Accessibility Action Plan 2026–2029

Acknowledgement of Country

In the spirit of reconciliation, the Reserve Bank of Australia acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.

Foreword

Michele Bullock
Governor, Reserve Bank of Australia

Accessibility is fundamental to inclusion and belonging. As a public institution, we have a responsibility to reflect the diversity of the Australian community we serve, and that includes ensuring our workplace is accessible to people of all abilities.

Disability comes in many forms, some visible, some not; some permanent, others temporary. Our goal is to create an environment where everyone can contribute to their full potential, without being held back by physical, digital or sensory barriers. When we make our workplace accessible, we don’t just support people with disabilities, we create a better, more flexible and inclusive environment for everyone.

This Accessibility Action Plan builds on the progress we’ve made. It outlines the actions we will take to further improve access, remove barriers, and ensure our systems, spaces and culture support everyone. This commitment also extends to the general public who we serve and who should have an easy and barrier free experience engaging with the RBA.

The plan was developed in consultation with our people with lived experience, their managers, our accessibility experts, and our Accessibility Employee Resource Group champions and employees who contribute to and advocate for accessibility every day.

I am proud of the way people have come together to contribute and take carriage of to the plan and I encourage every RBA employee to contribute to our aspiration for an accessible and inclusive workplace for all.

Michele Bullock
Governor, Reserve Bank of Australia

Susan Woods
Chief Operating Officer; Executive Sponsor

Accessibility is fundamental to creating a fair and inclusive society. It ensures that everyone can participate fully, contribute meaningfully, and access opportunities equitably.

For the Reserve Bank of Australia, accessibility is not just a legal or ethical obligation. It is a strategic imperative aligned with our mandate to promote the economic welfare of all Australians.

This means making our workplace, systems and services inclusive for both our people and the broader public who engage with us. By meeting and exceeding accessibility standards, we enable individuals to reach their full potential, feel valued and belong. This helps us attract and retain top talent, enrich our thinking with diverse perspectives, and deliver better outcomes for the community we serve.

Much has already been achieved, thanks to the dedication of our accessibility champions and experts. Their work has laid a strong foundation for us to elevate accessibility as a shared responsibility and a core part of our organisational culture.

This Accessibility Action Plan is not just a document. It’s our roadmap for change and continuous improvement. It outlines the practical steps we will take to remove barriers, embed inclusive design, and ensure accessibility is prioritised, resourced and sustained across the RBA.

Real progress will come from the collective actions we take every day. Together, we can continue to create a more accessible workplace where everyone is empowered to thrive and contribute to our mission.

Susan Woods
Chief Operating Officer, Reserve Bank of Australia

Thank you

This action plan was developed with reference to our Inclusion, Diversity and Belonging strategy, which sets out our intention to represent the diversity of the Australian people. We had hugely valuable contributions from several key partners, and want to thank all those who gave their time, experiences and perspectives, with special thanks to:

• Accessibility Employee Resource Group
• Australian Disability Network
• Workshop participants with disability
• People leaders of people with disability

Introduction

The business case for accessibility

Disability inclusion makes good business sense, and there are benefits to employing and retaining people with disability. These are summarised below:

Recruitment

Accessible and inclusive recruitment processes offer a wider reach and signal to all talent that the organisation is inclusive. Only 53% of people with disability of working age are employed in Australia, meaning there is currently an untapped market of 1 million people with disability seeking employment.

Retention

Various studies have found the retention rate of people with disability is higher than the retention rate of their peers without disability (Safe Work Australia). While acquiring disability can occur at any stage in life, the likelihood increases as we age. With the ageing population, it makes it more likely for workers to acquire disability in the coming years. Businesses that support employees with disability and create an inclusive workplace ensure that skilful, knowledgeable employees remain in the business, strengthening the workforce.

Reputation

Brand reputation is increasingly important. Brands that engage with policies and practices that support the broader communicatee beyond making a profit are building a trusting, loyal base.

Rights

Employment has positive impacts for everyone – by employing people with disability, we are upholding one of the United Nations sustainable development goals; and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA), government agencies are legally required to ensure equal access to all services, facilities and communications.

Risks

In Australia failing to meet accessibility standards poses significant legal and reputation risks. Non-compliance can lead to legal complaints, financial penalties, and reputational damage. Proactively embedding accessibility reduces risk, supports compliance and ensures equitable service delivery for all Australians.

Source: Australian Disability Network: The Business Case for Disability Employment Targets

Our progress

Highlights from 2022–2024

1. Designing an accessible workspace

   8 Chifley Square became our alternate head office until the 65 Martin Place renovations are completed. Our transition team implemented a comprehensive relocation plan that prioritised accessibility and supported employees in adapting to new ways of working.

   To ensure our 8 Chifley Square office met accessibility standards, we conducted a Dignified Access Review of the building resulting in 67 recommendations either implemented, considered already in place, or after review considered appropriate and no change. Some examples were: altered all main tenancy entry/exit doors to be automated; provision of open top waste bins for ease of access; training for relevant staff on how to welcome visitors with disability; added wayfinding tactiles to all internal stair handrails; increased lift door dwell times; and reviewed and adjusted as necessary reach access and positioning of amenities such as kitchen appliances, fire extinguishers and first aid kits. Some suggestions were noted for consideration in any future office adjustments (e.g. placement of power points on meeting room tables) as they were impractical in a tenancy environment.

   During the transition, a Hypercare Hub with support from Information Technology and Workplace was established to provide personalised assistance to employees. Following its success, a permanent Workplace Experience Hub was set up at the conclusion of the transition period.

   The work done through the Dignified Access Review vastly improved our workplace from an accessibility viewpoint. 12 months on and we now have a blueprint for Hunter Street and 65MP.

   Part of the Accessibility ERG’s charter is to raise awareness, and this project has certainly helped with that.

   Martin Bowerman, Workplace, Health and Safety Manager

2. Ergonomic enhancements

   The Safety & Wellbeing team conducted 34 ergonomic workstation reviews in 2024 to ensure staff with musculoskeletal pain have appropriate equipment to complete their roles.

   Additionally, the RBA’s Workplace department and the Safety & Wellbeing team rolled out 10 group training sessions in 2024 for staff on all floors of 8 Chifley Square and BRS, proactively providing education on sit-stand desk ergonomics.

   We’re committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive workplace for staff with disability or medical conditions. Whether it’s modifying ergonomics, adjusting schedules or providing assistive technologies, we aim to tailor the solution to meet individual needs.

   James Nipperess, Senior Consultant, Safety and Wellbeing

3. Communication and advocacy

   We have progressed with making accessibility a core value across digital spaces. The key actions we have taken are:

   • Image Descriptions and Alternative Text: Since June 2022, we use descriptive alternative text for all graphs and images in our publications.
   • Font Choices and Colour Combinations: RBA Brand Guidelines 2023 has information on accessible fonts, colours and contrasts. Accessibility is a core requirement in our evolving Design Tool kit.
   • Plain English: Through our updated Brand Guidelines in 2023, we socialised plain English tips and Australian Government Style Manual, with focus and emphasis on importance on plain English and a clear messaging to the reader.
   • Social Media Accessibility: We have drafted Accessibility guidelines and checklist for Social Media Accessibility.
   • Transcripts of Podcasts and Speeches can be downloaded from RBA website.
   • Subtitles and Closed Captioning: Since September 2019, live streaming of RBA-wide Town Hall events for staff has included live captioning. Since October 2023, RBA Media Conferences are live captioned. We are continuing with our commitment for making our Internal and External Communications inclusive and accessible for our colleagues and Australian public.

   At the RBA, we aim to make accessibility a foundation of every digital communication and service. We believe this commitment creates a ripple effect, paving the way for greater economic equity and empowerment.

   Herin Hentry, Digital Accessibility Lead

   

4. Accessible online museum experience

   Strengthening their commitment to connecting every Australian to the Reserve Bank of Australia’s roles and functions, the RBA Museum team collaborated with the RBA’s Accessibility Specialist on a new project for the Museum website. Together, they transformed the RBA Museum’s popular Next Generation of Banknotes (NGB) interactive display into a desktop and mobile experience. Beyond mere compliance with Australian Government accessibility standards, the approach prioritised improving user experience and resulted in an accessible and innovative digital adventure which all users can enjoy.

   The RBA Museum’s development of an interactive NGB website ensured we could make the story of our nation’s banknotes accessible to every Australian. The interactive application improves access for people with vision, hearing, and mobility impairments — setting a new standard for future Museum digital initiatives.

   Sarah Gallagher, Manager, Museum

   

Accessibility action plan 26–29

Our approach

Our Inclusion, Diversity and Belonging strategy sets out our intention for the RBA to represent the diversity of the Australian People. That creates the diversity of perspectives needed for us to fulfil our mandate. Enabling our people with disability to have full access to everything they need to contribute to the fullest and have equal career opportunities is an important part of this intention.

Our objectives	Ensure accountability for accessibility adjustments is anchored in relevant departments Ensure our people with accessibility needs are getting the assistance they need with ease Increase overall engagement of our people with disabilities
Our principles	Focus on the environment, not the person Informed by external benchmarking Uplifts focused on BAU improvements to not add undue workload pressures Created and implemented by key departments Focused on impact rather than activity
Our inputs	Audits and reviews: Dignified Access Review Digital Accessibility Audit Inclusive Hiring Audit Australian Disability Network feedback Accessibility Employee Resource Group (ERG) Observations Consultations Enquiries/requests Accessibility Action Plan Workshops 3 workshops 18 invitations sent 7 participants with disability 3 people leaders

Our accessibility action plan

Initiative 1: Accountability for accessibility adjustments anchored in relevant departments.

Initiative 2: People with disability can access digital information and tools (internally and externally).

Initiative 3: Workplace adjustments are available throughout the employee life-cycle for people who need them.

Initiative 4: We have the awareness, education and in-time support as an organisation to ensure our employees and prospective employees with disability have a fair and equitable experience.

Initiative 5: Our procurement and compliance practices reflect our commitment to accessibility.

Accessibility action plan: Roles and responsibilities

To ensure the best possible employee and stakeholder experience, a range of departments need to play their part. Being compliant with legislation is the foundation, having clarity on what each department contributes is key and having the accessibility action plan in place lays out the level of ambition we have for continuous improvement.