A plan for a more accessible and inclusive future
The City of Stirling has committed to sector-leading access and inclusion through a new plan grounded in lived experience, shaped by community engagement and focused on tangible local outcomes.
The City’s Disability Access and Inclusion Plan 2026-2031 was launched last week at an event co-hosted by Disability Assembly WA (DAWA) and attended by many of the community members who helped shape the plan.
The plan was the product of extensive engagement with people with disability, families, carers, service providers, peak bodies, businesses and community groups.
It is broken down into seven community-focused themes, each with strategies and actions that will be achieved through implementation plans, committing all parts of the organisation to improving disability access and inclusion.
City of Stirling Mayor Mark Irwin AM launched the plan on Thursday 2 July at the City’s Administration Centre, a week after he spoke at the launch of the Australian Local Government Association’s 2026 Local Government Disability Inclusion Guide in Canberra.
He was joined by DAWA Chairperson Julie Waylen and Access and Inclusion Advisory Group Chairperson Amanda Sheers, the City’s Director Planning and Development.
“Local government is the closest level of government to the community, where decisions can make immediate and noticeable impacts on people’s daily lives,” Mayor Irwin said.
“Our facilities, services and programs are often the first point of inclusion – or exclusion – for our residents.
“As a local government, we have the ability and responsibility to foster a community where everyone can participate fully and with dignity.”
The plan was co-designed with the City’s Access and Inclusion Advisory Group, a group that has been instrumental in helping the City bridge the gap between well-intentioned ideas and practical solutions that make a difference.
Last week’s launch event included an activity called Story Stations, where attendees had candid conversations with people with lived experience around themes of access, inclusion, attitudes and employment.
“We are committed to working alongside people with lived experience to plan and implement practical changes at the local level,” Mayor Irwin said.
“This plan, and our partnership with a leading statewide organisation in DAWA, are important steps towards our goal of embedding access and inclusion into everything we do.”
To learn more about access and inclusion in the City of Stirling, visit www.stirling.wa.gov.au/access-and-inclusion
