Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

  (i) support and assistance dogs can help guide those living with trauma and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) back to a sense of safety, helping to improve interpersonal connections, encourage engagement in the community, improve the overall quality of life and can be particularly helpful for survivors of child sexual abuse, and

  (ii) the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 sets out the legal definition of an assistance animal, but there are inconsistencies in laws and policies across the states and territories, and between the states, territories and the Commonwealth which mean that people who use assistance animals face discrimination, uncertainty and a range of associated challenges to accessing the community which often exacerbates their symptoms of PTSD; and

(b) calls on the Federal Government to:

  (i) work with state and territory governments to develop a national model or interstate recognition of assistance animal identification,

  (ii) ensure that certification that is clear and simple such as a single permit that can be used for a variety of legitimate purposes, so that a person could access public transport, employment and educational settings, and

  (iii) ensure that the cost of any certification is accessible to those on low incomes.