A Discourse Analysis of Australian Local Government Recreation and Sport Plans Provision For People with Disabilities

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Abstract
Public sector reforms in Australia have been promoted as ensuring efficiencies and accountability. As a response to these reform requirements, Australian local governments publically provide documented plans regarding service provision. While these documented plans may generally be perceived as value-neutral, they have the potential to imbed particular ideologies as well as ensure certain viewpoints remain entrenched in the current social realm. Using a critical discourse analysis method, this article analysed thirty-one local government sport and recreation plans publicly to assist in identifying and highlighting imbedded values and ideologies regarding community provision for people with disabilities. Results from the analysis indicate that overwhelmingly local government authorities' focus on ensuring the suitability of the built environment. As such, physical access as the problem identifies people with disabilities as a homogonous group who are immobile and as such disenfranchises many other impaired groups. This article also questions the representativeness of people with disabilities in the community consultation process.