{"id":3165,"date":"2025-02-21T15:35:14","date_gmt":"2025-02-21T04:35:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.melbasupport.com.au\/?p=3165"},"modified":"2026-06-15T16:23:32","modified_gmt":"2026-06-15T06:23:32","slug":"woman-with-disability-takes-uber-to-federal-court-over-repeated-refusals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.melbasupport.com.au\/latest-news\/woman-with-disability-takes-uber-to-federal-court-over-repeated-refusals\/","title":{"rendered":"Woman with disability takes Uber to Federal Court over repeated refusals"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"3165\" class=\"elementor elementor-3165\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4b07b6c9 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"4b07b6c9\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1eb3e1e0 e-con-full home-banner e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"1eb3e1e0\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-651487cd elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget-laptop__width-initial elementor-widget-tablet_extra__width-initial elementor-widget-tablet__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"651487cd\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Woman with disability takes Uber to Federal Court over repeated refusals<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-36ba87d9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-post-info\" data-id=\"36ba87d9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"post-info.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-inline-items elementor-icon-list-items elementor-post-info\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-f88c87c elementor-inline-item\" itemprop=\"datePublished\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<time> 21 February 2025<\/time>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e8f104 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"e8f104\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-66542362 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"66542362\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7dd1c2e3 link elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7dd1c2e3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>A Victorian woman with disability claims she was denied service by rideshare giant Uber an astonishing 32 times in less than two years \u2013 simply because of her guide dog. Now, she\u2019s calling on people with disability across the country to unite and push for change.<\/p>\n<p>Paula Hobley, who has been legally blind since birth and relies on rideshare services to get around, is filing a lawsuit in the Federal Court, arguing that Uber drivers violated disability discrimination laws.<\/p>\n<p>She also believes government intervention is necessary to ensure that discrimination is stamped out.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s made me extremely frustrated and angry,\u201d Hobley told Yahoo. \u201cAnd it\u2019s limited the things that I do because I weigh up the costs of the stress of the refusals, against the benefit of doing the activity.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt means there are times I don\u2019t attend appointments that I would benefit from.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>When she lodged complaints with Uber, Hobley was offered $35 in compensation \u2013 a response she found inadequate.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cUber often provided me with $35 of Uber cash per cancellation \u2013 sometimes there were more than one cancellation on a day \u2013 and only sometimes they refunded me,\u201d Hobley said.<\/p>\n<p>She also shared that some drivers outright cancelled her trips, while others messaged her requesting she book Uber Pet, a service that comes with extra fees.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy service dog is not a pet. She has a right to access public places and services,\u201d Hobley said.<\/p>\n<p>Now, she\u2019s encouraging other Australians with disability who have faced similar challenges to speak out and take action.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf this is happening to me, it\u2019s happening to people with other kinds of assistance dogs too,\u201d Hobley said. \u201cIt shouldn\u2019t be up to people with disability to have to make complaints after they are discriminated against.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere is power in making complaints. If we band together and make complaints it sends a clear message to government and companies like Uber that this behaviour is unacceptable and won\u2019t be tolerated.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>When approached for comment, Uber Australia acknowledged the seriousness of the issue.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have strong policies, tools and driver education modules in place to ensure drivers understand their legal obligation to provide service to riders with assistance animals,\u201d a spokesperson said.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Do you have a similar story and want to speak out? Contact federal and state representatives to push for stronger policies and protections against disability discrimination. Organisations such as\u00a0<a href=\"mailto:https:\/\/www.dana.org.au\/\">Disability Advocacy Network Australia<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0<a href=\"mailto:https:\/\/visionaustralia.org\/\">Vision Australia<\/a>\u00a0can provide support in filing complaints and seeking legal advice.<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-261786ac e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"261786ac\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3fcababe e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"3fcababe\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-678a8599 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"678a8599\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Share<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-44844879 elementor-share-buttons--view-icon elementor-share-buttons--skin-flat elementor-share-buttons--shape-circle elementor-share-buttons--color-custom elementor-grid-0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-share-buttons\" data-id=\"44844879\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"share-buttons.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-grid\" role=\"list\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-grid-item\" role=\"listitem\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-share-btn elementor-share-btn_facebook\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Share on facebook\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-share-btn__icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fab-facebook\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M504 256C504 119 393 8 256 8S8 119 8 256c0 123.78 90.69 226.38 209.25 245V327.69h-63V256h63v-54.64c0-62.15 37-96.48 93.67-96.48 27.14 0 55.52 4.84 55.52 4.84v61h-31.28c-30.8 0-40.41 19.12-40.41 38.73V256h68.78l-11 71.69h-57.78V501C413.31 482.38 504 379.78 504 256z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-grid-item\" role=\"listitem\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-share-btn elementor-share-btn_linkedin\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Share on linkedin\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-share-btn__icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fab-linkedin\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 32H31.9C14.3 32 0 46.5 0 64.3v383.4C0 465.5 14.3 480 31.9 480H416c17.6 0 32-14.5 32-32.3V64.3c0-17.8-14.4-32.3-32-32.3zM135.4 416H69V202.2h66.5V416zm-33.2-243c-21.3 0-38.5-17.3-38.5-38.5S80.9 96 102.2 96c21.2 0 38.5 17.3 38.5 38.5 0 21.3-17.2 38.5-38.5 38.5zm282.1 243h-66.4V312c0-24.8-.5-56.7-34.5-56.7-34.6 0-39.9 27-39.9 54.9V416h-66.4V202.2h63.7v29.2h.9c8.9-16.8 30.6-34.5 62.9-34.5 67.2 0 79.7 44.3 79.7 101.9V416z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-grid-item\" role=\"listitem\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-share-btn elementor-share-btn_email\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Share on email\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-share-btn__icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-envelope\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M502.3 190.8c3.9-3.1 9.7-.2 9.7 4.7V400c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V195.6c0-5 5.7-7.8 9.7-4.7 22.4 17.4 52.1 39.5 154.1 113.6 21.1 15.4 56.7 47.8 92.2 47.6 35.7.3 72-32.8 92.3-47.6 102-74.1 131.6-96.3 154-113.7zM256 320c23.2.4 56.6-29.2 73.4-41.4 132.7-96.3 142.8-104.7 173.4-128.7 5.8-4.5 9.2-11.5 9.2-18.9v-19c0-26.5-21.5-48-48-48H48C21.5 64 0 85.5 0 112v19c0 7.4 3.4 14.3 9.2 18.9 30.6 23.9 40.7 32.4 173.4 128.7 16.8 12.2 50.2 41.8 73.4 41.4z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A Victorian woman with disability claims she was denied service by rideshare giant Uber an astonishing 32 times in less than two years \u2013 simply because of her guide dog. Now, she\u2019s calling on people with disability across the country to unite and push for change.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":6458,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":true,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3165","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Woman with disability takes Uber to Federal Court over refusals | Melba Support Services<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A Victorian woman with disability claims she was denied service by rideshare giant Uber an astonishing 32 times in less than two years \u2013 simply because of her guide dog. 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