Disability Rights update: September 2007
About this update| Convention on Human rights and Disability | Access to premises | Health Access| Information and communications technology | Access to art and culture |Accessible electronic financial services | Accessible consumer electronics and appliances | Transport issues | Recent speeches, media and meetings
Other recent editions: February 2007; November 2006| September 2006 | August 2006 . Material from older editions is incorporated in HREOC's annual reports available online.
About this update
This Update from Disability Discrimination Commissioner Graeme Innes is a slightly edited version of his regular disability rights project report for meetings of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. It is published as close as possible to Commission meetings, which are generally held 6 to 8 weeks apart. Events are notified first in the What´s New section of the Disability Rights home page, so check there if you want to keep fully up to date.
You can subscribe to our email list to be notified when new editions of this update are issued and when other major developments occur, by sending a blank message to join-drupdate@list.humanrights.gov.au
Your comments on any project or issue are welcome, preferably sent by e-mail. Contact us at: disabdis@humanrights.gov.au , or by mail to Disability Rights Unit, Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, GPO Box 5218, Sydney NSW 1042.
Convention on Human Rights and Disability
For more in this area see our Convention page.
The Attorney-General's Department and the Department of Family and Community Services and Indigenous Affairs are now commencing consultations with a view to preparation of a National Interest Analysis as part of consideration of ratification of the Convention. A report of the workshop on the Convention which we held in June is now available on the Commission's website.
Access to Premises
For more in this area see our access to premises page .
We are still awaiting a decision from the Attorney General and Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources concerning the future of the draft Disability Standard on Access to Premises.
The Commission's resource The good the bad and the ugly on common mistakes made in design and construction for access has been very popular, both in comments received on its usefulness and in distribution, with over 1500 CDs distributed to architects, building surveyors, local councils, consultants and community groups.
Audio description, captioning and media access
For more in this area see our captioning and media access page. Note also now announcement of investigation by Minister
DVD access
Work has been progressing in the area of captioning and audio description on DVDs. We will be running a DVD Access Roundtable meeting in early September at which we will be reviewing progress on a number of initiatives including DVD labelling, the business case for access features and a draft industry access framework.
Commissioner Innes presented an award recently at the Deafness Forum captioning awards night and was pleased to hear of the many efforts being made in the broad media industry to improve accessibility.
On a less positive note it was disappointing to hear of the release of a Federal Government funded parent information DVD which had no access features at all. As a result of complaints to the producers of the DVD and funding body captions will be included and discussions are continuing about audio description. Commissioner Innes has written to the Prime Minister about the failure to ensure the DVD was accessible to all Australians and have suggested a need to review Government policy and practice in this area.
TV captioning
The Temporary Exemptions granted to Free TV in 2003 and Pay TV in 2004 both required reviews of the possibilities of further increases in the levels of captioning before the end of the exemption periods. We are advised that discussions within industry bodies have commenced and that discussions with the Commission and the disability sector will commence soon.
Cinema captioning
Discussions are due to take place in October between the disability sector and cinema exhibitors and distributors following a call from the disability sector for an expansion of the current cinema captioning program.
Health access
For more in this area see our health access page.
We have issued an open letter on the website which summarises work that has been undertaken over the past two years in relation to the availability of adjustable-height examination beds in general practices.
While we have welcomed the developments that have taken place in this area we will continue to advocate for adjustable-height examination beds becoming mandatory in general practices.
Information and communications technology
For more in this area see our information and communications page.
Mr Maguire continues to participate in the discussions of the US Access Board committee reviewing the standards on information and communications technology under s.508 of the US Rehabilitation Act.
E-commerce
For more in this area see our ecommerce page
We are expecting finalisation and release of the Guiding Principles for Accessible Authentication in late September. These Guiding Principles have been developed by the Australian Bankers Association (ABA) in consultation the Commission and representatives from the disability sector.
Commissioner Innes plans to meet with the new Chair of the Australian Bankers' Association, Mr John Stewart to discuss opportunities for continuing work between the Commission and ABA .
Accessible consumer electronics products
A discussion paper on access issues affecting people with disability in using a range of consumer electronics products and possibilities for addressing these issues is ready for release and we are now considering how best to use this paper to promote action on the issues raised by industry participants and relevant regulatory agencies.
Accessible public transport
For more in this area see our transport page.
Commissioner Innes has met with the consultants conducting the five year review of the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport. Their public hearings have now concluded. At this point preparation of a formal submission does appear necessary for us to have effective input to this process but this issue will be kept under review in the light of submissions made by other relevant parties. A draft report should shortly be available from them for discussion.
Exemptions
For more in this area see our exemptions page.
A proposed temporary exemption in relation to assistance animals is being considered by the Commission as one of the exemptions applied for by the Australasian Railways Association on which the Commission deferred a decision earlier this year.
Recent meetings / speeches / media
Commissioner Innes except where otherwise indicated
25 July: Employers Network on Disability forum, Canberra
26 July: Telstra Disability Action Plan launch, Melbourne
30 July: Australian Institute of Building Surveyors conference speech (Mr Small)
7-8 Aug: Meetings with Office of Disability and VEOHRC Melbourne (Mr Small)
10 Aug: PIAC re implications of Access for All v Hervey Bay decision, Sydney
15 Aug: Lyndal Grimshaw, Brain Injury Australia ( Sydney )
15 Aug: Public lecture on disability rights, ANU Canberra
17 Aug: Meeting with transport standards review consultants, Sydney
17, 27 Aug: Magazine interviews re adjustable examination couches
20 Aug: Tasmanian Bus Association (Mr Small, Sydney )
20 Aug: Forum on Convention ratification, Hobart
22 Aug: ACMA/Communications Alliance forum on technology and accessibility, Sydney
23 Aug: Deafness Forum captioning awards presentation, Sydney
22, 27 Aug: Radio interviews re parenting DVD captioning