Website accessibility in Australia: what small businesses need to know
What website accessibility means, how WCAG applies to Australian businesses and the practical fixes that help every visitor.
Why it matters
Around one in five Australians has some form of disability. If your site can’t be used with a keyboard or screen reader, you’re turning those customers away. Legally, the Disability Discrimination Act covers access to goods and services, and websites are part of that.
The standard
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are the accepted benchmark. Level AA of WCAG 2.2 is a sensible target for most businesses.
Fixes that make the biggest difference
- Text with enough contrast against its background
- Headings in a logical order (one H1, then H2s and H3s)
- Descriptive alt text on meaningful images
- Labels on every form field
- Everything usable with a keyboard, with visible focus outlines
- No zoom blocking on mobile
- Captions on videos
Side benefits
Clear headings, alt text and good structure also help search engines and AI assistants understand your pages. Accessibility and SEO overlap more than most people realise.
Where to start
Run a free automated check, then test your contact form with only a keyboard. If you can’t get through it, neither can some of your customers.
Frequently asked questions
Is website accessibility a legal requirement in Australia?
The Disability Discrimination Act applies to services, including websites. WCAG is the standard commonly used to judge accessibility.
What is WCAG 2.2?
The current version of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, published by the W3C. Level AA is the usual target.
Does accessibility help SEO?
Yes. Clear structure, headings and alt text help search engines understand your content.
