Question 1

What Australian law requires website accessibility?

Accepted Answer

The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) makes it unlawful to discriminate against people with disabilities in the provision of goods, services, and facilities. The Australian Human Rights Commission has confirmed that websites are covered. The Advisory Notes to the DDA reference WCAG 2.0 as the applicable standard, with WCAG 2.1 AA considered current best practice.

Question 2

Does the DDA apply to private sector websites?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The DDA applies to all organizations providing goods, services, or facilities, including private companies, government agencies, educational institutions, and non-profits. There is no size exemption. The Australian Human Rights Commission can receive complaints about inaccessible websites from any person with a disability.

Question 3

What happened in the Maguire v SOCOG case?

Accepted Answer

In 2000, the Australian Human Rights Commission ruled in Maguire v Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games that the Sydney Olympics website was inaccessible and discriminated against a blind user. SOCOG was ordered to pay AUD $20,000 in damages. This was one of the first web accessibility rulings globally and established that websites fall under the DDA.

Question 4

What standard should Australian websites follow?

Accepted Answer

The Australian Government's Digital Service Standard requires WCAG 2.1 Level AA for government websites. The DDA Advisory Notes reference WCAG 2.0, but WCAG 2.1 AA is considered the current benchmark by the Australian Human Rights Commission. Following WCAG 2.1 AA satisfies both the DDA requirements and government standards.

Question 5

What are the consequences of a DDA complaint?

Accepted Answer

Complaints are filed with the Australian Human Rights Commission, which attempts conciliation. If conciliation fails, the matter can proceed to the Federal Court or Federal Circuit Court. Courts can order damages, require remediation, and issue injunctions. Compensation awards have ranged from AUD $10,000 to AUD $100,000+.

Question 6

Can an automated scanner verify Australian compliance?

Accepted Answer

Automated scanning with axe-core identifies common WCAG 2.1 AA violations: missing alt text, unlabeled form fields, language attributes, heading structure, color contrast, ARIA issues, and more. It typically catches 30-50% of WCAG issues. Full DDA compliance also requires manual testing. OnePageAudit provides automated scanning as a documented starting point.

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Common questions about Australian accessibility compliance