Hansard debates

Ms SULEYMAN (St Albans) (19:04:24) — (14 295) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Housing, Disability and Ageing, and the action I seek is that the minister investigate whether the Sunshine Plaza management have breached the Equal Opportunity Act 2010 or any other relevant act of Parliament. Recently there have been local media reports that Sunshine Plaza management have begun charging disabled customers $20 to use the disabled toilets. Centre management has fitted the toilets with a master locksmith access key after an alleged misuse of the toilets. This means that people with a disability now have to go to centre management, fill out a form and pay $20 to be given use of these basic facilities. This is simply not on, and in my view there may be a breach of the Equal Opportunity Act 2010 and many others.

I am seeking immediate action from the minister. I am absolutely outraged, and I will not rest until this outrageous discrimination has been rectified. Furthermore, I am calling on Sunshine Plaza management to immediately apologise to all those who have been offended by this action. There must be a better way to stop the alleged misuse of toilets from recurring that does not involve unfavourable and discriminatory treatment of disabled customers — the most vulnerable in our community. I urge Sunshine Plaza management to immediately come to their senses and stop this blatant cash grab and disregard for basic humanity.