Pacific Disability Forum

Policies and Legislation

This page provides information on disability focussed national policies and legislation in the Pacific, with links where possible.  You can find more information on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and other frameworks on the disability frameworks page. For a list of Pacific countries that have signed and ratified the CRPD, visit the disability in the Pacific page.  

PDF
 Mapping of the Disability Policy and Program Framework in the Pacific [pdf]

Regional
Regional Review on Disability Policy and Legislation - 2004 [pdf]
 
Australia
               

• Disability (Access to Premises – Buildings) Standards (2010)
• Disability Discrimination and Other Human Rights Legislation Amendment Act (2009)
• Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport (2002)
• Disability Standards for Education (2005)
• Disability Discrimination Act (1992)

• 
  Draft Legislation
• National Disability Scheme Draft Legislation.  This bill is still being debated. Keep up to date here. 
  
  Policy
• 2010-2020 National Disability Strategy

 
 
Cook Islands

• Cook Islands Disability Act (2008)

 

• National Policy on Disability (2003)
• National Disability Action Plan (2003)
• General Information on these policies can be found here [word]

 
Federated States of Micronesia

• National Policy on Disability (2009-2016)

 
Fiji

• Fiji National Council for Disabled Persons (FNCDP) Act (1994) [pdf]

 

• Fiji National Policy on Persons Living With Disablities 2008 -2018 [pdf]

 
 
Kiribati
N/A
 
Marshall Islands

• State Plan of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (1993)
• Ministry of Education Act (1991)

 

• Special Education Policy and Procedure (1992)

 
 
Nauru
N/A
 
New Caledonia

• Policy for persons with disabilities (2009)
• Policy in favour of persons with disabilities and for persons experiencing loss of autonomy(2009)
• Disability Charter in New Caledonia (2007)

 
New Zealand

• New Zealand Sign Language Act (2006)
• Intellectual Disability (Compulsory Care and Rehabilitation) Act (2003)
• Criminal Procedure (Mentally Impaired Persons) Act (2003)
• New Zealand Public Health and Disability Act (2000) 
• Health and Disability Commissioner Act (1994)
• Human Rights Act (1993)
• Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act (1992)
• Protection of Personal and Property Rights Act (1988)

 

• Disability Action Plan
• New Zealand Disability Strategy (2001)

 
Niue

• National Policy on Disability (2009 – 2017)
• National Action Plan on Disability (2012 – 2015)

 
Palau

• Disability Stipend Law (2011)
• National Policy on Disability (2011)

 
Papua New Guinea

• National Policy on Disability (2009)

 
Samoa

• National Policy on Persons with Disability (2009) [word]

 
Solomon Islands

• National Policy on Persons with Disability (2005 – 2010)

 
Tonga
N/A
 
Tuvalu
N/A
 
Vanuatu

• National Disability Policy and Action Plan (2008 – 2015)