Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier has released the findings of his investigation into the Managed Isolation Allocation System (MIAS), including that MBIE failed to fully ensure that there was an adequate way for disabled users to independently access the online allocation part of MIAS.
He received hundreds on complaints about the system, including a number saying that MIAS did not provide reasonable accommodation for disabled users.
Boshier asked MBIE how it ensured it met its obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and provided reasonable accommodation to disabled people who wished to book online MIQ spaces so they could access the system.
MBIE sought from the outset to ensure MIAS met web accessibility standards, and conducted accessibility reviews. However, Mr Boshier found that MBIE appeared to believe that compliance with the web accessibility standard discharged its obligation to make the system accessible to all disabled people. MBIE advised disabled people to engage a third party to assist them to obtain a voucher, rather than offering other mechanisms such as a special phone number to request assistance.
"In my view MBIE failed to fully meet its obligations under the Disability Convention for disabled people using the online allocation part of MIAS...
"MBIE emphasised in its response that the system was designed to enable disabled people to be assisted by third parties. This misses the point that a key principle in the Disability Convention is the importance to disabled people of their individual autonomy and independence.
"Disabled people have the right to a range of reasonable accommodations to remove barriers that hinder their equal participation and enable them to access services independently."
Read the Chief Ombudsman's final opinion on Managed Isolation Allocation System.