Under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth), Australian organizations have a legal obligation to ensure their websites are accessible to people with disabilities.
Key Takeaways
- The DDA applies to websites and digital services.
- WCAG 2.1 Level AA is the practical conformance benchmark.
- Dated evidence and remediation records support due diligence.
What is the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA)?
The DDA makes disability discrimination unlawful in many areas of public life, including access to information and services delivered online.
How the DDA applies to websites
- Inaccessible websites may create unlawful barriers.
- Obligations can apply across government, private, and not-for-profit sectors.
- Both external and internal digital systems may be relevant.
WCAG 2.1 Level AA: The Australian Standard
In practice, WCAG 2.1 AA is treated as the expected benchmark for web accessibility in Australian policy and procurement contexts.
How to Demonstrate Due Diligence
1. Regular Compliance Evidence
- Run evidence checks at key moments (before releases, procurement submissions, governance reviews, major content changes)
- Keep timestamped evidence reports for each evidence moment
- Track issues discovered and remediation actions between evidence moments
- Retain historical reports to demonstrate sustained due diligence over time
2. Publish an Accessibility Statement
Maintain a current statement describing conformance targets, known limits, and contact pathways.
3. Maintain Audit-Ready Documentation
Store evidence reports, remediation records, and governance artefacts in a retrievable format.
Practical Steps to Achieve Compliance
Step 4: Ongoing Evidence
- Run an evidence check before major releases and redesigns
- Run evidence checks when tendering or responding to procurement requirements
- Re-check after remediation work is completed (to produce fresh evidence)
- Maintain a simple evidence cadence that matches your risk profile (e.g. per release cycle), rather than “always-on monitoring”
Special Requirements for Government Suppliers
Suppliers should maintain procurement-ready WCAG evidence and statement documentation for tender and review cycles.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I test for accessibility?
Test at evidence moments: before launches, after significant changes, before procurement submissions, and after remediation. For high-change sites, align evidence checks with your release cycle (e.g. each release / sprint boundary). For lower-change sites, run periodic governance reviews (e.g. when policies require it). Document each test result as dated evidence.
Start Your Compliance Journey Today
Start with a site eligibility check and produce a WCAG 2.1 Level AA evidence report.
Related guides
WCAG Compliance for Australian Government Suppliers
How government suppliers can meet WCAG accessibility requirements for procurement, tenders, and contract compliance.
Evidence StrategyAccessibility Audit vs. Ongoing Monitoring
Understanding the difference between point-in-time evidence reports and continuous monitoring, and when each approach is appropriate.
Legal Disclaimer: This guide provides general information and does not constitute legal advice.