Tonkin’s 10/10 Law: A Long Overdue Step Toward Real Accessibility and Inclusion

 By Anne Tonkin

Completing my final unit of my Master's, coincidentally on Inclusion and Diversity, I was sitting at my computer, literally asking myself, 'Why is it so hard to buy a wheelchair access ticket to the Adelaide 36er’s basketball game at the Entertainment Centre?'

I continued with the questions: Why is everything so much harder for those with disabilities? Why are there not enough spaces? Why do I have to ring for tickets? Why is this so unreasonable?

How do I make organisations change? The answer to all my questions: We need a Bill!

In a country where over 5.5 million Australians live with a disability—that's 1 in every 5 people— where access to public life remains far from equal. Basic things many take for granted, like attending events, buying tickets online, using public toilets, accessing transport, or simply finding a suitable car park, are daily challenges for people with disabilities.

The proposed Tonkin’s 10/10 Law seeks to finally address this by setting national standards to enforce accessibility, uphold human rights, and ensure equity—by law and remove tokenism in the sector, labelled as reasonable allowances.

Why This Bill Matters

The Tonkin’s 10/10 Law is more than just a Bill —it is a human rights imperative. Grounded in decades of lived experience and professional insight, this Bill is the result of collaboration with NDIS professionals, carers, educators, medical staff, disability advocates, and athletes with disabilities. Their unanimous message? This change is long overdue, and this is a basic human right.

Read the Tonkin's 10/10 Bill here!

The central issue is simple: the lack of enforceable, standardised, and inclusive accessibility requirements across public and private spaces. The Bill directly addresses this by mandating that 20% of all services and infrastructure must cater to people with disabilities—splitting the disability sector evenly between 10% for wheelchair users and 10% for individuals with other mobility or accessibility needs.

Key Issues Raised and How the Bill Responds

The Tonkin's 10/10 Bill is designed to respond to the most pressing rights issues facing people with disabilities and their families. These include:

1.      Accessible Seating at Public and Private Venues.

Events frequently have inaccessible seating or limited availability tokenistic seating for accessible tickets and restrictions often mean you cannot sit with your family or friends. A basic human right.

Bill solution:  20% of seating is unobstructed and reserved—with accessible entry and exit points—for wheelchair users and those with mobility impairments, along with space for carers, companions, family and friends.

2. Inadequate Transport Accessibility

Access to taxis, buses, and other forms of public/private transport remains inconsistent and unreliable for people with disabilities.

Bill solution: The Bill mandates that 20% of transport services (including access cabs) be designated for wheelchair or disability access, ensuring consistent, available options for travel.

3. Insufficient Public Toilet Facilities

Disability toilets are not always accessible, they are often used for other purposes, and are not equipped. It is a basic human right to access a toilet with dignity.

Bill solution: All public and private service facilities will be required to include 10% wheelchair accessible toilets and 10% for mobile disabilities, ensuring dignity and comfort for all.

4. Inaccessible Parking and Venue Entry

Parking spaces often include one or two disability parks and this is viewed as inclusion or a reasonable allowance, yet 21% of the population have a disability.

Bill solution: 20% of parking spaces must accommodate accessibility needs, including allowance for larger vehicles. Venue designs (new and renovated) must include these new allowances.

5. Ticketing

Current ticketing systems often lack user-friendly options for people with disabilities and their carers and often require a separate process from routine online event purchasing.

Bill solution: The Bill ensures equitable ticketing processes are available 24/7 online and eliminate discriminatory practices.

Setting a Legal Standard for Human Rights

By creating two distinct disability categories—Wheelchair Access and Inclusive/Mobile Disabilities—the Bill avoids one-size-fits-all solutions and recognises the diverse needs within the disability community. It aligns with international laws such as the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), to which Australia is a signatory. It also complements national legislation like the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the National Disability Strategy 2021–2031.

This is not just about convenience—it’s about rights.

A Vision for a Fairer Australia

If passed, Tonkin’s 10/10 Law will not only improve the lives of millions of Australians but set a precedent for accessibility and inclusion across the globe. It brings the needs of people with disabilities into the centre of planning, design, and service delivery.

This Bill recognises the person first—and ensures their right to participate fully and equally in Australian society. It's time the law did to, and tokenistic attempts labelled as reasonable allowances are eliminated.

About the author

Anne Tonkin is a lecturer — where education, compassion, strength, and unwavering purpose, underpin every facet of her life. With a background as a National Marketing Executive and a suite of qualifications, she brings both academic depth and real-world insight to every challenge she encounters. She is a devoted wife, supporting her husband through his journey with a disability, and she embodies resilience in its purest form. Anne balances the demanding worlds of education and caregiving with grace, heart, and an unshakable belief in the love she holds for her family — including her two boys — all while continuing to fight for what is right.