Labor pledges $2m for inclusive publishing

The Australian Labor Party (ALP) has pledged $2 million for inclusive publishing if it wins government at the federal election on 18 May.

In a release outlining the ALP’s plans for accessibility and inclusion, shadow minister for disability and carers senator Carol Brown said the ALP would partner with the publishing sector to deliver the Australian Inclusive Publishing Initiative (AIPI).

AIPI was established by the Australian Publishers Association (APA) in 2016 and aims to increase access to published material for people living with print disabilities in Australia.

The APA said in a statement that it welcomes the announcement from senator Brown.

‘A small but vital investment from government would mean the Australian Inclusive Publishing Initiative can drive change faster, build skills sooner and give the visually impaired and people with a print disability better access to more books. It would cut years from the process, and give opportunities for reading to people who don’t have them now. It would enrich lives.’

The APA has also partnered with the Institute of Professional Editors (IPEd) on a guide to inclusion and accessibility in the publishing process, which will be launched at the annual IPEd National Conference on 8 May.

Tags: accessibilityapaAustralian Inclusive Publishing InitiativeAustralian Publishers AssociationInclusive publishingprint accessibility

Category: Local news