Council
5 March, 2026
Shire transitions from awareness to action
MOYNE Shire Council will attempt to modernise its disability policy as part of efforts to make a real difference to residents’ lives following a significant update to inclusion best practice.
Councillors voted to endorse the Disability Inclusion Policy and acknowledge the Disability Inclusion Procedure in a unanimous vote at last week’s Ordinary Meeting of Council.
Moyne Shire Council director assets and community Liam Arnott said the policy had undergone significant changes following a “comprehensive review and update”.
“Moyne Shire Council has historically operated under the Disability Awareness Policy which provided foundational guidance for inclusive practices across council services,” he said.
“Updates were in response to evolving legislative frameworks, community expectations and best practice sentiments.
“The revised document is now titled Disability Inclusion Policy, reflecting a shift from awareness to active inclusion.
“This update aligns with the Victorian State Disability Plan 2022-2026 and incorporates contemporary understandings of disability including intersectionality, human rights and universal access principals.
“The updated policy represents a significant step forward in council’s commitment to equity, access and inclusion – and provides a robust framework for ensuring all community members, including those with a disability, can participate fully across Moyne Shire.”
Councillor Lisa Ryan said the changes would make a meaningful difference in council’s aim of being an inclusive shire for all.
“For nearly a decade council has been guided by a policy built around awareness,” she said.
“While awareness was a meaningful starting point, awareness alone does not remove a barrier and does not guarantee a person with a disability a seat at the table.
“By shifting our language and our lens away from awareness and towards inclusion, we’re signalling something important – that disability is not a problem to be acknowledged but a human experience that our services, our spaces and our culture must genuinely accommodate.
“This is the kind of leadership our community expects from us and I commend the work undertaken to date.”
Councillor Karen Foster said she was pleased to see so many council staff had taken part in further training as part of the program.
“It’s heartening to hear so many of our team members have put their hand up to receive this additional training,” she said.
“That they care enough to do that.
“I think that’s wonderful, and I really think whatever we can do to make every single person in Moyne Shire feel supported and feel at home, we should do.”