BUSINESSES and service providers are being warned not to discriminate against disabled people after legislation came into force yesterday.

The Disability Discrimination Act will have far-reaching effects on every organisation providing goods, facilities and services to the public.

The Act means that businesses cannot deny service or provide a second class service to disabled people.

For instance, under the new Act:

A group of disabled people cannot be refused access to a nightclub because the doorman thinks the use of sign language might be seen as threatening.

A hotel cannot pretend that all its rooms are taken to refuse a mentally-ill customer.

A restaurant cannot ask a disfigured person to sit at a table out of the sight of other customers.

The National Disability Council has been set up to eliminate discrimination against the disabled and will monitor the implementation of the Act.

"Our mission is to end discrimination against disabled people as quickly as possible," said NDC chairman David Grayson.

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