Blind Citizens Australia
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BLIND CITIZENS NEWS
August 2001
Published by
Blind Citizens Australia
ABN 90-006-985-226
Edited by
Lynne Davis
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Our mission is to achieve equity and equality by our empowerment, by promoting positive community attitudes, and by striving for high quality and accessible services which meet our needs.
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COPYRIGHT: Reproduction of articles appearing in Blind Citizens News is permitted, provided Blind Citizens News and the author(s) are acknowledged.
Large Print ISSN 1441-449X
Braille ISSN 1441-5658
Cassette ISSN 1441-564X
Blind Citizens News is distributed in Large Print, Braille and Audio. Electronic copies in text format are available from our Web page, on Disk or by Email. To change your format please contact Blind Citizens Australia.
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Other Publications
Accessible E-Commerce in Australia
Community Development for Blind Women
Everybody’s Business
(see Tune in and Keep up to Date, in this issue)
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Blind Citizens Australia Identity Card
BCA’s Identity Card carries a photo, address and signature. It may be used where photo identification is required and is worth 25 points when opening a bank account or entering into business transactions. Application forms are available from the BCA Office.
EDITORIAL
LIBRARIES - ARE WE BEING SERVED?
CONVENTION 2001 IN THE HARBOUR CITY
REPORTS FROM NPDC WORKING GROUPS
EDITORIAL
Lynne Davis
The mailbag was overflowing for this issue - so much so, that some contributions had to be held over for later publication. It’s very heartening to know that so many people read and think about the letters and articles in Blind Citizens News! You will find that quite a large part of this issue is taken up with readers’ responses to matters raised in previous issues, particularly around the subjects of education and access to information.
Because of the length of this issue, there’s really not much room for editorial comments here. I’d just like to note that, since the last issue, I have had the unforgettable experience of travelling to East Timor (supported by the Royal Blind Society of NSW) to report on the situation of blind people in that country. I hope to write more about this experience in a future issue of the News, and would be very willing to talk to anyone with an interest in the subject.
Well, enjoy your reading, and I hope this issue is as thought-provoking as recent issues seem to have been. Till next time.
Are there others out there like me who are seeking textbooks, specialised text and other reading material in a different format to standard print?
From some of the letters in BCA News it is evident that readers of Braille have a continuous problem in accessing all types of material they wish to read.
I do not read Braille, however I have the use of a talking book machine, and standard cassette recorder. I also use my computer with JAWS in conjunction with a scanner. It takes a lot of time to transfer printed text (from say a text book of 380 pages) to my computer and then it is even more time consuming listening to the text even when I speed JAWS up to the highest speed I can understand.
The Royal Blind Society, I find, only transcribes text books to tape when you are a current student or when you can afford to pay for it. They have been most helpful in supplying some specialised text that had already been transcribed for the use of others. I am only involved in research these days, so I cannot have these books transcribed free. That is my worry, not RBS’s.
The ultimate answer is to have publishers provide all text books on computer disk. This would not be difficult in this age of computers, as they already have the texts and graphics on disk for printing purposes. This is where it starts to become difficult, because of various reproduction rights including copyright laws. However, there are ways by which all books can be provided at minimal cost on disk to the blind and vision impaired members of society. The cost should be minimal as there would be no printing costs involved and today the various types of computer disks are very cheap and getting cheaper.
What I am asking is, is there a reader out there who knows or has contact with some of the many publishers? Also most authors are cooperative when it comes to giving or reducing the cost of their production rights for special purposes (witness our talking books). Perhaps BCA, RBS, RVIB, or CBMI may make the first move, even before one of the members read this. I realise that it may take some time to organise, however it is worth a lot of effort for the many blind and vision impaired people around the globe. So here’s hoping that we might see ‘BOOKS ON DISK’ before too long!
George L. Archbold
New South Wales
I have been receiving Blind Citizens News for over twelve months and have been very impressed with the quality of the articles appearing in each of the newsletters. The issue on education was very interesting although I was hoping to read more about other people’s educational experiences.
I have had both the experience of a segregated and integrated education system. For primary school I attended Townsend School, which is the blind school in South Australia. Schooling was a very emotional experience for me at that particular time because when I was five years old I had to leave my family, who lived in a country area. I learned many invaluable skills like how to read and write Braille, orientation and mobility skills and independent living skills. As well as having a vision impairment I have a physical disability, which the teachers also had to be aware of when teaching me. When it was time to send me to secondary school my parents had a fight with the teachers and told them that I would be going to high school with all of the other students from my year level. After eight years at the school for blind children I moved on to a local school that had a special unit for vision impaired students. This unit was staffed by teachers who knew how to read and write Braille, which was very helpful. They also assisted me when I participated in school activities. Even though maintaining friendships as a young blind person is usually very difficult, it wasn’t for me because the students saw how normal I was.
South Australia was unique in that country students who attended the school for blind children were able to stay in the accommodation on weekends. When I was at high school I did this as well. However, most of the accommodation services closed at the end of year 11 which made year 12 very unsettling because I had to move in to a private boarding arrangement. Now I live in a share situation which is working well.
I think that having a special issue on tourism and travel is a very good idea. So that this can happen effectively I think that looking at the historic development of tourism would be in order. When I was finishing primary school my parents bought a guest house at Beachport which is situated on the south east coast of South Australia. When I came home from school for the holidays I would help in the kitchen with preparing the different meals for the menus. We had a variety of customers from all over the world and from all walks of life. Many of our international visitors were backpackers who came with a tour group several times each week. To look at tourism we need to understand all of the sectors of the industry. So if it is allowed I would like to write an article explaining the historic development of tourism and what this means for blind and vision impaired people.
Keep the ideas coming! And I look forward to reading many more issues of Blind Citizens News.
Julie Sutherland
South Australia
I am writing in reference to the articles from two angry blind people printed in the latest Blind Citizens News [May, 2001]. Do these individuals expect life to be always and forever fair? It isn't, and it's immature of them not to have realised this by now. However, frustration and anger are soul destroying emotions, boring to read or listen to, and usually unproductive. I wonder if either of the writers attended any part of the World Blind Union General Assembly held in Melbourne last November? If they did, they would know that we live very well indeed, compared to blind residents of Africa, the Middle East, even closer to home, Fiji. We benefit from means test free pensions, we do have libraries from which to borrow, unlike the Fijian blind, who learn Braille at school, but have no Braille reading matter afterwards. We also have some chance of employment, unlike most African women.
Of course there are advantages and disadvantages in attending a school for the blind. I enjoyed the greater part of my own six years in such an establishment. It taught me that blindness was no big deal, that the person I was mattered, not the bits of me that did or didn't function normally. This was a great advantage when I attended a high school in which I was the only blind student. At first the only thing my classmates could see about me was that I couldn't see. Later, I made my own friends and got on with my life, but I'm glad to have had the stabilising influence of the blind school when I began my education.
It's all very well to complain about being unable to access the books you prefer to read, but what's the point of doing that? Either borrow them in print and use a scanner to access them, or pay somebody to read them to you or to tape them, then, if you want to keep them, Braille them yourself. I know what I'm talking about here. I want to own the books I love, so have borrowed them from libraries and transcribed them for myself. It also isn't true that libraries specialise in the Mills and Boon genre. It's true that we can't do as our sighted friends do and choose our books from the library shelf. They can't do that in the USA or in England either, but at least we have growing numbers of books accessible to us, and can even buy unabridged cassette books in commercial stores these days, as well as books from the internet. To frustrated blind people, I'd like to say: Life in Australia is pretty good. Enjoy it as much as you can, and think about self help. You feel great when it works out for you. That reminds me, Marissa, have you thought of self publishing your novel? I've done that, and leaned a bit about marketing on the way. There's nothing quite like the feel of your own work in a printed book. Guess what my sighted friends got for Christmas last year?
Diana Braun
New South Wales
Once again, I would like to thank you for an excellent magazine. I particularly enjoy the Letters To The Editor section so I had better do my bit, too.
I was vision impaired at birth. I attended the Cheltenham State School for three years. Although I had my desk set up close to the blackboard, the teachers finally decided that it was becoming too difficult for me to cope at a sighted school.
In 1930, at the age of 9, I commenced my schooling at the Blind Institute school. In those days, all the children lived in as boarders, and went home at weekends, except for the children from the country who went home at Easter and Christmas.
I think we were lucky, for all the children had to do their schoolwork with Braille irrespective of what amount of sight they had. I had enough sight, back then, to read Braille with my eyes. From the 4th grade on, we all learned typing.
There were no Braille machines: we wrote with a stylus, using a wooden frame with a metal guide on it. We learned to write from right to left and every letter was written back-to-front. I never regret having learned Braille at school for over the years, as my sight deteriorated (in my later years going totally blind), my Braille pocket frame and stylus have proven to be a great asset.
I do use a talking book machine for novels, but I prefer to read magazines and reports in Braille. I find I can analyse the detail more closely when material is in Braille. I confess that, at 80 years of age, I do not understand computers, but I do know that with my Braille filing system I do not have the problem of having everything wiped out, as can happen on the computer.
In 1932, Don Forbes became my teacher. He was the first totally blind person in Australia to graduate with a BA degree. During the 1930’s there were two blind men who graduated with Bachelor of Music degrees, and two blind men and one blind woman who graduated with their Bachelor of Arts. They were all totally blind and were educated at the School for the Blind in Melbourne. For their higher education they had to attend a college for sighted children before going on to university. I feel they should be admired for their courage and determination. In those days there were no tape recorders and all their study books had to be transcribed into Braille by hand. It took so long to get these books Brailled, that they often got them just a few weeks before the final exams of the year. They usually had to rely on voluntary readers. None of these students failed any year during their course.
When I did my Arts and Crafts Technical Teachers course in 1953-54, there were no such things as tape recorders, but at least there were hand-operated Braille machines - such as the Stainsby, the Lavender and the Perkins. This meant that my study books were put into Braille fairly quickly.
If I could not read and write Braille, I feel sure that I would not be able to continue to live on my own in my own flat without a tremendous amount of sighted help. I use Braille to write up my supermarket order, for keeping a record of my banking, for labelling documents and private records, and for keeping hundreds of names and addresses and phone numbers.
It is interesting to note, that we have just recently won the battle with the Vision Australia Foundation Library to have the authors’ names and book titles put in Braille on the cassette boxes. In my campaign on this issue, I used the argument that the RVIB do this, so you can imagine my surprise, now the RVIB and the RBS have combined their libraries, to find that the cassettes from NSW have no Braille on the boxes!!!
Harold Gration
Victoria
I read with interest other vision impaired and blind people's experiences with the education system. I would like to share with you some of the dismal incidents of my experiences with the Tasmanian system.
When I was about 5 years old my parents discovered that I had severe short sight. I was fitted with a pair of glasses and sent to regular school. I do not know why I was taken from that school and sent to the 'Sight Savings School'. This was the only school in Tasmania for people with vision impairments. Although sight in my left eye was relatively good and I was able to participate in all forms of school life, the sight in my right eye was very poor and consequently my good left eye was patched for about 5 years. This was supposed to make my 'lazy' eye work. As a result I grew up not being able to see very much and always being in trouble for losing my eye patch. To my parents' credit, they didn't make me wear the patch at home.
The patch never achieved its desired results. By the time I was 10 years old I was completely blind in my right eye. The patch was removed and I was expected to have been able to read and write.
The school's objective for its students was to keep them there till they were 15 years old and then transfer them to the blind society's broom factory. The teachers had no intentions of giving us an education or equipping us with valuable learning and living skills. We were left alone in the classroom for hours at a time and I do not remember any type of formal instruction.
There were about 30 students in the school, with differing eye conditions and varying levels of sight loss. Most of the students were at the school short term whilst correcting a lazy eye or other short-term complaints.
At the age of 10 or 11 years I was taken from classes two mornings a week and sent to an ancient lady to learn to read and write Braille. As my left eye was still functioning normally I could not see the reasoning behind the action. My Braille lessons were a complete failure.
At the age of thirteen I was sent to regular school for year 7. I wasn’t able to read very well as I had taught myself to read. All I wished was to be normal, to be accepted and achieve. I struggled through high school with my left eye losing sight and with no support from blindness agencies.
When I was 16 my parents took me to the blind society to see if they could assist with my further education. They tried to force my mother into sending me to the broom factory to work. My mother refused to do this and they told her that she was a stupid woman and the broom factory was all that was available for me. About that time I left Tasmania and went to Sydney to further my education.
No, I am not talking about the 19th century. This was Tasmania in the 1960’s and 1970’s!
Bronwyn Davies
New South Wales
I was able to relate personally to your story [February 2001] on blind parents and schooling. I have the double "whammy", so to speak. One of my children, a daughter aged 17, is also legally blind. My eldest daughter, who is now 20, was a grand mal epileptic as a younger child. So, as you can probably gather, I have done my fair share of caring, and continue to advocate on my younger daughter's behalf as well as for myself.
I would like to pass on your article to the Disability Services Commission in WA for them to consider funding a similar project as the one in NSW that you mention in the article.
I organise an informal parent support group in WA called Vizhelp, for families of children who are blind and vision impaired and who may have other disabilities. As part of my role with the support group, I coordinate the Heart of Gold Award, which is a monetary, non achievement-based award. Parents through fund raising and donations raised the money for this award. The award provides small amounts of money to families and schools for programs, or toys, books or other items which improve the quality of life of children/young people who are blind or vision impaired. Vizhelp also works with service providers to raise the awareness of the needs of families of children who are blind and vision impaired.
You seem to be doing a great job at BCA. I enjoy your editorials and the whole publication is extremely thought provoking, interesting and very useful too.
Pam Barrass
Western Australia
I would like to reply to the article by Vivien Palcic in the May edition. First, I would like to congratulate her for a wonderful achievement. But to my mind it is overshadowed by a complete self-centredness. The article made me both angry yet sad to see so much bitterness in one person. Does she feel that she is the centre of the world and that it owes her something because she was born blind? Each and every one of us has had the educational and social problems she has experienced.
Who does she think she is to condemn all these organisations in Australia and overseas (especially the KBE Library)? Instead she should be very thankful to those people, even though mistakes have been made (those who haven’t made mistakes have never done anything!). It seems that she thinks that every book printed should be in Braille for her specific benefit. She fails also to recognise that sighted people do not understand our special needs and at times tend to overcompensate. Accept it in the spirit that it is given instead of being disgruntled. She should be thankful, as I grew up without any of these aids that she takes for granted, but I have had a full and meaningful life. She probably feels that I am one of those that have accepted the status quo, but she would be wrong as I have pushed the boundaries to their maximum, to enable me to achieve the maximum.
As for eternal exile, it is self-imposed. As soon as she gets rid of the chip on her shoulder and presses on in love, gentleness, and understanding, she will achieve more and find that the world is a wonderful place to live in.
Vernon Wells
Queensland
My appreciation of the May issue of Blind Citizens News was marred by the article "From Six Years of Apartheid to Seemingly Eternal Exile" by Vivien Palcic. I think it was in very poor taste, unrealistic and self-centered. (My wife restrained me from saying more!) The writer shows considerable talent but should realise that we can't expect the world to meet our every demand; sighted people are human and have needs also!
I am only visually impaired but am very grateful for all the help I receive.
David Rodda
Victoria
Maryanne Diamond
The year is certainly passing quickly with the first half behind us and our National Convention FAST approaching. Things have been very busy for BCA with the planning for Convention, ongoing advocacy and policy work, and our efforts to establish a presence in NSW.
The fifth BCA lottery was drawn on June 29. The prize winners are: Mrs D. Cheetham – 1st, Mrs Lois. Sharp –2nd, and Christine Stewart – 3rd with the book seller being Mrs Sandra Bannon. I would like to congratulate each of these people and thank them for their support of the work undertaken by BCA. Lottery 6 commenced in early July and will be drawn on December 14, just in time for Christmas. If you wish to purchase tickets in the upcoming Lottery, please call Megan in the National Office on 1800 033 660. Over the last three years this fundraising activity has provided an increasing source of income for BCA and we anticipate this will continue.
Ray Bedson, a long standing member and friend to BCA, passed away during June and our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Heather at this sad time. For all of us in Victoria, we knew Ray as a friend, member of BCA and a member of a number of committees both within BCA and the blindness agencies. His contribution will be sadly missed.
Staffing
Alise Wonson has left our staff after almost one year and we thank her for her contribution to the increased efficiencies in the administration in our National Office and wish her success in her new employment ventures. The current BCA staff in the National Office consist of Cheryl Gration, Rosalyn Bates, Robert Mascitti and Alison Lynch providing the administration, financial and IT support. Helen Freris is our Victorian Advocacy and Information Officer, Aileen McFadzean is the National Advocacy Officer, Collette O’Neill is the National Policy Officer, and I am the Executive Officer.
Gunela Astbrink has worked as a consultant leading the Telecommunications Disability Consumer Representation (TEDICORE) project over the last two years and at the time this report is written it is unknown whether the funding for this project will continue.
Tim Noonan is known to many of us through his work in the area of E-Commerce, having represented BCA on the Australian Bankers’ Association, presented papers at a number of international and national conferences and conducted many forums around Australia. The E-Commerce project came to an end on June 30 and I would like to thank Tim for his tremendous contribution and hard work to keep the needs of blind and vision impaired people in the area of electronic commerce at the forefront and high on the agenda of those developing the latest technology. One of the long-term goals of BCA is to establish an office in every state and we continue to work hard to secure funds to achieve this goal. Following discussions with the Association of Blind Citizens of NSW, BCA will lease an office at their Shirley House location, commencing in September this year, and employ a part time staff member. BCA has also applied to the NSW Department of Ageing & Disability for funds to establish an Advocacy and Information service in NSW. The outcome of this application should be known later this year.
BCA Board Meetings
The Board held a face-to-face meeting in Sydney over the weekend of June 16 and 17. This provided an opportunity for the Board to meet the Convention Planning Committee, visit the North Sydney Harbourview Hotel (venue for Convention) and meet with members living in the Sydney area over dinner, providing an opportunity to talk about issues In a social and informal environment.
The National Convention
Notices for this year’s Convention have been sent to all members and are available at the National Office and on our website for any other interested people. The convention package includes: the convention and AGM notice, registration form, draft program, request for a copy of the BCA Annual Report and (for all Full Members as at June 30) nomination forms for election of the President and (in Victoria, NSW and QLD) for the state NPDC representative, along with an application for a postal vote.
The program committee has tried to include a variety of topics and presentations by a large number of our own members. The venue is well situated and orientation around the hotel appears to be quite straightforward. Let’s hope this year’s convention is a great success in both the shaping of policy and future direction of BCA as well as the opportunity to enjoy the social aspects of the occasion.
A reminder that all nominations for the BCA awards close on August 31, 2001. Details of the awards and method of nomination were outlined in the May issue of Blind Citizens News and can be obtained from the National Office.
BCA Communication Media
To cater for the range of interests and needs of our diverse membership, BCA has a number of different ways to communicate with members and the wider community. News is produced four times each year, and commencing with the next issue the publication dates will move to December, March, June and September. So, our next issue will appear in December.
SoundAbout has been produced in each state an average of four times each year. Given some of the difficulties encountered in presenting, editing, and finding a suitable venue for recording SoundAbouts, BCA will trial a change to this magazine for one year. SoundAbout will continue to be an audio magazine, with one side consisting of material of national interest and the second side containing the individual state material. This is a trial and each state will choose whether to participate or continue to produce their own magazine. The new SoundAbout will be produced in August, November, February and May, beginning this August.
Our Horizons radio program is recorded every week and there have been more than 900 programs produced. Neville Kerr has presented this program since 1984 and I would like to congratulate him for his fantastic effort in the quality of the production. Neville is always looking for interesting material and he can be contacted by leaving a message at the National Office.
BCA has an Internet discussion list for members as another means of sharing, discussing and commenting on BCA policy and issues important to blind and vision impaired people. Details of how to subscribe to this list can be found on the BCA web page or by contacting the National Office.
WBU East Asia Regional Assembly
At the 5th General Assembly of the World Blind Union in Melbourne last November, a change in the regional boundaries was adopted. Australia is part of the East Asia region and the first assembly of this newly formed region will take place in Bangkok from September 21 to 23. Details of registration and accommodation are available from the National Office. Australia has two delegates to this Assembly, Graeme Innes and myself. Observers are welcome and this provides a great opportunity to learn about and share the experiences of our neighbours in the region.
I look forward to meeting many of you in Sydney at our National Convention and for those who will be unable to attend in person, sessions will be streamed on the Internet and highlights replayed each day over the RPH network.
LIBRARIES - ARE WE BEING SERVED?
The subject of library services has attracted a lot of discussion in recent months, in this journal and more generally. There will be a special session on libraries at the BCA Convention this year, and in preparation we are undertaking a national audit of library services used by people who are blind and vision impaired.
We would appreciate your assistance with this audit, whether or not you are a library user. You can do this by answering the questions outlined below, and/or by telling us anything else you would like to say about library services. When thinking about these questions, please don’t overlook libraries other than those which provide specialist services for blind and vision impaired people - for example, municipal libraries, university and TAFE libraries, etc.
You can send your responses in whatever format you prefer, either to the National Office or (if by email) to Lynne Davis at
Please mark them ‘Library Audit’. We would like to receive your responses by the end of August.
These are the things we would like you to tell us:
1. are you a library user? if no, please tell us why you don’t use libraries (and then go straight to question 11)
2. what library/libraries do you borrow from?
3. what format(s) do you borrow? [audio, Braille, large print, standard print]
4. what kinds of books do you borrow?
5. what do you borrow books for?
6. do you select the books you borrow? if yes, how do you make your selections? if no, who selects them, and is this your preferred arrangement?
7. are there any costs associated with your library borrowing?
8. are you able to obtain the books you want or need to borrow? if no, do you have any other strategies for obtaining them?
9. do you use libraries for any reason other than borrowing books?
10. is there anything about your current access to library services, or about the way in which your library service(s) is delivered, that you would like to comment on?
11. do you ever buy books? if yes, what kinds of books do you buy, in what format(s), and why? if no, what is the main reason why you do not buy books?
Remember, we need your responses by the end of August. Thanks for your participation.
CONVENTION 2001 IN THE HARBOUR CITY
Donna Willson
Earlier this year, BCA appointed a convention planning committee to commence planning and organising the 2001 convention, to be held in Sydney from Saturday, 29 September to Monday, 1 October. The committee comprises Maryanne Diamond, Karen Knight and seven members from the Sydney Branch: Barry Chapman, Trish James, Marian Jones, Lynne Davis, Lee Kumutat, Michael Simpson and Donna Willson (chair).
After viewing and assessing numerous venues in the city and inner suburbs, the committee finally settled on the North Sydney Harbourview Hotel. This hotel offers excellent access for those using public transport, being only a 2 minute walk from the North Sydney railway station and bus stops.
The committee has been meeting regularly via the telephone to ensure that the convention is well organised and runs smoothly. Some of the work conducted to date includes submitting funding proposals to government, corporates and blindness agencies to keep costs to a minimum and provide the best possible level of services; liasing with hotel staff to ensure we have the facilities to run the convention successfully; and appointing a programs committee to design an informative and interesting convention program.
An assessment of the hotel has been conducted in conjunction with the Guide Dogs Association of NSW/ACT, hotel conference staff and engineer to ensure that provisions are made for blind or vision impaired people accessing the premises. Modifications that the hotel have agreed to implement include placing Braille labelling on lifts, marking edging of steps on outside areas and provision of a toileting area for dog guides.
By now, you will have received your convention registration package and while it outlines the program, it doesn’t tell you about the sights and entertainment that Sydney has to offer. From the hotel, it is only a short train ride into Circular Quay where you can take a harbour cruise or perhaps a leisurely ferry ride to Manly and back. For those into shopping, you can go a few stations further up the North Shore line to Chatswood or over the Harbour Bridge into the heart of the city. If wining and dining’s your thing, there are many local wine bars, restaurants, coffee shops and pizza bars in the North Sydney area. If you’d like more > information you may like to look at BCA’s web page, where we will be providing regularly updated information as the convention draws nearer.
So as you can see that there is much to attract you to this year’s convention. From the comprehensive program through to the social functions and the sights and wonders of our harbour city, there is something for everyone. We look forward to seeing you there.
Martin Stewart
I write to you to tell what I believe is largely an untold story. It is of a period when people with disabilities came together, using a variety of methods including public demonstration and the press, to highlight issues of great importance and thereby bring about change. There is no doubt that the sacrifices made by the people involved in this movement have led to lasting reforms which have improved the lives of all people with disabilities. So here is the story.
Some of you may be aware that in the 1980’s, right up to the 1990’s, the air around us vibrated with the sounds of protest from people who were blind and vision-impaired and people with other disabilities also. It could be said, that the centre of this movement took place in Melbourne, Victoria. One of the groups responsible for making these sounds was PENI (People for Equality Not Institutionalisation). PENI was primarily made up of workers from the Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind’s then sheltered workshop, university students and others who felt passionately about the issues being raised. Issues such as:
During this time, in a variety of areas, many ground-breaking court rulings were made which are still in effect today. It is my opinion that PENI’s activities had an overall positive effect on the lives of people with disabilities. There were some people who felt that the group’s activities caused a public image problem for people with disabilities. Unfortunately, I feel this view still prevails and has led to the overall positive benefits that were achieved being overlooked by some. This also had the effect of tarnishing the reputations and credibility of the demonstrators.
I now ask readers to reflect for a moment and consider the benefits and increased empowerment you may have gained from the struggles of this particular group and others like it. For example: you may have been democratically elected to a board or consumer group in a reformed blindness agency. You may be vision-impaired and have gained employment in a previously discriminatory blindness agency. Or, you may very soon go out and enjoy a journey on public transport, knowing where you are headed because you’ve just heard an audible destination announcement. I feel these examples, and others, should be remembered and not taken for granted.
This article is written by a person who was directly involved in these protests and demonstrations. It is to let everyone know the full story and also that the people like myself, who were involved in PENI and other similar groups, now live normal, everyday lives. Speaking for myself, I enjoy camping, sports, conversation and movies, and with my wife, Katrina, am very busy raising our young children. As I said, the people who were protesters are now living normal lives. However, I do feel we carry one extra burden. To this day, we are often labelled, ridiculed and disrespected. Unfortunately, I feel some people only focus on the images of protest and demonstration, rather than on the lasting, positive outcomes these public actions helped to bring about. Whilst I acknowledge that our public behaviour may have turned some people away, I badly want my children to grow up being proud of their father and for their generation and others to know the full story of this time and those involved in it. This is why I write to you.
Note: this article should in no way be interpreted as an attempt by me to undermine the great work undertaken every day by organisations such as BCA and its past and present members and executives. I am aware that we all have contributed in our own way to the social reforms that improve our lives and PENI and its methods was just one contributor to the cause.
Collette O’Neill
The Government’s response to last year’s review of the income support system (known as the McClure Report) formed the centrepiece of the 2001-2002 Commonwealth Budget. While the Budget was disappointing, containing few measures that would combat systemic discrimination against people who are blind, it did include some positive measures.
In relation to employment, education and training, the Government has announced:
While these initiatives are welcome, experience tells us that they will simply result in more highly educated and skilled unemployed people if they are not coupled with strong measures to require business to employ people with disabilities. Unfortunately, the Government has avoided any such moves in the Budget, preferring instead to ‘encourage’ employers by establishing an Australian Employer Forum. The Forum will address the employment of people with disabilities, but as it is a voluntary organisation it is hard not to approach it with scepticism.
As members will know, the Budget provided for a one-off $300 payment for people of aged pension age in receipt of a pension or benefit. Many advocacy organisations and concerned individuals raised the inequity of providing this payment only to the aged, and questioned whether one-off payments were an effective use of public resources. Another change announced was the increase in the tax free threshold for people of aged pension or veteran pension age. New arrangements for people in receipt of a foreign pension or who plan to travel overseas for more than 26 weeks were also announced. People who think they might be affected by any of these matters should contact Centrelink on 131 511.
On other matters, Blind Citizens Australia has lobbied for people studying alternative literacy tools such as Braille to be eligible for the new Literacy and Numeracy Training Supplement. We have sought clarification about whether people who are blind are eligible to access the intensive employment support being offered through the new Personal Support Programme and we have argued that changes to the treatment of superannuation income should be extended to compensation payments. The changes mean that superannuation payments are exempt from the Social Security means test for people aged between 55 and the age pension age who are in receipt of a means tested allowance. We are seeking to have the portion of a compensation payment that is payment for lost superannuation exempted as well.
Finally, on Budget night the Government released Australians Working Together, a discussion paper on changes to the social security system for people of work force age. It is tempting to see the paper solely as an expensive public relations exercise given that it asks for feedback on the very same questions which were so thoroughly canvassed only last year during the McClure Review. However, people can read the paper and make submissions to it from the internet at www.together.gov.au or obtain copies of the paper in alternate formats by phoning 1800 050 020. Submissions are due before 1 September 2001.
Aileen McFadzean
BCA is pleased to inform readers of News that we have finally been invited on to Centrelink's Disability Customer Service References Group.
The purpose of the Reference Group is to facilitate consumer input into Centrelink policy and processes and make them more appropriate and user-friendly to people with disabilities. It includes people from Centrelink, the Department of Family and Community Services and disability consumer and service provider organisations. Since BCA does a lot of advocacy in relation to pension matters and general procedures of Centrelink, we have attempted for the last couple of years to join the Reference Group.
The first meeting attended by BCA took place in mid June and many issues were discussed. These included the quality of medical assessments, the possibility of including people other than GP's to assess someone's incapacity to work, and outlining a range of Centrelink service delivery initiatives mostly relating to communication with customers. The Reference Group was also briefed on issues arising out of the last Federal Budget.
BCA will keep members informed of issues as they emerge.
REPORTS FROM NPDC WORKING GROUPS
Membership and Development
Leighton Boyd
Since the last issue, the Membership and Development Working Group has met, by telephone, on two occasions.
The Working Group has finalised its Terms of Reference, giving it a good structure to work on the areas of increasing membership and encouraging participation by existing members. We have identified six priority areas for the remainder of this year.
A card which will be distributed with the Identity Card will be produced. This card will be approximately the same size as the Identity Card and will have a paragraph printed on it stating your legal rights to use it. It is believed that having this explanation card and being able to produce it will alleviate many of the difficulties that members have previously encountered.
The working group is well on the way to producing a Frequently Asked Questions sheet. This will be a 2-sided A4 sheet containing a number of questions, and the relevant answers, that prospective members usually ask. It is hoped that by the next edition of BCA News this sheet will be in production and available for distribution.
Another area where work is being undertaken, but not yet complete, is a survey of BCA members. This will be conducted initially for Victorian members, then for members in other states and territories. The survey will collect information such as: why people become BCA members, what can members be provided with, what are members interested in, and what are the strengths and weaknesses of the organisation. It is hoped that at the completion of the survey lots of information will be available that can be analysed and in turn used to refine and improve BCA’s information, and member services.
The Working Group is also liaising with Collette O’Neill, our National Policy Officer, to encourage more representation from indigenous and ethnic groups within the membership of BCA.
There will be further updates in later editions of News on the progress of these priorities and any other issues which may arise.
We can only do so much, so we would appreciate any suggestions or comments relating to the areas of Membership and Development at any time. Please send your suggestions to the National Office or email them to Leighton Boyd at
Welfare Reform
Robert Altamore
The main activity of the Welfare Reform Working Group continues to be providing support to our Policy Officer, Collette O'Neill, in the conduct of BCA's study of the non-optional costs of blindness. The first stage of the study is almost complete. Five focus group discussions have been held across Australia, with two more to go. Participants discussed the range of extra costs they incur as a result of their vision impairment. The groups were designed to try and capture a broad range of experiences and circumstances that people who are blind face and preliminary results show this was achieved.
In addition, a number of people have contacted me about the research in recent months, offering valuable information about their own experiences of the costs of blindness. Collette and I thank them and the focus group participants for helping to make this stage of the research a success.
In the coming months, the study will move into the next stages - in-depth interviews and recording of expenses in diaries. I will keep members informed of the progress of this important study through this column.
This year's convention includes a feature session on Welfare Reform on the Sunday morning. The issues of welfare reform, participation and community obligation as they affect people with disabilities will be outlined by a keynote speaker. Collette will also provide us with a progress report of the cost of blindness study. There will be opportunities for questions and discussion. I hope that many members will participate in this session and look forward to the lively and informative discussion which I am sure will ensue.
Gillian Gale, who will be known to many readers in different parts of Australia, was recently honoured by the University of Newcastle with the honorary Degree of Doctor of Education.
Gillian’s personal and professional contributions to the field of support for those with vision impairment have been substantial. She is widely recognised by professionals in the field of blindness and vision impairment as one of Australia’s most influential and well-respected educators. We offer her our sincere congratulations.
ARTICLES FOR THE NEXT ISSUE OF BLIND CITIZENS NEWS
The closing date for articles for the next issue of Blind Citizens News is Friday, October 19, 2001. Articles should be sent to Lynne Davis at the Blind Citizens Australia Office, in large print (16pt or larger) or preferably in electronic form (disk or email attachment). If you would like to discuss your ideas for a possible article please call Lynne on 02-9438-5675, send her a message via the Office, or email her at jbasti@ozemail.com.au.
For the latest information from Blind Citizens Australia tune in to Horizons on your RPH station, on a Community Station near you, or over the Internet. Horizons is broadcast regularly on RPH stations. It is also becoming available on Community Stations, but you may need to contact your local station to ask it to receive Horizons over the Community Radio Satellite.
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