Queensland residents draws to the attention of the House the need to allow visually impaired people to obtain a Disability Parking Scheme Permit in Queensland. The current Australian Disability Parking Scheme is a mobility scheme and the eligibility exclusively focuses on the applicant's functional ability to walk. As such, people with intellectual, psychiatric, cognitive or sensory impairments are not recognised as having a disability.

Visual impairment does impair the person's ability to walk and often results in people having a number of accidents; falling over objects such as uneven ground, car park wheel stops, gutters and stairs. Visual impaired persons often need the assistance of a white can when walking, and often do not feel safe in public without a carer. Having access to wider designated parking spaces, with closer proximity to their desired location, would make one element of life so much easier for people with visual impairments and those with guide dogs.

Your petitioners, therefore, request the House to alter Queensland legislation to allow the visually impaired to obtain disability parking permits. This would align with the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales who allow people who are legally blind to be able to apply for and obtain Australian Disability Parking Permits.