Legislative Council Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1) 55 1 Parliament of South Australia Legislative Council published Question Time Assistance Dog Handlers Assistance Dog Handlers The Hon. J.S. LEE Legislative Council Assistance Dog Handlers The Hon. J.S. LEE (14:34): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Deputy Premier regarding the refusal of service to guide dog handlers by rideshare drivers. Leave granted. The Hon. J.S. LEE Legislative Council The Hon. J.S. LEE: The refusal of access to accredited assistance dog handlers is not only a breach of the federal Disability Discrimination Act 1992 but also a criminal offence under section 81 of the South Australian Dog and Cat Management Act 1995, with a maximum penalty of $1,250. Despite this, recent reports suggest that such incidents continue to occur with limited enforcement or consequences for offenders. My questions to the Deputy Premier are: 1.	How many complaints or reports have been made in South Australia over the past three years regarding the refusal of service to assistance dog handlers by rideshare or taxidrivers? 2.	What enforcement actions or penalties have been issued under section 81 of the Dog and Cat Management Act in that time? 3.	Will the government consider increasing penalties or introducing mandatory disability awareness training for drivers found to have unlawfully refused service to a person accompanied by an accredited assistance dog? The Hon. K.J. MAHER Legislative Council Deputy Premier Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Deputy Premier Attorney-General Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Deputy Premier, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector, Special Minister of State) (14:36): I thank the honourable member for her question. The Dog and Cat Management Act doesn't rest with me as a minister; I think it is the Minister for Environment in another place, the Hon. Minister Lucy Hood, the member for Adelaide. I am trying to remember discussions I have had with the Equal Opportunity Commissioner from memory, and I will double-check if it's not correct that the Equal Opportunity Commissioner accepts complaints of discrimination such as this. I am happy to go away on both of those and find a bit more information and bring it back for the honourable member.