Hi Tee Like most things in the law, there's no clear-cut answer to that.
Like the DDA in the UK (as I understand it), it's up to an individual to make a complaint that they have been discriminated by on the basis of their disability. The HREOC guidelines tend to suggest that if you've built your site to at least WCAG level A you should be fairly safe saying that you've taken 'reasonable care'. Government websites are required to reach level A - there's an interesting argument going on at the moment re the new http://www.grocerychoice.com.au/ website: http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,24141741-15319,00.html William noted that "... for commercial organisations, if they are not providing a service where they are the sole provider and access point, the lines get fuzzy on what is and is not disciminatory." I'm not sure that he's right in that: there haven't been any cases regarding websites, but there has been at least one case regarding access to educational services and the (private) school concerned wasn't sole provider. Elizabeth Spiegel Web editing 0409 986 158 GPO Box 729, Hobart TAS 7001 www.spiegelweb.com.au -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of tee Sent: Monday, 18 August 2008 12:19 AM To: wsg@webstandardsgroup.org Subject: Re: [WSG] Lawsuits for inaccessible websites Thanks for the info, Elizabeth. Aussie members in this list must be very proud of this law :-) Let's just hope no gold-digger lawyer sees an opportunity there! Is the requirement for this law higher per WCAG guidelines (A, AA, or AAA)? For example, Section 508 is really low standard in my opinion. tee On Aug 15, 2008, at 9:07 PM, Elizabeth Spiegel wrote: > Hi Tee > > In Australia, websites are covered by Disability Discrimination > legislation, > although there has only been one successful suit to date. Bruce > Maguire was > awarded damages of $20,000 against SOCOG in 2000: full details here: > http://www.hreoc.gov.au/disability_rights/decisions/comdec/2000/DD000120.htm > > > Note that the target was not by any measure a 'small business'. HREOC > provides advisory notes > http://www.hreoc.gov.au/disability_rights/standards/www_3/www_3.html > ******************************************************************* List Guidelines: http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm Unsubscribe: http://webstandardsgroup.org/join/unsubscribe.cfm Help: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ******************************************************************* ******************************************************************* List Guidelines: http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm Unsubscribe: http://webstandardsgroup.org/join/unsubscribe.cfm Help: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *******************************************************************
