LGA Discussion
Paper: Disability
Employment
Targets
A role for local
government
July 2016
Purpose of this paper
At the 2015 LGA Annual General Meeting, it was moved (Prospect) and seconded (Campbelltown) that the
LGA be requested to investigate whether there is sufficient evidence across local government to initiate
disability employment targets for the sector.
This discussion paper provides an overview of the approach to disability employment in Australia and
provides examples of targets set at all levels of government and in other sectors. It provides discussion on
the potential benefits and challenges of setting targets in a local government context.
Input is sought from councils on their approach to employing people with a disability, any current targets set,
along with views on the challenge and opportunity of introducing a an overarching target for local
government in South Australia. Responses will be used to develop a report to the LGA Board with a
recommendation on how to proceed.
Disability employment snapshot
In 2012, there were 2.2 million Australians aged 15-64 years with a disability (14.4 per cent of the
population).1 This figure is likely to increase as our population ages, as people acquire disabilities and those
with pre-existing disabilities live longer. Changes in attitudes may also mean that more people feel
comfortable in disclosing a disability.
The benefits of a diverse workforce are well documented. In addition higher levels of productivity (90 per
cent of people with a disability have productivity rates that are equal to or greater than their colleagues), 86
per cent have better attendance records and there is evidence to suggest that employee retention rates can
be higher2.
However, at the same time, South Australia’s labour force participation rate3 for people with disability was
52.6 per cent4, compared to an 82.5 per cent participation rate for working-age people without a disability.
This is in line with the national labour force participation rate and has remained constant for over 20 years.
This indicates that much more needs to be done to support people with a disability to enter and remain in the
workforce. South Australian councils can play a key role by ensuring that their workforce reflects and
represents people with a disability in their local communities. There is much potential, with councils
collectively employing over 10,600 people, managing an annual revenue of $2 billion and being responsible
for $22.2 in community infrastructure and other assets.
Legislative requirements
At the Commonwealth level, the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 encourages organisations to develop
action plans to eliminate discriminatory practices. This aligns with a key outcome of the National Disability
Strategy 2010-2020 to ‘increase access to employment opportunities as a key to improving economic
security and personal wellbeing for people with disability’.
While there is no legal requirement for them to do so, South Australia’s disability plan, Strong Voices — a
Blueprint to Enhance Life and Claim the Rights of People with Disability in South Australia (2012-2020),
recommends that local councils (as well as other government agencies) develop and implement an annual
Access and Inclusion Plan to provide a planned and systemic approach to progressively improve access for people
with disability. Many councils have developed disability access and inclusion plans as an outward sign of their
intention to tackle discrimination.
1 ABS, Disability and Labour Force Participation, 2012
2 Diversity Council Australia, submission to the Commonwealth Discussion Paper on improving the employment participation of people with disability in Australia, 2013
3 The proportion 15-64 year olds who are either employed or actively looking for work.
4 ABS, Disability and Labour Force Participation, 2012
LGA of SA
Disability Employment Targets – a role for local government
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Examples of disability employment strategies and targets
Both the Australian and South Australian governments advocate for initiatives to improve the employment
participation of people with a disability. However, the approach to setting disability employment targets varies
across government departments at both levels.
Australian Public Service (Commonwealth)
The As One: Making it Happen, APS Disability Employment Strategy 2016–195 aims to improve the
employment experience of people with disability in the APS and forms part of the Commonwealth's response
to the National Disability Strategy 2010–20. It identifies key action areas that APS agencies will need to
focus on in developing a plan, which include expanding the range of employment opportunities for people
with disability and increasing the representation of employees with disability in senior roles.
In recognition that agencies have different needs, no general disability employment target has been set at
the Commonwealth level. Rather, agencies are encouraged to adopt activities against the key actions best
suited to their needs, noting that success will be measured by an increase in the number of people with
disability who come to work for the APS.
South Australian Government (State)
South Australia’s Strategic Plan includes a target to increase by 10 per cent the number of people with a
disability employed in South Australia by 2020.6 However, it should be noted that this applies to both public
and private sector employees and is not specific to government employees.
In 2012, the Government endorsed the introduction of Disability Access and Inclusion Plans (DAIPs) across
government in accordance with recommendation 6 of the Strong Voices report. While this recommendation
applied to local government, DAIPs are not legally required for local councils in South Australia (unlike
Victoria and New South Wales). State departments are advising that they have developed or are in the
process of finalising new DAIPs in line with the National Disability Strategy 2010–2020. On an individual
basis, departments are publishing disability employment data as a proportion of all employees in their Annual
Reports.
ANZ
ANZ launched their first Disability Action Plan in 2005 with a view to strengthening their commitments to
employees with a disability, which include flexible policies, providing mental health and wellbeing information
and reviewing employment practices to successfully recruit, onboard, promote and support people with a
disability. One of their objectives is to employ at least 35 people with a self-disclosed disability per year
through traineeships, graduate programs and permanent recruitment. ANZ note that they have employed
131 people with a disability since 2008, with a retention rate of 74 per cent. In 2012, they employed 38
people with a disability, exceeding their target of 35 7.
Australia Post
Australia Post launched its first Accessibility Action Plan in 2012, which is viewed as a “proactive and public
commitment to taking a lead role” in enhancing the attraction, recruitment and retention of people with a
disability by improving access to employment and ongoing development opportunities. The plan does not
publically state a disability employment target but does note that in 2012, 7.3 per cent of people in their
workforce have a disability, compared to three per cent in the Australian Public Service. 8
5 http://www.apsc.gov.au/managing-in-the-aps/disability/aps-disability-employment-strategy-2016-19
6 http://saplan.org.au/targets/50-people-with-disability
7 Diversity Council Australia, submission to Willing to Work: National Inquiry into Employment Discrimination against Older Australians and Australians with Disability,
2015
8 Australia Post, Accessibility Action Plan 2012 – 2015
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Disability Employment Targets – a role for local government
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Setting disability employment targets in local government
While specific disability employment targets have not been set at the Commonwealth or State Government
level, it is clear that as a sector local government in South Australia is falling behind in public commitments
and coordinated efforts to employ and support more people with a disability.
This is a lost opportunity for councils and the local government sector in South Australia. Having a workforce
that reflects the diversity of its community gives councils the opportunity to enhance customer satisfaction,
as well as developing a competitive advantage in accessing a depth of knowledge and experience in relation
clients, customers and stakeholders with a disability.
The issue at hand is whether these benefits can be best achieved by setting employment targets, by
developing disability access and inclusion plans, or both. It seems evident that setting a disability
employment target, whether at an individual council level or for local government as a whole, will not achieve
results if done in isolation.
As per the examples given in Commonwealth and State Governments, as well as the private sector, there is
real value in councils developing DAIPs that include a range of best practice initiatives, which may include
actions to increase the number of people in the workforce with a disability and setting a disability
employment target as a way of reporting on the outcomes.
In developing a position on whether there is sufficient evidence across local government to initiate
disability employment targets for the sector, councils are asked to provide responses to one or more of
the following questions.
Targets
1. Do you see value in setting a disability employment target for the sector, or should targets be
determined by councils at an organisational level?
2. What do you consider would be an appropriate target for the sector?
3. Do you currently have or are you in the process of developing a DAIP?
4. Should a DAIP include a hard target for disability employment?
5. Should a target be set as a proportion of total employees, or reflect a stretch target to increase the
actual number of employees with a disability by a stated amount?
6. What are the barriers to employing someone with a disability and how can they be overcome?
Disclosure and reporting
7. Noting that best practice is to support voluntary disclosure of a disability, what strategies do you have in
place / should there be to support this?
8. Do you publically report on the number of people with a disability in your workforce?
9. While it is not a legislative requirement, should there be a sector wide commitment to make this
information publically available – for example in DAIPs or the annual report?
10. If some councils choose not to report, does this affect the authenticity of collected efforts?
11. Should reporting also include a breakdown of disability, work-place adjustments made, seniority of
employees?
12. How can reporting be achieved without increasing regulatory burden?
13. Any other issues or comments?
Responses are welcomed by 2 September 2016 to Lea Bacon, Senior Policy Adviser, via email to
[email protected] (Tel: 8224 2025).
LGA of SA
Disability Employment Targets – a role for local government
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