From:	Julie Deane [
Sent:	Friday, 4 December 2009 4:12 PM
To:	disabdis
Subject:	DDA Exemption Application by Village Roadshow, Greater Union, Hoyts and 
Reading Cinemas

To whom it may concern

I wish lodge a submission and my objection to the application for exemption from the 
DDA by Village Roadshow, Greater Union, Hoyts and Reading Cinemas. 

My name is Julie Deane and I am a person with a significant vision impairment (legally 
classified as blind).  I regularly go to the cinemas to watch movies.  Whilst I can see 
some of what is occuring on the screen, there are times when I can not see smaller 
movements of actors, text (eg. names of actors or English subtext used when another 
language is being used) or small obojects etc. I often miss out on the smaller details 
and  plot intricacies within the movie.  I frequently need to rely on people 
accompanying me to describe what is happening. This sometimes results in abuse 
from fellow movie goers who don't understand the need for people to talk to me. Audio 
description would increase my enjoyment of movies and enhance my independence 
as I would not have to rely on other people to explanin what is happening. 

I believe the application from Village Roadshow, Greater Union, Hoyts and Reading 
Cinemas is discriminatory and based on poor understanding of the needs of movie 
goers with sensory impairments. Given the size and scope of these organisations I do 
not feel their claim of unjustifiable hardship is  reasonalbe, nor is it consistent with 
associated standards and actions set by other countries. As Australia is a signatory to 
the Unitated Nations agreement on the rights of disabled persons, to grant these 
companies such an exemption contravenes that agreement and sends a poor 
message to people with a disability Australia Wide.

If any perso wishes to contact me in regard to this submission I can be contacted by 
return email or by telephone:



Regards

Julie Deane


      
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