By Suzanne Gearing, CEO of Physical Disability Australia
In this blog, our CEO Suzanne Gearing uses humour to highlight a serious issue affecting people with mobility aids and others with mobility and access requirements.
Every footpath seems to have developed a serious attitude problem. One minute it is a public pathway, the next it is a chaotic storage unit for shopping trolleys, e-bikes, scooters, bins, and whatever else has been abandoned by someone who decided the middle of the pavement was a perfectly reasonable parking space. The result is a scene that looks less like a walkway and more like an obstacle course designed by a committee with a grudge.
For most pedestrians, cluttered footpaths are annoying. You mutter, you step around the mess, maybe you do a dramatic little sidestep and continue with your day. For people in wheelchairs, though, the experience is very different. A blocked footpath can mean detouring onto the road, getting stuck, struggling to turn around, or simply not being able to pass at all. What looks like a minor nuisance to one person can become a complete barrier to another.
That is the part many people miss. A shopping trolley left in the wrong place is not just a shopping trolley. It is a gate. An e-bike dumped sideways across the path is not just sloppy parking. It is a wall. A scooter leaning dramatically against a pole is not street art. It is an access problem. Public space only works when it is actually public, and that means everyone can use it without needing to perform a physics experiment first.
The strange thing is how confident these obstacles look. The trolley is parked at a jaunty angle, as if it is posing for a lifestyle magazine cover titled Urban Chaos Weekly. The e-bike sprawls across the pavement with the relaxed energy of someone who has absolutely no intention of moving. The scooter looks like it has been placed there by a person who thought, “Surely this is fine,” just before vanishing into a café. Meanwhile, a wheelchair user approaches the scene like a general surveying a battlefield, calculating angles, widths, bumps, and the emotional strength required to attempt the crossing.
There is a special kind of irony in this. A footpath is literally a place for feet … or in some cases wheels, canes, prams, and mobility aids … yet it is often treated as the one area where thought is optional. People will carefully park a car, align a bike in a rack, and neatly return a shopping cart indoors, but somehow the pavement becomes the wild west. The message seems to be: Not my problem, I’m only here for a minute. That “minute” can be someone else’s entire journey.
People with mobility aids already deal with enough without having to battle everyday clutter. They navigate uneven surfaces, dropped kerbs, narrow doorways, weather, curbs, and the occasional tiny slope that behaves like a mountain. Add a line of abandoned trolleys and a bike that has collapsed in protest, and a simple trip to the shop becomes a test of patience, endurance, and creativity. It is hard to feel cheerful about freedom of movement when your route has been turned into a scavenger hunt for a clear patch of pavement.
And yet, there is a simple fix. Keep the path clear. That is it. No grand policy speech, no heroic effort, no complicated technology. Just basic courtesy and an understanding that footpaths are not private storage shelves. If you are borrowing a public space to leave your trolley, bike, or scooter, you are also borrowing someone else’s independence, even if only for a moment.
There is also a bigger point hidden inside the clutter. Accessibility is not only about ramps and handrails and official signs. It is also about everyday behaviour. It is about whether people think before blocking a route. It is about whether public space is treated as shared space. It is about whether access is real in practice, not just on paper.
So the next time you see a trolley parked like a tiny metal roadblock or an e-bike sprawled across the footpath with all the grace of a fainted giraffe, remember this: someone else may not be able to step around it, because stepping around is not always an option. A clear footpath is not a luxury. It is a basic part of making a town or city usable for everyone.
Keeping footpaths clear is a simple act that can make a meaningful difference. Before leaving anything on a footpath, take a moment to consider whether a wheelchair user or someone using a mobility aid can pass safely.
Have footpath obstructions affected your access or independence? PDA welcomes stories from people with physical disability. Sharing your experience can help raise awareness and support our advocacy for more accessible communities.
Share your story with PDA:
https://www.pda.org.au/share-your-story/
You can also strengthen PDA’s collective voice by becoming a member. Membership is free:
https://www.pda.org.au/membership-application/
By Melanie Hawkes, PDA WA Director
Accessible public transport relies on more than ramps and designated spaces. It also requires awareness, communication and consideration when passengers have different access needs.
PDA WA Director Melanie Hawkes recently encountered this while travelling home from Optus Stadium. In her own words, Melanie shares what happened when she could not safely access the designated wheelchair space on her bus.
Recently, I got on bus 656 after the Dockers game at Optus Stadium to come home. The bus was already there with the ramp out, so I drove straight on, even though it was a bit full.
In the wheelchair area, I found someone with a walker. On the opposite side, there were three people sitting with no visible mobility aids. I asked whether they could move so I could use that space.
The woman in the middle, who would have been around my age, in her mid 40s, said, “No, he can’t move.” Pointing to an older man on her right, she added, “He’s blind.”
I was struck by her words, so I tried reasoning with her. I suggested that someone in the next row could move so they could take those seats. Nobody moved, and again, she said, “He can’t move because he’s blind.”
Meanwhile, the person with the walker was trying to fold it to make space for me, but my wheelchair takes up the space in front of all three seats. It is not safe for me to travel sideways while facing the middle of the bus. The safest position for me is facing the back with my chair tilted slightly so I do not lose my balance.
In any case, the person with the walker had a right to be there. The sign above the seats in that area even said so.
The woman then asked me, “Why can’t you stay where you are?”
I was in the aisle, just before the wheelchair space. No one would have been able to pass me. I also explained that the wheelchair area has a slip resistant surface, which is safer for me. She remained adamant that the blind man could not move. He did not say a word or move during the conversation.
I was not going to argue any further, so I decided to get off the bus. There was no space to turn around, which meant I had to reverse all the way off the bus and down the ramp. I waited for the next bus and was fortunate that it did not rain.
I am not against people who are blind. In fact, I have friends who are blind or have low vision. However, blindness is no excuse for rudeness or ignorance. If the man was able to walk onto the bus, surely he could have moved a couple of rows and found a seat elsewhere.
What I do not appreciate, and this applies to any disability, is people taking advantage of the benefits intended to support someone with disability. This could include using a priority seat, companion ticket or ACROD parking bay when the designated space is required by the person it was created to support.
People with disability are not there to provide benefits for others. I simply wanted to get home as quickly and safely as the next person.
Melanie’s experience highlights that accessibility is not about placing one disability above another. It is about recognising different access requirements and ensuring designated spaces can be used safely and as intended.
Everyone should be able to use public transport with dignity, safety and independence. Achieving this requires accessible services, greater public awareness and consideration from everyone.
Have you experienced a similar accessibility barrier while using public transport? PDA welcomes stories from people with physical disability. Sharing your experience can help raise awareness and strengthen our advocacy for more accessible and inclusive communities.
Share your story with PDA:
https://www.pda.org.au/share-your-story/
You can also strengthen PDA’s collective voice by becoming a member. Membership is free:
https://www.pda.org.au/membership-application/
She shares her take on the day below:
Yesterday, on a day that was as bleak as the future we are facing under the NDIS reforms, sitting in Parliament House meeting room S2.1, Paul Williamson (Physical Disability Australia Ltd (PDA) President) and I watched the tide of opinion around the NDIS reforms swell into something far greater than a debate. It became a tsunami. For hours, the message had rolled in like relentless waves: yes, we all agreed the NDIS needed to be sustainable, and yes, reform was necessary, but this Bill carried serious consequences and deserved proper consultation before it was forced through. Organisations had poured their concerns into submissions; then some spoke to the committee while others walked the corridors of Parliament House, knocking on doors, making calls, and fighting for change via any opportunity that raised its head.
Then a panel of four people with lived experience took the stage, and everything shifted. Their stories crashed over the room, turning those steady lapping waves into a forceful swell that struck ministers and audience alike with the raw truth of what it means to live with disability, or to care for someone who does.
And then came the tsunami.
Hannah Diviney took her place at the table and spoke with passion, humour, sarcasm, and gravity. With devastating clarity, she swept away the arguments for rushing the Bill through, exposing the potential consequences and placing responsibility squarely where it belonged: on the people prepared to pass this Bill at speed, unaware, or ignorant of, the damage it may cause.
In a room where visitors tiptoed in and out, where every voice was lowered to a whisper, we ignored the risk of being ushered out and clapped as loudly as we could. And in that moment, hope arrived. Because perhaps, just perhaps, consultation will come before the Bill is signed off.
PDA’s Policy/Projects Officer, Sarah McInnes, once again provides a summary of the Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee hearing.
You can read her shared highlights of Day 2 by going to:
Day 2 Summary – Senate Inquiry into the NDIS Amendment Bill – 10 June 2026
With Day 3 in Canberra today, we will also provide you with a post-event summary.
To read Day 3’s Agenda go to:
You can also watch the livestream/recording by going to:
NDIS Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Public Hearing
In a recently published Yahoo! News article, concerns about the accessibility of disability parking were highlighted at a Victorian Bunnings store.
The issue was raised by a frustrated Bunnings customer, who drew attention to the lack of consideration given to the placement and suitability of designated disability parking spaces. The accessible parking bays were located more than 75 metres from the store entrance and required customers to navigate a steep ramp to access the store, creating additional barriers for people with disability and those with mobility impairments.
PDA CEO Suzanne Gearing said she was not surprised by the concerns raised in the article, noting that she frequently encounters poor accessible parking layouts whilst out driving.
While she acknowledges that Bunnings is not alone in facing these issues, Suzanne said the example highlights how the needs of people with disability are too often treated as “an afterthought or a box-ticking exercise” rather than being considered from the outset.
You can read the full article:
Bunnings car park highlights problematic issue for millions – Yahoo News Australia
If you have a personal experience relating to disability parking or accessibility that you would like to share, we would love to hear from you. Please email us at team@pda.org.au.
Understanding the barriers you face and the issues that matter most to you helps us focus our advocacy and work on the priorities of our members and the broader disability community.
If you’re not already a PDA member, we encourage you to join for free by visiting:
While acknowledging the life-changing support he has received through the NDIS, Dinesh also expressed concern that people with disability – the very people the Scheme exists to support – are too often excluded from the conversations and legislative decisions that directly affect their lives.
As Dinesh said, the person with disability must remain at the centre of the Scheme.
Listen to his powerful contribution to the hearing here:
Dinesh begins speaking at 2:38:13.
Today was Day 1 of the Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee hearings and PDA’s Policy/Projects Officer, Sarah McInnes, kept on top of the key issues raised.
You can read her shared highlights by going to:
Day 2 is scheduled for tomorrow at Parliament House in Canberra, and PDA’s CEO Suzanne Gearing and President Paul Williamson will be there, allowing us to provide you with a comprehensive breakdown of issues covered and what this means to you.
You can read Day 2’s Agenda by going to:
A plain-language look at why everyday access, safety, and inclusion still matter – and why your voice does too.
What does progress mean if you still cannot get into your home easily, catch public transport with confidence, or feel safe in the support systems meant to protect you? That is the heart of this latest disability update. Behind the policy language is a much more personal truth: for many people with physical disability, everyday life is still shaped by barriers that should not be there.
What the update is really saying
One of the most important ideas behind the Strategy is this: disability is not just about a person’s body. It is also about the barriers around them. And for many people, those barriers are everywhere — in housing, transport, support systems, and the way society responds. That is why this update matters. It reflects the gap between what inclusion should look like and what daily life can actually feel like.
What is getting better
There are some signs of progress, and that matters. Some people are finding it easier to access government buildings and other facilities. That might sound basic, but physical access changes everything. It can mean more independence, more confidence, and fewer exhausting workarounds just to get through the day.
There has also been a small improvement in self-advocacy among NDIS participants. In other words, more people feel able to speak up for themselves, ask for what they need, and have their voice heard. That is important, because no one should have to fight so hard just to be included.
There has also been a small lift in enjoyable activities for some NDIS participants. That may seem like a small thing on paper, but it is not small in real life. More choice, more connection, and more moments of joy all matter.
What is not improving fast enough
Housing is still one of the biggest pressure points. If you cannot find an accessible, affordable, secure place to live, everything else becomes harder. Work, study, rest, routines, and independence all depend on that foundation. Right now, the update suggests that too many people are still being left to wait.
Transport is another daily barrier. Even when a workplace, clinic, or community space is technically accessible, getting there can still be the hardest part. And when transport does not work, it is not just inconvenient. It limits freedom, opportunity, and participation.
The update also shows that social participation has gone backwards. That is a reminder that inclusion is about more than being able to enter a building. It is about being part of your community, your workplace, your friendships, and everyday life.
Safety is still a serious issue. Complaints about abuse and neglect in the NDIS have risen sharply, and that is deeply concerning. People with disability should not have to choose between support and safety. They deserve both, without compromise.
There are also signs that discrimination is not being handled well enough. When rights are ignored and complaints are not taken seriously, people are left carrying the burden. That should never be the expectation.
That matters because real inclusion is not just about access. It is also about being respected, protected, and backed by systems that actually work when you need them.
Why housing and transport matter so much
For many people with physical disability, housing is the foundation for everything else. If your home is not accessible, affordable, or secure, it becomes much harder to live independently. The update suggests Australia still has a long way to go in this area.
Transport matters just as much. Even if a workplace, clinic, or community venue is accessible, getting there can still be the hardest part. When transport does not work, people miss out on opportunities and everyday freedom.
Safety, rights, and respect
The update also highlights something deeper than access: safety and dignity. People with disability are still more likely to face violence, abuse, neglect, and discrimination than people without disability. That shows inclusion is not only about ramps and lifts. It is also about rights, respect, and systems that respond properly when something goes wrong.
The bottom line
So yes, there is progress here. But it is uneven, and for many people it will not feel fast enough. The real test is not whether change is happening somewhere. It is whether people with physical disability can actually feel that change in their homes, their travel, their safety, and their everyday lives.
Why this matters for people with physical disability
If you live with physical disability, none of this is abstract. These issues shape real days, real choices, and real opportunities. And that is exactly why this conversation matters. Access is not a bonus. Safety is not a bonus. Inclusion is not a bonus. They are part of living with dignity. This update is a reminder that progress is possible, but it also shows why people with disability must keep being heard, believed, and centred in every decision that affects their lives.
If this feels familiar, you are not alone. Your story matters, and it deserves to be heard.
If you want to share your experience of housing, transport, access, safety, or everyday life with physical disability, send your story to promotion@pda.org.au. If you have a photo that can also be used to explain your concern, please feel free to add that too.
If you would prefer your name to remain confidential, please let us know.
Real change starts when real voices are listened to.
Physical Disability Australia has reviewed the NDIS Amendment Bill 2026. What we found: tighter access, narrower definitions, repeated reassessments for lifelong conditions, and funding uncertainty for wheelchairs, home modifications, and the supports that keep us alive.
This isn’t reform. It’s exclusion with better branding.
Read it. Share it.
If you rely on the NDIS – or care about what happens to it – this concerns you.
* Tuesday June 9 – Melbourne
* Wednesday June 10 – Parliament House, Canberra
* Thursday June 11 – Parliament House, Canberra
You can access the agendas, read submissions, and watch live broadcasts via the Parliament of Australia Community Affairs Committee page:
1800 732 674
