LAUNCH OF THE TELSTRA LARGE PRINT BILL
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Susan
Halliday, 2 December 1999. |
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I'm very pleased to be here today - not just as Disability Discrimination Commissioner but to represent the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission.
There is an important part of the federal Act that established our Commission that says we must have regard for the principle that every person is free and equal in dignity and rights.
One of the great manifestations of that principle is tomorrow - the International Day of People with Disabilities.
It is not often there is a ceremony to mark getting a "bill" but that is what we are having here tonight launching - Telstra's much welcomed large print bill.
This is an appropriate way to lead up to tomorrow because the International Day is all about empowerment. In 1992 the United Nations proclaimed 3 December each year be observed as the International Day of People with Disabilities with the aim of promoting better understanding of disability issues within the community.
It is also a way of highlighting the work that remains to be done and the importance of government and business initiatives that make services accessible to all.
Accessibility is a special theme of the International Day this year. And access to information in particular is an important focus of the Commission's current work.
Much as we all groan when another bill arrives, knowing who it's from, what it is for and how much we have to pay is basic information that we all take for granted.
Telephone bills now contain a lot of information that consumers find useful including the timing and cost of individual telephone calls, the numbers called and what subscriber plan is being used.
But something can only be information if it actually informs.
Presenting information in a way that is not accessible to everybody denies some people the right to make decisions about their own lives.
Giving something vital on a take it or leave it basis is neither practical nor acceptable and in terms of legal realities can be in breach of the Disability Discrimination Act.
Telstra's initiative to introduce the LARGE PRINT bill is a worthy companion to the billing service they provide in Braille.
I know Telstra has a major interest in the way digital technology is changing our lives and offering opportunities for increased accessibility.
The Commission looks forward to receiving Telstra's submission to our current inquiry on accessibility of e-commerce. I encourage you to examine how your on-line services can be used creatively to address access issues for people with a range of disabilities.
Telstra has shown great flexibility and leadership in providing an accessible billing service to customers with a vision impairment. Telstra's commitment to ensuring equal access to billing information will assist many people throughout Australia.
There are many among us whose daily lives include the realities of a disability. It is essential that those whose business it is to provide goods, services and facilities do so with respect, understanding and a commitment to access for all.
And that's not all ! It is a bonus tonight to receive Telstra's report on how it has implemented its Disability Action Plan.
Telstra was the first major corporation to lodge a Disability Action Plan under the Disability Discrimination Act.
That means the Telstra plan has been important beyond the boundaries of Telstra and the telecommunications industry. Those first generation action plans were eagerly examined by the community, who wanted to know what to expect from major service providers. They were also closely examined by other organisations preparing their own action plans
The second generation action plans had the great advantage of building on foundations that organisations like Telstra laid.
What might be called the third generation of action plans is now emerging. Some of these plans are the outcomes of reviews of existing plans such as Telstra's.
Some of them are new plans that benefit from the experience of earlier ones. We at the Commission often say that it is the action that counts more than the plan.
In saying that however we fully appreciate the need for people to make sound strategic business decisions. In fact carefully considered decisions are the ones most likely to be implemented and contribute to a world accessible to all.
On behalf of the Commission I am delighted to receive Telstra's Action Plan Implementation Report. Inviting independent examination of one's performance can be a less than comfortable experience but if action plans are to have credibility they need to be open to scrutiny.
It's very pleasing therefore that Telstra has the commitment to undergo scrutiny on several levels. They commissioned independent experts to review their performance, subjected the results to analysis, consulted their consumer forum and finally submitted a report that's a public document.
That's accountability. That's a clear indication of the organisations commitment to take on board the intent of the Disability Discrimination Act and indeed a demonstration of the spirit of the International Day we observe tomorrow.
It says to the community 'We will not do things that affect your interests without hearing what you have to say'. Decisions will be made in partnership, with goodwill and respect for the dignity and rights that we all share.
Before I close I would like particularly to thank the Telstra staff who have helped the company progress towards making this a business that is accessible to all. For most of the life of the D.D.Act. Liz Atkinson has been one of the key people the Commission has dealt with.
Liz, you've worked tirelessly and with a tremendous personal will to succeed. The Commission wishes you all the best in your new job - we're very grateful for the professionalism and goodwill you brought to our relationship.
To her successor Bernadette Levett I'd like to say congratulations and welcome - Disability Rights Unit and I look forward to a productive relationship with you.
And I'd also like to say thank you to Margaret Portelli - I appreciate very much the prominence you give to access for all among the many issues that come your way.
Telstra was the first telecommunications company to seriously address the issues of how to make its services accessible to the widest range of people. It is no longer the only one - but in part that's because of the leadership you have displayed and the competitive example set.
I hope tomorrow is a good day for us all and one where we have an opportunity to reflect on what else it is that each of us can contribute to celebrating the rich diversity of the community on International Day of People with Disabilities.
