Inclusive homes and communities

Outcome: People with disability live in inclusive, accessible and well-designed homes and communities.

Why is this outcome area important?

Having an affordable and appropriate place to live in a community that is accessible and inclusive is central to how people with disability live, work and socialise (Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021–2031). Ensuring that public buildings and facilities, and public transport, are accessible to people with disability is crucial to an inclusive society. With services increasingly online across all aspects of life, accessibility of online services is also crucial for people with disability to be digitally included.

What are the policy priorities?

  1. Housing affordability/stress: The availability of affordable housing is increased.
  2. Housing accessibility: Housing is accessible and people with disability have choice and control about where and who they live with and who comes into their home.
  3. Social inclusion and participation: People with disability are able to fully participate in social, recreational, sporting, religious and cultural life.
  4. The built and natural environment accessibility: The built and natural environment is accessible.
  5. Transport system accessibility: Transport systems are accessible for the whole community.
  6. Information and communication systems accessibility: Information and communication systems are accessible, reliable and responsive.

Launch measures

Data for the 6 policy priorities under this outcome area are available for 3 system measures and 6 population measures (Table 3.1). For future measures requiring development, see Future measures.

Table 3.1: Inclusive homes and communities reference guide
Policy priority Launch measure Baseline time point Baseline value Latest time point Latest value Change since baseline Progress status

Housing affordability and stress

Average time waited for newly allocated households with a member with disability in public housing or SOMIH‡ (system measure)

2020–21

413 days
public housing

389 days
SOMIH

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

Housing affordability and stress

Proportion of households with at least one person with disability in lowest 40% income whose housing costs exceed 30% of household income (system measure)

2017–18

20.1%

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

Housing accessibility

Proportion of social housing dwellings that meet Livable Housing Design silver accessibility standards(a) (system measure)

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

Housing accessibility

Proportion of NDIS participants who are happy with current home(b) (population measure)

2021–22 Q2

73.4%

2021–22 Q4

73.2%

–0.2 pp

No change

Social inclusion and participation

Proportion of NDIS participants who spend free time doing activities that interest them(c) (system measure)

2021–22 Q2

65.5%

2021–22 Q4

65.1%

–0.4 pp

No change

Social inclusion and participation

Proportion of people with disability who participated in community or social activities in the past 12 months‡ (population measure)

2018

95%

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

The built and natural environment accessibility 

Proportion of people with disability who have difficulty accessing government buildings (system measure)

2018

8.1%

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

The built and natural environment accessibility

Proportion of people with disability who had no difficulty accessing buildings or facilities in the last 12 months (population measure)

2018

69.1%

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

n.a .

Transport system accessibility

Proportion of people with disability who can use all forms of public transport with no difficulty(d) (population measure)

2018

66.3%

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

Information and communication systems accessibility

Difference in digital inclusion between people with disability and the Australian population‡(e) (population measure)

2021

9.1 points

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

‡ Measure wording has been revised to reflect available data more accurately or clarify the measure’s intent. See relevant measure section below for more information.

n.a. – not available; pp – percentage points; SOMIH – state owned and managed Indigenous housing.

  1. Data for this measure are being developed.
  2. This measure will be replaced in the future by ‘Proportion of people with disability whose home is suitable and accessible’.
  3. This measure will be replaced in the future by ‘Number of community, political, social, recreational, sporting, religious and cultural groups that have active inclusion policies for people with disability’.
  4. This measure will be replaced in the future by ‘Proportion of people with disability who can access public or private transport when needed’.
  5. This measure will be replaced in the future by ‘Proportion of people with disability reporting the internet sites and apps they want to use are accessible’.
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