Document 1 Attorney General s Department Online Accessibility Action....pdf

Attorney-General’s Department
Online Accessibility Action Plan

TRIM Ref: 13#257557DOC

link to page 2 link to page 4 link to page 4 link to page 5 link to page 5 link to page 5 link to page 5 link to page 6 link to page 6 link to page 6 link to page 6 link to page 6 link to page 6 link to page 6 link to page 7 link to page 7 link to page 7 link to page 7 link to page 8 link to page 8 link to page 8 link to page 8 link to page 8 link to page 9

link to page 9 link to page 9 link to page 9 link to page 10 link to page 10 link to page 12 link to page 12

The Attorney-General's Department (AGD) delivers programs and policies to maintain and
improve Australia’s law and justice framework, strengthen our national security and emergency
management, and provide support for arts and culture. The department is the central policy
and coordinating element of the Attorney-General's portfolio, for which the Attorney-General
and Minister for the Arts, and the Minister for Justice are responsible.
This Online Accessibility Action Plan (Plan) outlines departmental initiatives for eliminating
disability-based discrimination in the department’s online information and services. It is also a
public statement of the department’s commitment to meeting its accessibility-based legislative
and policy obligations
The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 supports, and the Australian Human Rights Commission
encourages, the development and implementation of action plans for eliminating disability-
based discrimination. The Disability Discrimination Act encourages providers to assess services
and programs and address any barriers to accessibility.1

In 2009, the Secretaries’ ICT Governance Board endorsed the Australian Government’s
transition to the World Wide Web Consortium’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)
version 2.0.  Australian Government websites must conform to WCAG 2.0 Level AA and develop
and publish an Online Accessibility Action Plan. The department’s Disability Action Plan and
Information Publication Scheme are partner documents to this Plan.
Part A: Objectives
Introduction
Web accessibility is the inclusive practice of making online information accessible and usable by
people of all abilities and disabilities. The department aims to have websites that are
appropriately designed, developed and edited, so all users can have equal access to information
and functionality. The department’s objective is to remove barriers to accessing online
information and services, for the department’s internal and public-facing websites and services.


1. Disability Commissioner Graeme Innes, May 2006

Policies and processes
The department regularly reviews its information management and governance policies to
maintain their currency. Accessibility requirements are included in these documents where
necessary. Accessibility requirements are also built into decision making when purchasing or
implementing new technologies
Planning and prioritisation
To ensure the accessibility of all the department’s online information and services requires
significant investment of time, finances, and resources. The department has a well-considered
approach to prioritise where to invest its efforts in an increasingly constrained environment. To
this end the department is:
  establishing an Information Asset Register, which documents all information repositories
  redeveloping the AGD Intranet and has already redeveloped the AGD website
  continually testing new and existing websites for WCAG 2.0 compliance
  improving the governance of its online websites and applications.
Scope
This plan applies to all sites outlined in Part H: Websites. Another plan will be developed
focusing on applications, both developed in-house and procured off-the-shelf products.
Part B: Communications
The department has put in place a suite of communications strategies and training courses to
raise awareness of web accessibility. It is communicating accessibility issues and concerns
through:
  accessibility training
  writing for the web training
  accessibility baseline testing information sessions
  engaging outside contractors with accessibility expertise
  ensuring Information Services (Web) staff have the skills required to implement the
National Transition Strategy
  providing information and news stories on the Intranet for staff.

Part C: Review of existing practices
The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 sets out the mandatory requirements for action plans,
including how to review procedures to identify any discriminatory practices. In the context of
online information and services, this means reviewing online information and services to
identify any accessibility issues.
Departmental staff have attended training to develop the skills to carry out conformance
testing. The department is now able to do this work to ensure it is meeting its policy and
legislative obligations. These obligations define the practical outcomes the department is
seeking to achieve.
Part D: Our obligations
Legislative obligations
  United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
  Disability Discrimination Act 1992
Policy obligations
  Web Accessibility National Transition Strategy
  National Disability Strategy
  Digital Transition Policy and open public sector information
Part E: Goals and targets
Current actions
Raising awareness of web accessibility
1.  All staff who provide content for publication online, have a basic understanding of web
accessibility through attending Writing for the Web training and accessibility
information sessions.
2.  Online publishing guidelines are consistent with WCAG 2.0. and online accessibility is
included in policies and procedures relating to publication of content online.

3.  The Information Services Section and the Office of the Chief Information Officer
undertake ongoing monitoring of accessibility.
Current online content
1.  All content submitted for publication is evaluated by staff in Information Services
Section to ensure it complies with WCAG 2.0.
2.  Content that cannot be made compliant is noted and ongoing attempts are made to
rectify it.
3.  Online presences are regularly audited to identify issues and schedule for remediation.
Development of new sites and applications
1.  Every effort is made to ensure that new sites and applications comply with WCAG 2.0
AA guidelines.
2.  Any omissions are duly recorded and genuine efforts are made to rectify issues.
3.  Accessibility requirements are identified early in the design process.
4.  Errors found in audits and testing are remediated where possible.
5.  Where possible users of assistive technologies are included in testing.
6.  External developers are made accountable for implementing the WCAG 2.0 AA
guidelines.
Maintaining accessibility of web content
1.  Accessibility level of content is monitored and maintained, mainly by Information
Services and the Strategic Communication Section.
2.  Developers and content authors provide accessible content for publication online.
Training developers and content authors
1.  Developers are trained in accessibility.
2.  Information Services staff are trained in accessibility and maintain a high awareness of
WCAG 2.0 guidelines and the National Transition Strategy.

3.  Content authors are encouraged to complete the Writing for the Web and Accessibility
Awareness training courses.
Procuring new products for the online environment
1.  Procurement documentation relating to any online product includes web accessibility
criteria.
Managing accessibility of web content in third party products
1.  Where possible ensure internal third party applications meet minimum Level A
requirements. Document where issues still exist and provide alternatives for assistive
technology users.
2.  Developers implementing third party products know how to maximise conformance of
their products.
Publishing documents online
1.  Documents published online are provided in multiple formats.
2.  Effort is made to ensure PDF documents are tagged correctly.
Publishing multimedia online
1.  Audio content is accessible to users with hearing impairments.
2.  Video content is accessible to users with visual and/or hearing impairments.
3.  Audio-visual content is accessible to users with other disabilities.
Addressing accessibility feedback, requests and complaints
1.  All web content can be used by people with disabilities.
2.  Staff with online publishing responsibilities recognise accessibility issues.
3.  Staff act on accessibility-related user complaints, requests and questions in a timely
manner.
4.  Users can request an accessible format of inaccessible content.
5.  It is clear who should be contacted for an accessibility issue.

Monitoring the implementation of the action plan
1.  The Plan is reviewed by the Information Services Section.
Part F: Evaluation
The evaluation of the effectiveness of the initiatives described in this document will be primarily
through business-as-usual processes.
The Information Services Section will monitor the department’s conformance against the
various whole-of-government policy requirements (e.g. the National Transition Strategy, the
Digital Transition Policy and the Information Publication Scheme). They will also manage the
creation of the Information Assets Register.
Part G: Implementing this action plan
Roles and responsibilities
Ensuring this plan is implemented successfully requires a collaborative effort between several
areas within the department. The following areas all have a role to play in ensuring the
accessibility of our online sites:
  Deputy Secretary, Strategy and Policy Group (Disability champion for the department)
  Chief Information Officer (CIO)
  Information Services Section
  Business Systems Section
  The Learning, Leadership and Diversity Team
  Corporate Communication and Publications Section
  Strategic Communication Section
  The Office of the Chief Information Officer
  The Disability Action Plan Working Group.

Part H: Websites covered by the plan
The following sites are included as part of this action plan:
External
1.  Access to Justice
http://www.accesstojustice.gov.au
2.  Administrative Review Council
http://arc.ag.gov.au
3.  Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity
http://www.aclei.gov.au
4.  Artbank
http://www.artbank.gov.au
5.  Arts
http://www.arts.gov.au
6.  Attorney-General
http://www.attorneygeneral.gov.au
7.  Attorney-General’s Department
http://www.ag.gov.au
8.  Australian Emergency Management
http://www.em.gov.au
9.  Bushfire Arson
http://www.bushfirearson.gov.au
10. CERT
http://www.cert.gov.au
11. Classification
http://www.classification.gov.au
12. Chemical Security
http://www.chemicalsecurity.gov.au

13. COAG Review of Counter-terrorism
http://www.coagctreview.gov.au
14. Creative Australia
http://creativeaustralia.arts.gov.au
15. Crime Prevention
http://www.crimeprevention.gov.au
16. Defence Abuse Response Taskforce
http://www.defenceabusetaskforce.gov.au
17. Disaster Assist
http://www.disasterassist.gov.au
18. Document Verification Service
http://www.dvs.gov.au
19. Home Insulation Royal Commission
http://www.homeinsulationroyalcommission.gov.au
20. Living safe together
http://www.livingsafetogether.gov.au
21. Meeting of Cultural Ministers
http://mcm.arts/gov.au
22. Minister for Justice
http://www.ministerjustice.gov.au
23. National Security
http://www.nationalsecurity.gov.au
24. Organisational resilience
http://www.organisationalresilience.gov.au
25. Protective Security Policy Framework
http://www.protectivesecurity.gov.au
26. Sturgeon Magazine
http://sturgeonmagazine.com.au

27. Trade Union Royal Commission
http://www.tradeunionroyalcommission.gov.au
28. Triplezero
http://www.triplezero.gov.au
29. Trusted Information Sharing Network
http://www.tisn.gov.au
Internal
1.  Intranet
http://agate.agdnet.ag.gov.au/Pages/Home.aspx
Outsourced
These outsourced sites are managed by staff from the Australian Emergency Management
Institute. They have had training in their accessibility obligations. These websites were also
tested by an outside agency prior to launch. Remediation of issues continues.
1.  Disaster Resilience Education for Schools
http://schools.aemi.edu.au/
2.  Knowledge Hub
http://www.emknowledge.gov.au