Kate Chaney (Curtin, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Like most, James Davies of Scarborough knows that being connected to community improves the quality of our lives. As someone who lives with a disability, requiring a wheelchair for mobility, James still faces physical barriers to fulfilling the basic human need for connection. We've come a long way in relation to disability access over the last 50 years, with a national disability strategy that commits to an accessible built and natural environment, but we're not delivering on that commitment.

Floreat Surf Lifesaving Club has shown me it's lovely room and event space on the first floor, with views of our beautiful coastline, but, as it doesn't have a lift, James hasn't been able to get up there to see it or attend events there. The club president, Cathy McIntyre, has shown me the changes that would be needed to make it accessible, but the club doesn't have the money to make these changes. James has had similar challenges at other venues, including the Lake Monger Recreation Club and the Cottesloe Civic Centre in my electorate.

There are two ways we must make good on our commitment to accessibility. The first is making our buildings and infrastructure accessible when we build them. For newly-built infrastructure we must adopt universal design principles so that everyone can use houses and other infrastructure without the need for specialised or adapted features. The National Construction Code has been amended, but WA and New South Wales are yet to sign on for the minimum accessibility building standards, citing the additional building cost as a concern. But there's a very good reason to get it right upfront—it's up to 22 times more expensive to retrofit accessibility standards. The federal government must put pressure on the remaining states, including Western Australia, to take up amendments to the National Construction Code. This will futureproof our houses for an ageing population, empowering people to live independently for longer.

The second way is retrofitting existing buildings. Many community buildings and facilities in Curtin were built 50 years ago. The bowling, sailing and surf clubs don't have the funds to update them. At the Mounts Bay Sailing Club I met members who have been volunteering in various capacities for decades. Declining mobility will eventually exclude them from anything that happens upstairs at the club.

While the government has committed to supporting infrastructure projects in the regions, there's no funding allocated to support community infrastructure in the cities. Our city communities are important too and cannot be allowed to fall behind community needs. I call on the government to allocate funding in the upcoming budget for community infrastructure in metropolitan areas. These one-off investments give our community groups the ability to keep providing the threads that hold our communities together, making people healthier, happier and more connected for longer.