The Australian Government has endorsed the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) version 2.0 for all government websites. This requirement supersedes the previous mandate for compliance with WCAG 1.0.

Advice on how to meet the new standard, including the full scope of the upgrade, is detailed in the Web Accessibility National Transition Strategy (NTS), published on the Department of Finance and Deregulation (Finance) website.

Web Accessibility National Transition Strategy - The Australian Government’s adoption and implementation of Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.0 (WCAG 2.0)

Notes say:

"These advisory notes are issued by the Australian Human Rights Commission (“the Commission”) under section 67(1)(k) of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 ("the DDA"), which authorises the Commission to issue guidelines for the purpose of avoiding discrimination.

These Advisory Notes are intended to assist individuals and organisations involved in the ownership or development of web resources, by clarifying the requirements of the DDA in this area, and explaining how compliance with them can be best achieved. These Advisory Notes do not have direct legal force, nor do they substitute for the provisions of the DDA itself. However, the Commission and other anti-discrimination agencies can consider them in dealing with complaints lodged under the DDA. Following the advice provided here should also make it far less likely that an individual or organisation will be subject to complaints about the accessibility of their website or other web resource.

Developments in standards, protocols and technologies used on the internet take place at a very rapid rate. These notes are therefore not designed to be exhaustive, or to provide technical advice about current practices. In considering any complaints about access, the Commission would take into account the extent to which a service provider has attempted to utilise the best current information and advice regarding the development of accessible websites."