State Government Releases New Four-Year Disability Inclusion Plan

Coinciding with the International Day of People with Disability, the state government has announced a new four-year initiative today to make NSW a more accessible and inclusive community.

“The Minns Labor Government is celebrating International Day of People with Disability with a commitment to build a better, more inclusive and accessible NSW,” said Minister for Disability Inclusion Kate Washington. “When one in five people in NSW have a disability, we must ensure we’re removing any barriers to accessing our government’s services.”

The NSW Disability Inclusion Plan 2026–2029 is a clear guide for NSW on its approaches to better the community. It focuses on supporting over 1.5 million people with disabilities in the state.

The strategy also builds on NSW’s past efforts, such as investing $800 million in safer, more accessible public transport; more than $5 billion in fully accessible social housing, a significant direct investment in accessible housing in NSW’s history; and an additional 260 support classes in public schools.

Plan designed by and for people with disabilities

The current accessibility and inclusivity initiative has been created through collaboration with people who have lived experience of disability and with disability advocacy organisations. Additionally, it sets out to highlight the contributions and efforts that people with disabilities make to their communities. 

Moreover, the Minns Labor Government is investing $29 million in the Disability Advocacy Futures Program, which helps individuals with disabilities understand and exercise their rights.

The plan focuses on everyday life, such as how people live, travel, study, and work. The four-year outline includes building more accessible social housing, researching domestic, family, and sexual violence against people with disabilities, and improving point-to-point transport options.

The Minns government is also focused on creating more jobs. It aims to help more people with disabilities find work in the NSW public sector. Additionally, the government expects to support a disability-inclusive private sector by improving government procurement from disability enterprises.

“The Department of Communities and Justice is proudly leaning in to support the NSW public sector’s work to improve the lives of people with disability, and this plan strengthens our commitment and resolve,” said Department of Communities and Justice Secretary Michael Tidball. 

Inclusive and improved support

To upgrade access to services, the outline will provide more information in Easy Read, offer trials of new assistive technologies, and offer better support for students with disabilities to learn at their local schools, rather than being placed elsewhere.

“People with disability across the state should be able to go to school in their local area, access transport, jump on a government website or find meaningful and ongoing employment when they’ve got the right skills for the job,” said Parliamentary Secretary for Disability Inclusion Liesl Tesch. 

Every NSW agency and local council must update or create its own Disability Inclusion Action Plan by 30 June 2026, using this statewide initiative as a reference.

“The Minns Labor Government is delivering on its commitment to people with disability through this plan, and I am excited to keep turning this commitment into real action within communities,” said Tesch.

“It aligns with Australia’s national strategy and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, sending a clear message that inclusion is not optional—it is foundational,” said Disability Council NSW Chair Jane Spring.

“As Chair, it is my privilege—and our collective responsibility—to guide and hold accountable both government and community sectors in embedding disability access as a fundamental right.”