I was recently denied accommodation in a hotel as I am blind and require the assistance of a seeing-eye dog. Isn’t this against my human rights?
Lawyer Answers (1): Answers from lawyers are general preliminary responses. They are not formal legal advice and cannot taken account of all your circumstances. They do not create a lawyer–client relationship.
Answer by Kate Dodgson, Brisbane 4000 Qld
- Yes, it is. This is discrimination against you on account of your disability.
- The Australian government created a Disability Discrimination Act in 1992.
- This was 16 years before the United Nations (UN) formed a binding international covenant on disability discrimination.
- Australia is also a party to that treaty which is called the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).
- For more information about an anti-discrimination action, please see our Legal Guide on Anti-Discrimination.