Request a Website Accessibility Audit - Adelaide Bylaws

Technology and Data South Australia 4 Minutes Read ยท published February 11, 2026 Flag of South Australia

Adelaide, South Australia organisations that publish websites should ensure digital content meets accessibility standards and council expectations. This guide explains how to request a website accessibility audit for sites managed by or interacting with the City of Adelaide, where to raise concerns, and what to expect from enforcement and remedies under local and federal frameworks.

Start by documenting accessibility issues and the pages affected before asking for an audit.

Overview

An accessibility audit assesses conformance to recognised standards such as WCAG and identifies barriers for people with disability. Who enforces accessibility for a given site depends on ownership: council-managed sites are managed by the City of Adelaide; private or business sites may be the subject of complaints to federal bodies for discrimination. For council-managed sites, request processes are managed by the City of Adelaide communications or IT team (accessibility statement)[1]. For legal complaints under the Disability Discrimination Act, the Australian Human Rights Commission handles discrimination complaints from individuals[2].

Penalties & Enforcement

Municipal and federal enforcement routes differ. The City of Adelaide publishes an accessibility statement and contact pathway for its own website content; it does not set explicit monetary fines for web accessibility on that page. Formal legal remedies for accessibility-related discrimination are typically pursued through federal processes rather than a municipal fine regime.

  • Fine amounts: not specified on the City of Adelaide accessibility page; monetary penalties for discrimination are addressed under federal law and not listed on the cited municipal page.
  • Escalation: initial remediation requests, followed by formal complaint if unresolved; specific escalation fines or tiered penalties not specified on the cited page.
  • Non-monetary sanctions: orders to remedy barriers, conciliation agreements, or court remedies may apply under federal discrimination law; municipal remedies focus on remedying council content.
  • Enforcer and complaint pathway: City of Adelaide communications/IT for council sites and the Australian Human Rights Commission for discrimination complaints. See the City accessibility contact and AHRC complaint pages for submission details[1][2].
  • Appeal/review: remedies from conciliation or court actions are available; specific municipal appeal time limits are not specified on the cited City page.
  • Defences/discretion: reasonable excuse or staged remediation plans may be considered; formal defences are governed by relevant statutory processes and not detailed on the City accessibility page.
If you need legal remedies, start a complaint with the federal body while notifying council IT or communications.

Applications & Forms

There is no published, dedicated City of Adelaide "accessibility audit request" form on the City accessibility page; requests are managed via the contact details provided on that page. For formal discrimination complaints, the Australian Human Rights Commission provides guidance and complaint submission forms on its site (see Resources). If no specific form is required for an audit, submit a clear written request including site URL, examples of barriers, and preferred contact details.

  • City audit request: no dedicated form published on the City accessibility page; submit by the contact method listed on that page.
  • Federal complaint form: available via the Australian Human Rights Commission for discrimination complaints; see the AHRC guidance for steps and templates.
  • Fees: not specified on the City accessibility page; AHRC complaint processes generally do not charge a filing fee but check the AHRC guidance for current practice.
  • Deadlines: specific municipal filing deadlines for audit requests are not specified on the City page; check the AHRC guidance for any statutory complaint timeframes.
Provide clear examples and URLs to speed up any audit or remediation work.

How to Request an Audit

The following steps apply whether you are a council staff member, a business working with council, or a member of the public seeking remediation on a council site.

  1. Document the issues: capture URLs, screenshots, and assistive-technology notes.
  2. Contact the City of Adelaide via the accessibility/contact page with your documented examples and request an audit [1].
  3. If you represent a site owner, request a formal scope and quote for an audit from qualified accessibility auditors; include WCAG version target.
  4. If the issue remains unresolved and involves discrimination, consult the Australian Human Rights Commission complaint guidance and consider lodging a formal complaint [2].
  5. Follow up: request timelines for remediation and ask for progress reports or a remediation plan.

FAQ

Who is responsible for website accessibility in Adelaide?
The City of Adelaide is responsible for council-managed web content; private sites are the responsibility of their owners and may be subject to federal discrimination laws.
How do I request an accessibility audit?
Document examples and contact City of Adelaide communications/IT via the accessibility contact on the City website, or instruct a private auditor for non-council sites.
What if remediation is refused?
If remediation is refused or not completed, you may seek conciliation or lodge a discrimination complaint with the Australian Human Rights Commission.

How-To

Simple actionable steps to request and complete an audit.

  1. Collect URLs, screenshots and issue descriptions.
  2. Contact the City of Adelaide via its accessibility/contact page and attach your documentation[1].
  3. Agree scope, standards (WCAG level), timeline and costs with the auditor or council team.
  4. Receive the audit report, prioritise fixes and request a remediation plan.
  5. Verify fixes and retain records; if unresolved, consider formal complaint options[2].

Key Takeaways

  • Start with clear documentation to make audits efficient.
  • Contact City of Adelaide for council sites; use AHRC for legal complaints.

Help and Support / Resources

  1. [1] City of Adelaide - Accessibility and contact information
  2. [2] Australian Human Rights Commission

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