Perth Council WCAG Rules & Bylaw Guidance
Perth, Western Australia councils must make public information accessible and transparent online. This guide explains how WCAG standards apply to Perth council websites, where to find official accessibility statements and how to report problems or request reasonable adjustments from the City of Perth website team. It summarises enforcement pathways, common compliance tasks, and practical steps councils and suppliers use to meet accessibility expectations, with direct links to official City of Perth resources for statements and local-law context.
Scope & Legal Context
Local councils do not issue standalone national WCAG law; instead, accessibility expectations for council websites in Perth are implemented through council policies, accessibility statements and their responsibilities under local government instruments and disability access frameworks. For the City of Perth accessibility statement and reporting contacts see the City’s official page City of Perth accessibility[1]. For the council’s powers to make and enforce local laws and where to find local laws, consult the City of Perth local laws and council documents pages City of Perth local laws[2].
Penalties & Enforcement
There is no single Perth municipal bylaw that prescribes an explicit fine schedule for failing to meet WCAG on council websites; where administrative penalties arise, they are governed by the council’s published local laws, contract terms, and applicable state legislation or administrative remedies. The City of Perth accessibility page describes reporting and complaint routes but does not specify monetary fines for website noncompliance.[1]
- Fines: not specified on the cited page.
- Escalation: not specified on the cited page — councils typically use remediation notices, escalated compliance letters or contract breach procedures.
- Non-monetary sanctions: orders to remediate content, public notices, contract remedies or court proceedings where statutory duties are breached.
- Enforcer/Contact: City of Perth customer accessibility contacts and complaints channels are provided on the City accessibility page.[1]
- Appeals/review: administrative review or internal complaint escalation; time limits for appeals or reviews are not specified on the cited City pages.
- Defences/discretion: councils may consider reasonable excuse, transitional arrangements, or approved remediation plans; specific defences are not set out on the cited pages.
Applications & Forms
The City of Perth does not publish a formal "WCAG compliance application" on its accessibility statement; accessibility issues are handled through the City’s contact and feedback processes. For forms, submission methods and complaint pathways see the City accessibility and local laws pages.[1][2]
- Official complaint/feedback form: see the City of Perth accessibility contact link for current submission methods.
- Deadlines: none specified for lodging an accessibility complaint on the cited City pages.
- Fees: none specified for making a complaint or requesting assistance on the cited pages.
Compliance Steps for Councils and Suppliers
Councils and web suppliers in Perth typically follow a consistent process to reach and demonstrate WCAG conformance: assess the site, prioritise critical content, remediate, test with users including people with disability, publish an accessibility statement and maintain monitoring.
- Audit: run an automated and manual WCAG 2.1 AA audit focusing on core service pages.
- Remediate: implement code and content changes, update CMS templates and templates for new content.
- Test: include assistive-technology testing and user testing with diverse disability participants.
- Publish: update the site accessibility statement and provide a clear feedback/complaint pathway.
- Maintain: embed accessibility into procurement, Sprints and QA to prevent regressions.
FAQ
- Do Perth councils legally have to comply with WCAG levels?
- There is no separate Perth-specific statute that sets WCAG levels; councils adopt WCAG standards through policy and accessibility statements. For the City of Perth statement and how to report issues see the City’s page.[1]
- Who enforces website accessibility for Perth council sites?
- Enforcement and remedies are managed by the council’s governance and by-law functions, contract officers or through state administrative remedies; specific enforcement penalties for websites are not specified on the cited City pages.[2]
- How do I report a barrier on a City of Perth webpage?
- Use the accessibility contact and feedback methods listed on the City of Perth accessibility page; the City will advise next steps and expected responses.[1]
How-To
- Review the City of Perth accessibility statement and note the published contact for accessibility problems.[1]
- Run an automated WCAG 2.1 AA check on high-priority pages and compile a remediation backlog.
- Perform manual checks and user testing with assistive technologies to validate fixes.
- Publish updates in the accessibility statement describing known issues and expected timeframes for fixes.
- If unresolved, submit a formal complaint through the City’s feedback channel and request an internal review.
Key Takeaways
- City accessibility statements are the primary official source for reporting and contact routes.
- WCAG compliance is implemented by policy and procurement rather than a single Perth website bylaw.
Help and Support / Resources
- City of Perth accessibility and contact
- City of Perth local laws and council documents
- City of Perth contact and customer service