QAI made a submission to the Department of Social Services regarding proposed Assistance Animal National Principles.
There is great confusion within the Australian community as to what constitutes an assistance animal and what the rights are of people with disability who rely on them. It is unlawful to discriminate against someone because they have an assistance animal and assistance animals do not need to be accredited for these protections to apply. However, in practice, many people with disability are being discriminated against and denied access to the community on an equal basis with others.
QAI supports the concept of assistance animal national principles. However, while achieving national consistency is important, it should not have the result of imposing an unreasonable burden on people with disability. QAI is concerned that the assistance animal national principles in practice, will impose additional financial and administrative burdens on people with disability and that they will disproportionately impact people with disability living in regional and remote areas who may be forced to travel large distances to satisfy accreditation requirements, incurring unnecessary financial cost.
The Queensland Translink pass for assistance animals is a great example of an accreditation process which we recommend the national principles be guided by. It is simple, low cost and accessible to people in regional and remote areas.
Read our full submission here: