Canberra: Taking public transport should have been easier for people with disabilities from today, with new national Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport coming into effect. The disability sector, transport industry and all levels of Government have worked hard towards the goal of public transport accessibility. But yesterday, at the last possible minute, the Democrats stopped that happening. These Transport Standards were developed by a Taskforce including representatives of all stakeholders. There were extensive public consultations on the draft Standards as well as on the Regulatory Impact Statement that accompanied them. In addition to improving access for people with a disability the new measures would have improved access for others who have difficulty using public transport. The Transport Standards provide practical measures to be taken by transport operators and providers so that public transport will become more accessible, both for people with disabilities, as well as the elderly and those travelling with young children. Following agreement by the Australian Transport Council and the Government, the final draft of these Standards was released by the Attorney-General on 27 September last year. The Standards were tabled in the Senate on 20 August this year. The Democrats have had ample opportunity in the past to raise any concerns they may have, in a constructive way. Today should have been one to remember for people with disabilities, marking the fruition of years of cooperative work to achieve accessible public transport. Sadly, the Democrats have delayed that achievement - let us hope the rest of the Senate disposes of the Democrats' motion as quickly as possible, so that our public transport system can focus on the important issue - achieving accessibility for all. More information about the Standards and accompanying Guidelines is available at: www.law.gov.au/DSFAPT/Welcome.html. ###