local state or territory.
PACE Mentoring
Positive Action towards Career Engagement or PACE Mentoring through the Australian Disability Network website connects jobseekers with disability to business mentors. Mentoring can last for 4 months. During this time, you’ll get help from your mentor to develop confidence and workplace skills. You can discuss your career goals and aspirations with your mentor. This helps you to develop a plan for your personal and professional development. The Australian Disability Network manages the program.
Communication help
If you’re a person who is deaf, has hearing loss or speech impairment
National Relay Service
The National Relay Service (NRS) is a free telephone service. It can help if you’re a person who is deaf, has hearing loss or speech disability. You can use it to make a call through a third person. NRS services include all of the following:
- Teletypewriter (TTY) speak and read, type and read, type and listen, but this service requires specific equipment to use it
- NRS Chat, which is similar to online instant messaging
- NRS Captions, which is for people who find it hard to hear on a phone but want to use their own voice to talk
- SMS Relay, which enables use of any type of mobile phone to have text messages relayed to people on landlines
- Video Relay, which allows an Auslan user to connect to a hearing person via an interpreter when a phone call is required, using Skype
- Voice Relay, which is for people with speech disability
- NRS app, which gives a choice of NRS Chat, NRS Captions, Voice Relay and Video Relay calls.
To use the NRS, you’ll need to visit the National Relay Service on Access Hub on the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts website. You’ll need to complete a registration form.
There are also other communication options for people who are deaf, hard of hearing or who have a speech impairment. This includes email, SMS (texting), Social Networks, Live Chat and use of apps. Read about other ways to connect without using the National Relay Service on Access Hub on the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts website.
Auslan Signbank
Auslan (Australian Sign Language) is the language of the deaf community in Australia. The Auslan Signbank is a language resources site for Auslan and includes a dictionary, videos and class information. Read more on the Auslan Signbank website.
If you’re a person who is blind or has low vision
Vision Australia can help if you’re blind or have low vision. They have a range of services including advice on diagnosis, support, vision aids and living independently. Read more on the Vision Australia website.
If you’re a person whose first language is not English
If you need help to communicate in English, you can book an interpreter service. This can be either a phone or an e-site or on-site interpreting service. You can read more about the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National) services on the website.
If you need extra help to find our payments and services information
We have extra support available so that everyone can get information about our payments and services. Read more about our accessibility options.
Employment rights
Inclusion
The Australian Disability Network supports inclusion of people with disability. It helps organisations to develop their behaviours, attitudes, systems and knowledge and treat people with disability as valued staff members.
Reasonable adjustment
You can request workplace modifications or reasonable adjustments from an employer. These changes aim to remove barriers for people with disability. The changes can help you to apply for positions, participate in the recruitment process, and with your daily job.
It may include changes or tools and equipment to help you access any of the following:
- interpreters, readers, attendants or other work related assistance
- information and communication in accessible formats, for example converting text to audio, providing larger print versions of documents or a talking calculator
- assistive technology such as screen reader JAWS, screen magnifier Zoomtext, and speech to text application Dragon Naturally Speaking
- additional workplace equipment or facilities
- adjustments to work methods and arrangements
- methods for testing, assessment or selection
- training for staff, co-workers and supervisors.
If you’re applying for a job, there may be reasonable adjustment you’ll need during the recruitment process. You can discuss your needs with the organisation’s position contact officer for the job advertisement.
Equal opportunity and anti-discrimination
You can make a complaint to the Australian Human Rights Commission through their website regarding discrimination, harassment and bullying based on your disability. There are also state and territory based organisations that can help you protect your rights at work.
| State or Territory | Organisation name |
|---|---|
| Australian Capital Territory | ACT Human Rights Commission |
| New South Wales | Anti-Discrimination New South Wales |
| Northern Territory | The Northern Territory Anti-Discrimination Commission |
| Queensland | The Queensland Human Rights Commission |
| South Australia | The Office of the Commissioner for Equal Opportunity |
| Tasmania | Equal Opportunity Tasmania |
| Victoria | Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission |
| Western Australia | Equal Opportunity Commission |