Two disabled men were forced to crawl to their car after a security guard refused to let them take borrowed wheelchairs past a shopping centre entrance.

Westfield, which manages Fountain Gate shopping centre in Melbourne, apologised to the two men, who have muscular dystrophy.

The pair, both in their 40s, had used wheelchairs loaned to them by the shopping centre in Narre Warren.

They said a security guard had insisted they leave the chairs at the entrance and cover the five metres to their cars unaided.

Sandra Costa, the sister of one of the men, said the experience had been humiliating.

"Every time I think about it I get emotional," she told 3AW radio. "They have a disability. They need the courtesy to be treated like human beings," she said.

Westfield's director of corporate affairs Mark Ryan said the company deeply regretted the incident. It should never have happened, he said.

"I think undoubtedly (the family) deserve an apology. Once our management team provide me with a brief of the facts, Westfield will be seeking to meet with the people concerned."

Equal Opportunity Commission chief executive officer Helen Szoke said she was appalled by the incident.

"They had to crawl three to five metres. A 40-year-old person with muscular dystrophy - it's massively debilitating.

"Do you think anyone crawling three to five metres to get to their car is acceptable? How would you feel if you were told to do that?"

"At some stage you have to ask - where is the cost benefit analysis of allowing people to use a piece of equipment like a wheelchair? You would think shopping centres would see this as part of their service provision - even forgetting about human dignity."


www.smh.com.au/news/national/guard-forces-disabled-duo-to-crawl/2006/01/18/1137467033657.html

TXL

Jeebus H Cripes!    5 meters is only 15 feet.   Surely the stupid mall ninja asshat could have let them roll another 15 feet.  Dumbass should have his legs broken so he can roll around in a prison chair and crawl to his car!  

So if you can't walk 15' why don't you bring your own wheelchair??? Handicap van , that sort of stuff?

Quoted: So if you can't walk 15' why don't you bring your own wheelchair??? Handicap van , that sort of stuff?

I was thinking something along those same lines

That's a big +1.  There is more to this story than is being told...

-James

Quoted: So if you can't walk 15' why don't you bring your own wheelchair??? Handicap van , that sort of stuff?

In some instances when a loaner is available, such as at the mall, the person will leave their own at home and use the one provided.  It is also common at hospitals.  It avoids the necessity to pack the chair, unpack at the mall, repack at the mall and unpack again when they get home. (some merely fold the chair and place in back seat.  Given there were 2 people in this case, it is probable that they did not have the room available for 2 chairs in the back seat.  JMHO

Quoted: So if you can't walk 15' why don't you bring your own wheelchair??? Handicap van , that sort of stuff?

I don't think that's the point.

You're the security guard. A disabled guy rolls to the door and just needs to be able to roll another 15' to get to his car.

What would you do?

Quoted: Quoted: So if you can't walk 15' why don't you bring your own wheelchair??? Handicap van , that sort of stuff? I don't think that's the point. You're the security guard. A disabled guy rolls to the door and just needs to be able to roll another 15' to get to his car. What would you do?

Well, draw down of course!

Timmy!

O.K., I’ll bite.  How did these guys get from their car to the mall entrance when they first arrived at the mall?  Did they crawl then too, or was the wheelchairs already in the parking lot.

If this happened in the U.S. these guys would already be talking to their lawyers.

Quoted: O.K., I’ll bite.  How did these guys get from their car to the mall entrance when they first arrived at the mall?  Did they crawl then too, or was the wheelchairs already in the parking lot. If this happened in the U.S. these guys would already be talking to their lawyers.

I was wondering the same thing

BTW- Don't worry, the land of Aus has become even more litigious than the U.S. or so I'm told by an Aussie associate.

Australian Mall Ninjas are not to be taken lightly....they carry boomerangs.

Quoted: O.K., I’ll bite.  How did these guys get from their car to the mall entrance when they first arrived at the mall?  Did they crawl then too, or was the wheelchairs already in the parking lot.

That's where I'm going with this.

Quoted: Australian Mall Ninjas are not to be taken lightly....they carry boomerangs.

Ouch!
Ouch!

I wonder how long until someone files a lawsuite against the mall, the mall ninja, the wheel chair company, the person that desinged the parking lot...he

I can't imagine complying with such an absurd request.  I'd have demanded to see management.

Quoted: Quoted: So if you can't walk 15' why don't you bring your own wheelchair??? Handicap van , that sort of stuff? In some instances when a loaner is available, such as at the mall, the person will leave their own at home and use the one provided.  It is also common at hospitals.  It avoids the necessity to pack the chair, unpack at the mall, repack at the mall and unpack again when they get home. (some merely fold the chair and place in back seat.  Given there were 2 people in this case, it is probable that they did not have the room available for 2 chairs in the back seat.  JMHO

How did they get in the mall in the first place?????

And if it was me i would have let them take them 15' but that is not the point , sounds like a lawsuit fishing trip.  

so how the hell did they get to the mall wheelchair at the first place?

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: So if you can't walk 15' why don't you bring your own wheelchair??? Handicap van , that sort of stuff? In some instances when a loaner is available, such as at the mall, the person will leave their own at home and use the one provided.  It is also common at hospitals.  It avoids the necessity to pack the chair, unpack at the mall, repack at the mall and unpack again when they get home. (some merely fold the chair and place in back seat.  Given there were 2 people in this case, it is probable that they did not have the room available for 2 chairs in the back seat.  JMHO How did they get in the mall in the first place????? And if it was me i would have let them take them 15' but that is not the point , sounds like a lawsuit fishing trip.

UH no that is 100% the point. It some Authoritarian, Asshole, Fascist, narrow minded cocksucking mall ninja cant see what wrong with this i would probably give him a diagnosis of Sociopathy. Second, this is Australia Not Amerika! When you Sue in Ozzie land if you lose the case you have to pay the defendants bills! (this is Tort reform) So only cases with real merit get brought to court. (something we need badly) Ozzies are'nt sue happy like we are. This is just a case of someone who must've skipped Sunday school to read Mein Kampf.