Cardinia Shire Council was honoured in 2000 to receive the inaugural Accessible Communities Award for a Rural Community. The Accessible Communities awards are a joint initiative of Arthritis Victoria and the Municipal Association of Victoria.
The Awards aim to encourage Victorian Councils to ensure that the overarching goal of community health and wellbeing is inclusive of all people, with Councils taking steps to redress any barriers preventing the full participation of people with disabilities in the social, cultural, economic, physical and environmental life of the community.
“This award was particularly special to us,” said Cardinia Shire Council Mayor, Councillor Graeme Legge. “It is an acknowledgment of the steps taken by Council to develop the essential framework to create an accessible community in Cardinia.
“We have undertaken a comprehensive consultation process across the community involving people with disabilities, carers and family members, service providers, residents and Council staff. As a result of establishing this successful working partnership, Council produced a Disability Policy which addresses many important issues for the continued consideration and support of people and their families in the community with a disability.”
