When Accessibility Was Ignored in Australia — and Why TechDefined Is Fixing It

Australia’s Digital Accessibility Problem

For too long, accessibility has been treated as an afterthought across many Australian digital experiences.

Websites can still include barriers such as missing alternative text, poor colour contrast, unclear buttons and navigation that does not work effectively with assistive technologies.

These issues are not only technical problems. They can prevent people from accessing important information, services and opportunities.

When digital experiences are difficult or impossible to use, the impact is felt by real people.

When Digital Accessibility Became a Wider Concern

Australia has seen several important discussions and complaints relating to inaccessible digital services.

These developments have helped organisations better understand that digital accessibility should be considered during design, development and ongoing website management.

The Coles Accessibility Complaint

In 2024, a visually impaired shopper reportedly lodged a complaint regarding difficulties using Coles’ online grocery service with a screen reader.

The complaint highlighted how accessibility barriers can affect customers when completing everyday tasks such as browsing products, placing orders and accessing online services.

It also demonstrated that large organisations are not automatically protected from accessibility issues simply because they have significant digital resources.

Updated Accessibility Guidance

In April 2025, the Australian Human Rights Commission released updated guidance concerning equal access to digital goods and services.

The guidance covers digital experiences including websites, mobile applications, kiosks and emerging technologies.

It also encourages organisations to consider recognised accessibility standards such as WCAG when developing and reviewing digital services.

For businesses, this reinforces the value of including accessibility throughout planning, design, development and ongoing maintenance.

Where TechDefined Supports Improvement

TechDefined provides digital accessibility testing and assessment services.

We identify accessibility barriers observed during testing, document findings within the agreed testing scope and provide practical recommendations to support improvement.

Our services may include:

Accessibility Testing and Assessment

We review agreed website pages, components and user journeys to identify accessibility barriers that may affect people using assistive technologies.

Detailed Accessibility Reporting

Our reports document the issues observed during testing, relevant WCAG references, affected areas and practical recommendations.

Implementation Support

Where implementation support is included in the agreed scope, TechDefined can assist with addressing identified accessibility barriers.

Retesting

After updates are completed, relevant areas can be retested to confirm whether the previously identified issues have been addressed.

Accessibility Education and Support

We can help teams better understand accessibility considerations and support stronger accessibility practices across design, content and development work.

Why Accessibility Matters for Australian Businesses

Digital services are now part of everyday life.

Customers use websites and applications to book appointments, purchase products, contact organisations, access education and complete essential tasks.

When those services contain accessibility barriers, some users may be unable to complete the same actions as others.

Addressing accessibility barriers can support:

• clearer navigation
• more usable forms
• better content structure
• improved compatibility with assistive technologies
• stronger user experiences
• access for a broader range of people

Accessibility improvements can also support better website quality, usability and maintainability.

Accessibility Is More Than Risk Management

Accessibility should not be approached only as a response to complaints or legal concerns.

It is also about creating digital experiences that are more inclusive, understandable and usable.

A considered approach to accessibility can demonstrate that an organisation values its users and takes digital inclusion seriously.

For many organisations, accessibility can become part of broader quality, customer experience and digital improvement work.

TechDefined’s Mission

TechDefined believes that better digital experiences should be available to more people.

Our role is to help organisations understand the accessibility barriers present within their digital services and provide practical support for improvement.

We do not describe websites as fully compliant or accessible to every user.

Instead, we focus on:

• testing agreed areas
• identifying observed barriers
• documenting findings clearly
• providing practical recommendations
• supporting implementation where agreed
• retesting relevant areas after changes

This approach supports more informed decisions and stronger alignment with WCAG.

Final Thoughts

Australia’s digital accessibility journey shows why accessibility should not be left until the end of a project.

It should be considered during planning, design, development, content creation and ongoing maintenance.

Organisations do not need to solve every issue at once. A structured assessment can help identify the most important barriers and provide a practical path forward.

TechDefined can support your organisation with accessibility testing, detailed reporting, practical recommendations and implementation support within the agreed scope.

Book an accessibility consultation with TechDefined to better understand the accessibility barriers affecting your website or digital service.