From:	Damian Lacey [Damian.Lacey@deafchildren.org.au]
Sent:	Monday, 7 December 2009 4:08 PM
To:	disabdis
Subject:	Objection to Application for Exemption re Cinema Access

I write on behalf of our partner organisations, Deaf Children Australia, Deaf Services Queensland and 
Western Australian Deaf Society to express our concern regarding the application made by Village 
Roadshow, Greater Union, Hoyts and Reading Cinemas requesting exemption from the Disability 
Discrimination Act for a period of two and a half years. 

Of the total 41,370 screenings per week, the application means that only 105 will be captioned and 
audio described. This is equal to 0.3% of all movies screened. This is hardly a fair outcome for the 
“one –in –six” Australians affected by hearing loss, as well as those with vision impairment, and is 
clearly not in keeping with notions of equal access.

In a recent national survey of young deaf people, Access to captioned information was reported as 
one of the six most important issues effecting young people in Australia. 
At the National Disability Services CEO Conference held last week in Canberra, Parliamentary 
Secretary for Disabilities and Children’s Services, Bill Shorten spoke passionately about the two 
key issues confronting disability in Australia as being lack of money and lack of power. For the 
Human Rights Commission to accept the application as it stands it would be condoning this lack of 
power in particular. To do so is unacceptable. 
Our organisations oppose this move which in effect removes the rights of deaf, hard of hearing, and 
vision impaired people to complain about discrimination. We urge you to reject the application made 
by Village Roadshow, Greater Union, Hoyts and Reading Cinemas requesting exemption from the 
Disability Discrimination Act for a period of two and a half years. 
Yours Sincerely. 
Damian Lacey
Damian Lacey
Chief Executive Officer
Deaf Children Australia / Deaf Services Queensland / WA Deaf Society
Tel: + 61 3 9539 5300   Mob: 0408 395 106
Fax: +61 3 9525 2595   TTY: +61 3 9510 7143
Street: 597 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC 3004
Postal: PO Box 6466, St Kilda Road Central, Melbourne, VIC 8008

Deaf Children Australia, Deaf Services Queensland and WA Deaf Society work in partnership to 
enrich the lives of deaf and hard of hearing people and their families.  Visit one of our websites for 
further information www.deafchildrenaustralia.org.au; www.deafservicesqld.org.au; 
www.wadeaf.org.au

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