ParaQuad Association of Tasmania chairman David Cawthorn has told a Senate inquiry, investigating the National Disability Strategy outcomes in building inclusive and accessible communities, that there appears to be inadequate applications of universal standards.

He said it appeared that they are not held as a high priority by the construction industry.

Mr Cawthorn said that state and federal governments had an obligation to make meeting the full cost of requirements under the Premises Standards less prohibitive.

He said more disability housing was needed and that governments should offer developers greater incentives to boost stock of a universal design.

National Disability Services chief executive Ken Baker said affordable and accessible housing in a good location for people with disability was a widespread problem.

He said accommodation payments, worth $700 million annually, under the National Disability Insurance Scheme would only reach six per cent of participants.

“(This) falls well short of creating the housing needed by most people with disability,” Dr Baker said.

He said disability housing development could be bolstered by direct funding, supply of government-owned land, and having planning schemes require developers dedicate a portion of new housing for people with disability.

Dr Baker said the National Rental Affordability Scheme would be reshaped to prioritise people with disability.

He said transport accessibility was also an emerging issue given changes for disability organisations as a result of the NDIS rollout.

“Disability organisations have been significant providers of transport for people with severe disability, but an increasing number of them are reviewing this provision as it is not financially viable under the NDIS,” Dr Baker said.

“If they withdraw, transport for NDIS participants will be much less available – and more expensive.

“There is an urgent need for collaboration on this issue across governments, the National Disability Insurance Agency, community transport providers and disability organisations.”

The National Disability Agency says that it wants to see accessibility standards included in the National Construction Code.

It said that the use of universal design on new housing would take pressure off NDIS participants to provide home modifications and reduce the risk of homelessness. 

The state government notes that there are about 127,400 people in Tasmania with a disability – or 25.2 per cent of the state’s population.

The national average is 18.3 per-cent. 

There are expected to be 10,600 Tasmanians on the NDIS when the statewide rollout is completed by September 2019.

A report on the inquiry’s outcomes will be produced in September.