Ahead of the ACT elections, advocates are urging the government to fix its "fix my street" website so Canberrans with low vision or blindness can report footpath obstacles.
Under the Disability Discrimination Act, Australian governments must make online services accessible to everyone.
But the "fix my street" website doesn't work for people using screen readers, preventing them from reporting problems like low-hanging branches, unsafe construction works and e-scooters parked in strange places.
Such obstructions can be dangerous for people who use guide dogs or canes to navigate.
The ACT government says it's working on making the website more accessible for the low vision and blind community.
Heather Fitzpatrick is president of the Canberra Blind Society, one of the groups advocating for better web accessibility.
"[Fix my street] doesn't let you fill in the fields, it doesn't identify what the fields are, and then you have to do something which is called drop a pin. If you're blind, dropping a pin is just really difficult," she said.
Those who do manage to report an issue don't always hear back.
Mrs Fitzpatrick is still waiting to hear back about complaints she made about abandoned e-scooters two years ago. She also said reports of overgrown plants originating on private property are often left ignored.
The Canberra Blind Society and Guide Dogs NSW/ ACT are encouraging the ACT government to improve pathway maintenance in the territory.
In a 2023 national survey by Guide Dogs Australia, 96 per cent of respondents reported experiencing footpath obstructions in the previous two years.
The most common culprits were overhanging branches, construction barriers, e-scooters or bikes parked on the footpath, and cafe tables and chairs.
In Canberra, Garema Place is particularly problematic.
With bollards, benches, light poles, abandoned e-scooters, and a-frame advertising boards never in the same place, the area is too hazardous.
Mrs Fitzpatrick, who is blind herself and uses a long cane, doesn't go there anymore.
"Being a blind person, I've fallen over things, I've tripped over kerbs, I've fallen into bollards and things like that, but that's almost an occupational hazard of being blind," she said.
"But, if you could reduce the number of instances of places where that could happen, it would make life easier.
"I'm not asking for it to be perfect, because it's never going to be perfect, but it's just making it easier."
The City Renewal Authority has collaborated with the Canberra Blind Society on proposed upgrades to Garema Place, with construction set to begin 2025.
Canberra Blind Society members got to test the future outdoor dining layout through a purpose-built tactile model.
Guide Dogs NSW/ACT is also working with the ACT government.
"[We] are appreciative of their efforts to remove barriers. We also want the broader community to understand their role to help increase inclusivity in Canberra, and will continue our efforts to educate," said Dianne Shaddock, Guide Dogs NSW/ACT access and advocacy advisor.
As for the "fix my street" website, an ACT government spokesperson said the government was "improving the functionality of the page for screen readers, using a range of accessibility tools to test webpages and forms to improve user experience," and "addressing customer feedback for improvements to webpages and forms".
The spokesperson said that footpath maintenance is prioritised "according to public safety and impact on the community".
"When reporting issues to fix my street, members of the public are encouraged to provide as much information as possible to prioritise work," they said.
"For example, if we are aware a low hanging branch is an obstacle for a vision impaired person, the job will be prioritised."
This is also not the first time state and territory governments have faced criticism for failing to make online services accessible for screen-readers.
In October 2023, the low vision and blindness community in NSW was left "terrified" for their safety when the state government's "Hazards Near Me" app, which provides bushfire and flood warnings, lost its screen-reader compatibility after a software update.
The issue wasn't rectified until January 2024, after campaigning from Guide Dogs NSW/ACT and coverage in the media.
Feedback about the ACT government website can be provided by calling Access Canberra on 13 22 81 or clicking the feedback link on the bottom of every page.
Members of the public can also call Access Canberra to report low-hanging branches in the suburbs.
