Voters urged to plan for polling day with only three of 14 Orange booths fully accessible

Only three of the 14 booths in Orange are fully accessible to people with disabilities.

Anson Street School, Bletchington Public School and the Orange Health Service have all been given the tick of approval by the NSW Electoral Commission [EC].

However, Canobolas Public School does not have facilities to aid people with disabilities.

The remaining 10 booths have limited access.

The EC guide said some lacked a dedicated parking space or dedicated toilet for people with disabilities while others had steps that could cause access difficulty.

The pre-polling booth in Moulder Street, which is open this week but not open for voting on polling day, was criticised by council candidate Joel Everett last week for not having adequate access for people with disabilities.

However returning officer Ross Baker said on Monday a portable ramp was now available for use.

He said staff went “out of their way” to help people with disabilities access the booth to vote.

LiveBetter Community Services spokesman Marc Bonney said the EC needed to do more to provide access to polling booths in NSW.

Mr Bonney said many people ranging from those in wheelchairs to older people who had trouble with walking distances or dealing with steps would be affected.

“We believe accessibility should be commonplace and not something you have to look for,” he said.

“It still hasn’t been given the due attention it deserves.”

He said the EC should provide a dedicated parking spot so people with disabilities did not have far to walk.

“It’s not difficult for these things to be catered for,” he said.

An EC spokesman urged people to plan ahead by looking up the guide to each booth on its website. 

The busiest booth on election day is expected to be Bletchington Public School.

The booths are at: Anson Street School, Bletchington Public School, Bowen Public School, Calare Public School, Canobolas Public School, Glenroi Heights Public School, Kenna Hall, Lucknow Hall, Orange High School, Orange Hospital Community Health Meeting Room, Orange Public School, Spring Hill Public School, Spring Terrace Public School and St Barnabas Parish Hall [Dora Street].

Several aged care facilities and Bloomfield Hospital have also been named as declared institutions for residents.