Blind Citizens Australia

Contact Details

PO Box 24
SUNSHINE VICTORIA 3020
13 Barrett Street
KENSINGTON VICTORIA 3031

Well spring has arrived once again and I am sure many of us are looking forward to some nicer weather!

Welcome to the September issue of BCA News.

This issue is again full of contributions from members which is very encouraging. For those of you who may be poetically inclined, we even have a poem contributed by one of BCA’s members. For those who have registered to attend the upcoming National Convention to be held in Perth, we have an article on what you can expect to participate in and experience. We also have our regular reports from the National Office along with some news from the President and some exciting developments from Telstra and Quantum Technology.

Enjoy your reading and please keep the contributions coming in!

Dear Editor

I am writing as a Board member of Blind Citizens Australia to address some of the concerns raised by Lisa Hayes in her letters published in previous issues of Blind Citizens News.

Lisa raised the issue of the need for BCA to consider the development of a low interest loan scheme to assist blind or vision impaired people to purchase adaptive technology. BCA recognises the difficulties experienced by many members in obtaining adaptive technology due to its costliness. However, BCA is not currently in a financial position whereby it has capacity to establish a low interest loan scheme. There has been discussion on this issue with the newly formed Vision Australia and those discussions are continuing. In addition, the Education and Employment Strategic Management Group (SMG), chaired by Board Member, Greg Madson, is compiling a list of potential sources of funding for adaptive technology on a state by state basis. This list will be available in the next few weeks and will be published in the next edition of News.

Lisa also raised the issue of Telstra withdrawing eligibility for the pensioner concession benefit from customers who choose to sign up for call plans. Through our TEDICORE project, BCA has had ongoing discussions about the issue. However, Telstra is not obliged to provide discounts to pensioners so there is little opportunity to negotiate around the issue of not withdrawing the benefit from people who elect to take up other call plans. It is important to ensure we utilise all available mechanisms to communicate with blind or vision impaired people in receipt of the pensioner concession benefit from Telstra to let them know the situation. Members should also be reminded that for those who pay their Telstra bills by credit card, they are exempted from the processing fee if they are in receipt of the Telstra pensioner concession benefit.

In a further letter, Lisa raised concerns about the difficulties experienced when a postal contractor would not deliver a parcel at her home when she wasn’t there and that she had to collect it from the Post Office. The Board is aware of the issues confronting blind or vision impaired people when these situations arise. BCA proposes that this issue is taken on board as a national policy issue and that negotiations could occur through Australia Post and their contractors to develop a list of people who request to have parcels left at their home when unattended. Receiving parcels in this way would be at their own risk.

Thanks to Lisa for raising her concerns and I welcome feedback from other members on these issues.

Karen Knight

Dear editor

Having had a look at my BCA News and the survey results article, I wonder at some people saying they wanted the regular things, that appear in every issue to be deleted. Ok so people who are on the mailing list get the regular stuff all the time, but new members join BCA between issues and if the regular information is not included, how would new members know about it.

I just think that people who complain about regular articles in BCA News should consider this point. BCA News is not just there for current members, but for any new member who joins BCA between issues.

Lisa Hayes

Dear Editor

As a totally blind client of the now merged agency I wonder why it is that the agency cannot or will not produce letters in my preferred format. They did produce the merger information, the Constitution and the information regarding the new name in to format such as braille. However, ordinary letters like volunteer newsletters, invitations to volunteer lunches and any other information that is sent to me is sent in print.

If the new agency accepts money from the government to produce tax information and other information in alternate formats why can’t or won’t they do the same with their correspondence? I think it is about time the people running the agency realised that we expect them to consider the needs of their clients.

Lisa Hayes

Hindsight

I saw a lady walking, A white stick in her hand,
With just a gentle tapping,
She knew paving stone from sand,

I followed in amazement,
At her dexterity,
So involved in what I saw,
That I bumped into a tree,

I’m sorry that this lass is blind,
But glad she saw not me.
For the moral of this story,
Is plain for all to see,

The lady with the sightless eyes,
Was not as blind as me.

Jim Smith

The Editor
BCA NEWS

I am very fond of the simple home Word Processor which has served me almost 10 years. The mechanics of moving around documents become second nature after a time. But blind and vision impaired computer users are not likely to forget that their hardware and nearly all software pay little heed to special needs for we with the ultimate “screen saver” - the screen we don't switch on. Hands up those who are especially adept at losing their place amidst a page of text.

Imagine you are listening to your computer's voice reading out some pages you have written. You decide to add an additional sentence somewhere in the middle of a page. But during the process of so doing, the cursor (typing point) accidentally ends up in the midst of the following sentence. Things begin to get messy. Blood pressure rises. Peace and calm are difficult to maintain when uncertainty is in control. I hereby submit details of the system which has eliminated more than ninety-five per cent of such incidents.

Let us imagine you are in a document, at the spot where you intend inserting the new sentence.

Here I want you to type one letter three times as if typing a word. For ease and simplicity I use triple a. That is,”aaa”. Type your triple-letter word, followed by the space bar. Next, bring the cursor or typing point back to the left, until it rests at the beginning of your triple-letter “word”. Now begin typing your new sentence. As usual, tap “space” at the end of each word. Jump back and forth through the sentence at will - so long as you keep left of your triple-letter marker, you remain within the new sentence under construction, thus retaining control. When ready to move on, simply delete the marker. There is nothing to stop you making alterations at several points simultaneously. The simplest suggestion is to use “bbb”, “ccc” and so on. Markers accidentally retained in the text are easily weeded out in the final edit.

Another handy marker I have put into use recently is, before leaving a document, type “ttt” to indicate the point to which I would like to return when next opening the document. Depending on the file, "ttt" may be a bookmark for editing purposes; or it could indicate where to add the next item on a list being compiled; or represent the start of a clean fresh page of a journal etc; and so on. One question which I do have: How does a homebody begin to comprehend the concept of subdirectories? I have a pretty good system which has evolved over time. I am compiling a homebody's guide to subdirectories and word processor easy-find filing methods. Happy to pass on to anyone interested.

In the meantime I submit the following piece of verse written as a parking ticket` for vehicles which block designated footpaths.

!!!PEDESTRIAN CLEARWAY!!!

If you discovered a cow in your kitchen
Would you simply bid her "G'day"
Well, you're the cause of my bitchen
PARKED ON A “PEDESTRIAN CLEARWAY”
There's a footpath under that chassis
Your eyeballs will give you the proof
I couldn't crawl under, is it a wonder
I didn't walk over the roof!
Parking on footpaths is rudeness
Think of the folk in wheelchairs!!!
When you block off their track they may have to turn back
Which is plainly and simply unfair

Regards

A Walker

A free copy of this `parking ticket` may be obtained by sending a stamped self-addressed envelope to
K Rowley
P O Box 67
Southtown
Toowoomba 4350

This year our National Convention will be held in Perth. The dates are 30 September to 3 October and the venue is the Goodearth Hotel. Our Western Australian members and the Convention Programme and Management Committees are working hard to ensure a productive and enjoyable Convention. I encourage you to read your Convention material. I hope that as many of you who can will join us in Perth. The aspects of Convention I particularly want to mention are:

• the Convention opening session on Saturday morning showcasing 30 years of BCA;
• the presentations by the CEOs of Australia’s major blindness agencies on Sunday morning;
• the discussions on library services in the digital era on Sunday afternoon;
• the AGM of our National Women’s Branch at lunchtime on Sunday;
• the workshops for people from rural and remote areas on employment, education, transport and adaptive technology; and
• the Convention dinner.

The Annual General Meeting of Blind Citizens Australia takes place on the Monday morning of the Convention. At the AGM we will announce the results of elections for 3 Board positions and the members of the National Policy and Development Council from Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and Tasmania. I encourage you to read the AGM information and to vote to elect your Board and Council members.

BCA and the Australian Caption Centre have been working together on a project to produce audio described DVDs and promote awareness of audio described television to the television and film production industry; DVD retailers and the wider community. The project has also included the conduct of workshops to raise awareness of audio description among blind or vision impaired people. The highlight of this work so far was the launch of the first 10 Australian produced audio described DVDs at a function held at Vision Australia on 5 July. Our work now includes awareness raising of audio description and the availability of these and overseas described DVDs both to blind or vision impaired Australians and to the staff and managements of DVD sales and rental outlets.

BCA is pleased through this project to contribute to the development of this important service for blind people. Information on audio described DVDs can be obtained through the BCA website.

I have now reached the halfway mark of my contract with BCA. The first couple of months were spent getting on top of some of the management tasks that needed to be completed at the outset. I have also been familiarising myself with the organisation well enough so that I can work with the Board and staff and members as we review some business processes and look at options for an ongoing organisational structure.

The Board is taking an open mind to a number of strategies at this stage and has started to work on the development of a business plan that will provide the Board, the Executive Officer, staff and members a clear picture of the business that BCA will be conducting over the next few years and beyond.

The time I have spent with BCA has convinced me that the organisation is not only unique but it also has a long-term and vital role to play in the wider community. BCA has a positive impact in many areas of public policy and behind the public face it provides very real assistance to blind or vision impaired citizens who find themselves subject to personal hardships that can stem from discrimination, community apathy or ignorance.

The next three months of my time with BCA will be critical as the Board and staff members complete a process of debate and discussion about the future of BCA.

At this midway point I would like to thank everyone I have met so far and acknowledge the support they have offered me during my time at the BCA National Office.

Nadia Mattiazzo and myself provided evidence to the JSCEM in Melbourne on the 25th July. With many of the Committee members present, our evidence was very well received. The basis of our evidence focussed on the current discrimination that exists in the electoral system because people who are blind or vision impaired are unable to cast a secret, independent and verifiable vote at election time. The solution we offered was the introduction of Electronic Assisted Voting (EAV) at federal elections. More information on EAV is available on the National Policy web page at www.bca.org.au/natpol . We anticipate the committees report will be available for release by the end of the year.

Robert Altamore and I met with Dr Ken Rowe, Chair of the Secretariat of the National Inquiry into the Teaching of Literacy, and two of his associates to further advocate the issues BCA made in its submission to the Inquiry. The meeting was very productive and we are confident that the Secretariat has a greater appreciation of the issues of literacy affecting people who are blind or vision impaired. I have also published an article on the issue of literacy with Access Online, Australia's Online Disability issues journal. Focussing specifically on the teaching of braille, the article is titled ‘Teaching the teacher’s Braille: A call to build equality into the literacy needs of students who are blind or severely vision impaired’. The article is due for release by the end of August. I will distribute the article via email on BCA-L and VIP-L and make it available on the national policy web page.

On another important education matter, BCA received some very good news in August when, after close to 10 years of development, the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA), Standard on Education was passed by the Australian Parliament without amendment. This standard is now in force under the DDA and will replace the existing provisions relating to education under the Act to clarify the responsibility education providers have, to make reasonable adjustments in the way education services are delivered. Congratulations to all those involved in making these Standards a reality.

Access to financial services is something that many people take for granted. It is something that is often made more difficult for people who are blind or vision impaired.

We are regularly contacted by people who have been denied finance because they don't have a driver's licence. On a number of occasions, the BCA Identity Card has not been accepted. Our advocacy has ensured that in future, the BCA Identity Card will be accepted as legitimate photo identification.

Another means by which finance companies discriminate against people who are blind or vision impaired is in refusing finance because the person cannot read the contract. In one recent case, the standard contract was not available in an accessible format and it was a requirement of receiving finance that the person take the contract to a lawyer to have it read and explained. The person had first been told that they could not have finance because they could not read the contract. The requirement to consult a lawyer imposes a significant cost on the person which is not imposed on other people. The company involved would not allow an independent person to read the contract, it – they insisted had to be a lawyer.

BCA believes that contracts should be available in accessible formats and, at the very least, it should be acceptable to have the contract read by an independent person. BCA accepts that where a requirement that independent legal advice is imposed on all finance applicants, it is appropriate that it be imposed on people who are blind or vision impaired.

We would like to take up any other cases that people have experienced in the last year, as we believe this is a very important issue. We would also like to be notified when people experience difficulties in having the BCA Identity Card accepted as legitimate photo identification.

(These reports are taken from the BCA Annual Report for the year 2004-2005)

During the 2004-2005 year, BCA’s Library and Information Access Strategic Management Group (SMG) was under the overall responsibility of Susan Thompson as the designated Board member, assisted by fellow Board member John Simpson, and Mathew Mirabella, a member of the National Policy and Development council.

During this year, the SMG focused both on ongoing issues, as well as some specific new projects in both library services and information access. The areas of work for the SMG included:

• further advocacy around the ongoing issue of lack of access to important information provided only in on-screen text by television in Australia;
• beginning the development of a BCA policy on library services to people who are blind or vision impaired, both through specialist and public libraries; and
• producing a simply written document to assist individuals in resolving difficulties with website accessibility.

In addition, BCA was involved in a collaborative project relating to the availability of described DVDs in Australia, which is outlined elsewhere in this Annual Report.

Access to important information presented as on-screen text only, on television, as you may remember, was the subject of a resolution at the 2003 BCA National Convention.

As reported in the last Annual Report, BCA, in September 2003, made a submission to now Free Television Australia as part of the review of The Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice (the Code). The submission urged that commercial broadcasters be required by the Code to provide important information in audio alongside the information displayed on screen, in situations where this information is of important social or community importance such as issues of abuse or health issues, dealt with in various informational programs, or information related to critical emergency situations such as fires or other disasters.

BCA also sent a copy of this submission to the Australian Broadcasting Authority (the ABA), as the government body with responsibility for registering the code under The Broadcasting Services Act 1992 (the BSA). The BSA provides that in registering a code, the ABA should be satisfied that amongst other things, there has been “adequate consultation with the public”, and that ‘the matters contained in the code “provide“ adequate community safeguards’.

The revised Code was registered in July 2004, and reflected none of the matters raised in our submission.

Upon BCA’s writing directly to the ABA to express concern with this outcome, Free TV Australia contacted and met with BCA, and provided a copy of the Guidelines they had developed relevant to matters raised in our submission. However, these Guidelines are not a part of the Code, and therefore would not hold a broadcaster denying access to a blind or vision impaired person to important information in audio, accountable under the Code or ultimately to the Australian Broadcasting Authority

BCA is also disappointed that the ABA in registering the Code, which is a function of it’s “administration of government laws and programs” referenced by the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (the DDA), seems to have treated blind or vision impaired people (as a group covered by the DDA) “less favourably” in having no “community safeguards” against being denied potentially critical safety information.

The area of specialized library services (either through specialist libraries or public library systems) is always a priority for many blind, vision impaired and print disabled people, and is a rapidly changing area.

With this in mind, the SMG has begun the task of developing a comprehensive Library Services Policy. It is intended that this BCA Library Services Policy will cover issues such as alternative formats for materials, accessible navigation of content within the library collection, the differences between specialist blindness agency libraries and public libraries and what we expect from each to insure accessibility and equity, specialist book access equipment required, and issues around collection development, such as abridged books.

In late 2004, the SMG met with senior staff of the National Information and Library Service, and canvassed some of these issues as they relate to that Agency’s, library service, but this Policy is intended to cover library services to all blind or vision impaired Australians, including those in States receiving library services from other agencies.

It is hoped to complete this Policy in the last part of 2005. However as with all BCA’s policies, it is intended to be a living document, to be revised in the light of changing circumstances or changes in applicable technologies.

In the area of web accessibility, the final project the SMG has completed this year, is a web accessibility advocacy tool. This document is entitled “Information Access Advocacy Guidelines - Eight Steps to Web Accessibility".

It is intended that these guidelines can be easily followed, by any blind or vision impaired person regardless of their level of knowledge and experience with computers or the internet.

They are intended to assist anyone who has a problem with a particular activity on the internet, including finding information, reading information, making a purchase or making other financial transactions.

The guidelines take a person through expressing or identifying what task they are having problems with; how to establish if it is an individual problem or is an accessibility problem for blind users generally; and strategies that could be used to have the website owner address the problem.

It is hoped that the use of these guidelines, will assist a blind or vision impaired person to improve a web accessibility problem either by helping them to resolve the issues directly, supporting a potential DDA complaint, or assisting with any other form of advocacy or action.

Other BCA members who worked as part of the SMG included, Jan Miller, Lynne Davis, Bev burrows, Frank Nowlan and Fiona Woods.

In closing, I would like to thank all SMG participants and other BCA members as well as BCA staff for their efforts in furthering the work on library services and other information access matters on behalf of members and all Australians who are blind, vision impaired or print disabled.

Susan Thompson
Convener

The Education and Employment Strategic Management Group (EESMG) for 2004-05 consists of a very experienced and dedicated group of talented BCA members. Members of the group are spread across Australia; this has given the group access to a wide range of varying experience, which has become one of its great strengths. The group includes; Greg Madson (convener) Theresa Smith (co-convener), Derek Stiller, Kevin Murfitt, Kym Hand, Terry Boyle, Lee Kumutat, Ros Martin, Robyn McKenzie and Michael Simpson.

In 2004 BCA took the opportunity to have representation on an Australian Vice Chancellors Committee (AVCC) working group given the task to develop guidelines on information access for students with print disabilities. In November of 2004, these guidelines were published.

These guidelines are not a prescriptive list but are presented as advice on good practice, with the aim of assisting individual institutions to meet the needs of students with print disabilities through strategies and arrangements, which are appropriate to their local circumstances. The guidelines relate to:

• provision of student assistance (administrative and academic aspects of University participation);
• teaching materials;
• internet access;
• encouraging inclusivity;
• equipment and technology;
• practical classes and practicum placements; and
• policy implementation.

The BCA Board in 2005 had identified some priorities out of the 2003/2005 BCA strategic plan that needed attention. The Education and Employment Strategic Management Group has been going through those identified priorities relating to education and employment.

The group felt that there was a possibility that some people who are blind or vision impaired were not aware of adaptive equipment schemes that are available. In an attempt to address this, several members of the group have undertaken to document adaptive equipment schemes in their states.

This year BCA has submitted comment on many issues in regard to education and employment. Two examples were:

Firstly, BCA submitted its views to the “National Inquiry into the Teaching of Literacy”. This submission highlights the importance of Braille as a literary tool for people who are blind or vision impaired.

A second submission was to the HREOC inquiry into employment of people with disabilities. This submission highlights some of the difficulties and barriers to employment faced by people who are blind or vision impaired when seeking or holding down employment.

The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations in 2005 held a number of Workforce Participation Forums for People with Disabilities around Australia. Blind Citizens Australia was able to bring its views to the forefront through BCA representatives at all but two of these forums.

BCA, along with many others, for many years now has been involved in the process of the development of an education standard to sit within the DDA.

After nearly 10 years, the DDA Education Standard will become law in August 2005. This is momentous, and will give students who are blind or vision impaired certainty that educational institutions will deliver education in a way that suits their needs.

Greg Madson
Convener, Education and Employment Strategic Management Group

The three NPDC representatives on the Membership & Development Strategic Management Group (M & D SMG) are Theresa Smith, Chair NSW; Craig Magill, ACT; and Mathew Mirabella, Victoria. The M & D SMG has been working on a number of projects during 2004-05.

First, the M & D SMG is planning to run a series of one day forums in the capital cities in February/March 2006 targeted at blind or vision impaired youth in years 10-12. The purpose of the forums is to provide students with the opportunity to network and discuss their post-school options, including further education or employment. More details about the workshops will be provided as the project is further developed.

The second project that the M & D SMG has been focusing on is the development of a Branch Booklet. The purpose of the Booklet is to provide members with information about the establishment, governance and operation of a BCA Branch. Currently the Booklet has been sent to three BCA Branches in order to receive feedback about its content. The deadline for feedback is November 2005. Once this feedback process is complete, the Booklet will be distributed to all Branches and members interested in receiving a copy. The Branch Booklet represents an important resource for our membership.

Third, the SMG sent a letter to all organisational members seeking their feedback on how their organisation can become better involved in the work of BCA. Currently there is no organisational member representative on the NPDC. It is hoped that this process of communication with organisational members will strengthen their relationship with BCA.

Finally, the M & D SMG is seeking feedback from Tasmanian members on how to enable the Tasmanian members to become more active with BCA.

If you are interested in joining the Membership & Development SMG, or would like to provide feedback on its functioning, please contact the Chair

The last few months have been busy ones for the Women’s Branch, gearing up for BCA Convention in October, where we will host a Convention session and our AGM. We are very pleased to have been successful in obtaining funding to cover costs of some women to go to Convention this year. We thank the Office of the Status of Women for giving us the opportunity to offer to pay the travel costs of some women who are interested in the work of the Women’s Branch to attend Convention.

The Branch will be hosting a general session at Convention on Advocacy and Health. The session is not designed specifically for women and we think the men attending Convention will also learn much from this session. The session will consist of presentations by three speakers. The Director of the Office of Health Review will advise on how to use your state based health complaints mechanisms to progress concerns and complaints in the health system. A representative from the Pharmacy Guild of Australia will explain the range of services pharmacists offer, particularly those of most relevance to persons with vision impairment, so we can make the most of our pharmacists as persons we often approach first for advice about health matters. We will also hear from a vision impaired consumer with experience of working within the health system and who has been involved in attempting to improve it for people with a vision disability. We plan to have some time for questions afterwards.

The Women’s Branch will also be holding its Annual General Meeting at Convention on Sunday 2 October over lunch. All positions will be declared vacant, and we welcome nominations for positions on the Committee from any person who would like to become involved in the work of the Branch. There is no need for a person nominating to be present at Convention. All you need to do is write a paragraph which can be read out at the AGM, telling us a little about your background and why you would like to be on the Women’s Branch Committee or some ideas for projects you would like to see the Branch undertake. Nominations should be forwarded to any of the Committee members whose details are listed in our Aspirations magazine or on the Women’s Branch page on the BCA website. Committee members can also be contacted if you would like to find out more about what the Women’s Branch does or what being on the Committee involves. We encourage those of you who enjoy reading our Aspirations magazine and have ideas on what the Women’s Branch could be doing into the future to consider nominating to be a part of our enthusiastic, vibrant committee.

The merging of Royal Blind Society, Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind and Vision Australia Foundation saw another milestone recently with the establishment of a Client Representative Council. The Council met for the first time to have a full day induction and inaugural meeting in late July with a second full day meeting in late August.

The Council was formed following the adoption by the Board of the Client and Consumer Advisory Charter and a call for expressions of interest from amongst clients of the former organisations.

Each of the pre-merged organisations involved clients through different consultative bodies. The Client Representative Council replaces those bodies and it's formation is the first step to building active representation of clients in the merged agency through a strong consultative framework which will include local client groups and regional client committees.

The Council is made up of twelve clients of the organisation drawn from all regions in NSW, Victoria and the ACT. Council members represent the true diversity of clients of the recently merged organisation with metropolitan and regional areas covered, a gender balance with six females and six males, a wide age range from eighteen years to sixty years of age, clients who are totally blind and others who are vision impaired, People who have been blind or vision impaired since birth through to those who have lost vision in adulthood, a parent of a child who is a client, and two who are deafblind.

The Members of the inaugural Client Representative Council are:

Christine Simpson, Eastern
Mark Boyd, Northern
David Brant, Northern
Pam Haigh, Southern
Rebecca Wright, Southern
Natale Cutri, Western

Stephen Halinan, Hunter/Central Coast
Jenna Davis, Hunter /Central Coast
Rowena Jitts, Sydney Metropolitan
Simon Bosch, Sydney Metropolitan
Nerida Bouma Northern
Robert James, South West

The BCA National Convention is now only a mere few weeks away and all our hard organisation work is now being implemented. Staff at the Goodearth hotel have had their awareness training, with a lot of positive feedback that the training process was extremely useful. The hotel has been checked for potential hazards and had those rectified.

The program is quite extensive. We will have plenary sessions on Tourism and Travel, Advocacy in Health, a look at the future of Library services, a session involving Blindness agency CEO's from right across Australia giving us an insight into what services we can expect into the future. There will be workshops on Transport, Information Technology, Education, Employment, and living in rural and remote Australia and the barriers that come from that.

This year is BCA's 30th Birthday and we will be celebrating that with a marvellous session highlighting where we have come from, where we are now and where we are going.

We will have the Women's Branch AGM and the BCA AGM. We have a fantastic dinner planned for the Saturday night and of course many chances to have some fun, meet new people and make new friends.

This will all be happening from September 30th through to 3rd October. For those who might be arriving a few days earlier, or staying a few days after, or even finding yourself with a few hours to spare during Convention, please find below, some tourist information which you may find useful.

The capital of Western Australia, Perth has a population of 1.4 million and is Australia’s only capital city located on the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. Its location means Perth enjoys more hours of sunshine than any other capital city in Australia. Of Perth’s beaches the best known is the beach of Scarborough, but also popular are the surf beaches of Leighton, Floreat and Trigg.

Marine enthusiasts should pay a visit to the famous Rottnest Island, which is an hour from Perth by ferry and is well known for its relaxed lifestyle that forbids motorcars and encourages water sports and cycling. Also native to Rottnest Island is the unusual quokka, a small member of the kangaroo family. Early Dutch explorers who first visited in the 17th century were so startled by the animal’s appearance they named the island Rottnest, meaning “rats’ nest”. Beaches a little out of Perth are also worth visiting, including Koombana Bay near Bunbury (180 km from the city) where friendly dolphins can often be spotted. Also beaches near Margaret River are well known (especially among surfers) and offer spectacular caves as well.

With fantastic beaches, restaurants and shopping, Perth is a city which is sure to appeal. The mild winter weather and hot summer days make this a place worth visiting at any time of the year. Although Aboriginals have lived in Western Australia for tens of thousands of years, today’s thriving township of Perth began only in 1829 from humble beginnings. After Europeans arrived in the early 1800’s, the township, then known as Swan River Settlement, formed slowly. It was not until an influx of convicts in the 1850s and the discovery of gold during the 1890s depression that the city began to flourish. It now is home to the overwhelming majority of Western Australians. Buildings from the early part of Perth’s history can still be seen today with Australia’s only remaining Edwardian theatre, His Majesty’s, in Hay Street (built in 1904) and the Perth Town Hall, at the corner of Hay and Barrack streets (1867), are some of the best known.

When it comes to shopping, visitors to Perth will have plenty of opportunity to fill the suitcases and overload the credit card. Shoppers will appreciate Perth and its surrounding areas which have a wide range of goods, often at bargain prices. Perth’s main shopping area includes the Forrest Place and Hay Street malls and nearby streets. Regular markets are held at Canning Vale, in southern Perth, at Subiaco and in the north at Wanneroo, which are all open during the weekend. Especially popular in Perth is the sale of Aboriginal handicrafts and jewellery made from the state’s abundant precious metals, stones and pearls.

If you’re in Perth city, London Court with its old world charm and souvenir shops is a must. For designer fashion and art, head to the west end’s King Street. Market Street in Fremantle will keep shoppers happy, as will the Fremantle and High Street Malls. Buzzing Fremantle Markets is located in the heart of town, and the E-Shed Markets right on the harbour at Victoria Quay – the perfect spots to pick up a memento of your trip.

Fremantle and Perth are twin cities. Fremantle began as the port for the capital but achieved its own city status in 1929. It was the host city for the America's Cup yachting challenge in 1987 and was completely refurbished for that event, making it one of the most attractive cities in the world. There are over 150 buildings under the protection of the National Trust in the city and the Fremantle Markets (1897) are open every weekend and renowned for their quality and variety. The port has a 500 boat fishing fleet and around the city are some excellent restaurants. It is a place you must visit on your Western Australian tour.

With the longest stretch of coastline of any state in the world, seafood is abundant in Perth, and throughout Western Australia cheap, delicious culinary delights can be found. The large port of Fremantle is especially popular with diners and the fresh lobster with shellfish is a speciality. A range of migrants to this area has given this city a cosmopolitan feel and added greatly to the variety of food available. Perth boasts more restaurants per head of population than any other city in Australia and visitors can be assured all manner of tastes are catered for. The city has made a name for itself in the preparation of Asian food, and food halls throughout the city have become popular amongst many overseas guests. The Port of Bunbury further south is also well known for its restaurants and its nightlife and cafes.

Some natural attractions cannot be missed. Magnificent native bushland can be found at the Kings Park, just a walk from the city where more than 400 hectares of parkland and walking tracks entices visitors. The annual humpback whale migrations through the Indian Ocean after the spring are also spectacular. A good way to get a glimpse of these impressive creatures is to take a boat trip from Fremantle. Stirling Gardens, being the oldest in Perth were originally used as an acclimatisation garden where many of its mature specimens were raised from seed. Grapes and other import fruits were first grown here. In 1845 it was opened as a botanical garden.

Stirling Gardens were reconstructed in 1965 with the Toodyay stone retaining wall and shallow pools which were designed by the City of Perth. Stirling Gardens honours the name of Sir James Stirling who fought long and hard for the establishment of a settlement in Western Australia. A more recent feature of the Gardens are the kangaroo sculptures and water feature.

Stirling Gardens are located at the corner of Barracks Street and St George's Terrace, Perth.

If you have a day to spare and want to experience the cultural side of Perth, then you may want to consider taking the Swan Valley Tourist Drive. The Swan Valley encompasses Perth’s wine region and although famous for wine, it is a day trip for the whole family.

The Swan Valley Tourist Drive stretches 32 kilometres and commences in Guildford (just a few kilometres north of the Perth airport). Take the Great Eastern Highway north east, go past the airport and continue on for about eight minutes and you will see the well sign posted route (route 203) clearly marked.

Although there are many wineries along the route, be sure not to miss such family venues such as the Caversham Wildlife Park, the Margaret River Chocolate Factory (located in Swan Valley) and the Sandalford Winery. At Caversham Wildlife Park, you can enjoy hours of fun on 10 acres of park, where you will find 200 species of fauna and 2000 animals and birds. The park is part of Perth’s history and is a place that you will not forget in a hurry. After the wildlife adventure, continue on for some lunch, delicious coffee or enjoy a relaxing time at the Margaret River Chocolate Factory. The chocolate factory is renowned in Western Australia and here you will treat your tastebuds to a handsome range of unique flavours including unusual chocolates, jams, flavoured olive oils and delicious foods.

If you are a keen beer drinker or simply interested in the amber fluid, then you might wish to pay a visit to either the Iron Bark Brewery or the Duckstein Brewery. The Ironbark is a small boutique brewery that, although simple in its appearance, will provide you with a deep insight into the methodology used in making beer. This brewery makes its own beers without artificial preservatives and provides flavours that are unique to its wonderful products. The Duckstein Brewery is a much larger brewery than Iron Bark and boasts a completely German restaurant. Be sure to enjoy a real German beer with real German food! After a thorough day of tripping around the Swan Valley, don’t forget to pick up some great wines at cellar door prices.

The Swan Valley is only about fifteen minutes from Perth and certainly a “must see” while you are in the West.

BCA congratulates Patricia Dawson of Revesbey New South Wales, on receiving the McKell Award "for meritorious service to the Australian Labor Party." Federal Opposition Leader, the Hon. Kim Beazley, M.P. presented awards to 15 Rank and File Party members, from throughout the State. in recognition of their services to the Party and to the community, at the McKell Dinner on 12 July.

Pat, who has been a member of the ALP for almost 30 years, is currently Senior Vice-President of the Revesby Branch, Vice-President of the Banks Federal Electorate Council and Branch Delegate to the East Hills State Electorate Council. She was formerly Work-Place Union Delegate and a member of the Public Service Association's Women's Council. Her commmunity activities include membership of the Bankstown Disabilities Committee, the NSW Council and the Special Users' Transport Forum, which she chairs.

After receiving her award, Pat said:

"I hope it will encourage other blind people to take an interest in politics and join the party of their choice. There have been three blind members of the NSW Parliament but, unfortunately, there hasn't been one for quite some time."

Pat will shortly complete 40 years service with the NSW Education Department.

Now Available and is already set to Change the World!

Jot a Dot has arrived! Units are now available in Australia for just $425 plus postage and handling.

If you haven’t already heard, Jot a Dot is a small mechanical braille-writing device - which is unlike anything else available in the market. Perfect for brailling that quick phone number or shopping list.

Already the response to Jot a Dot has been phenomenal with inquiries being fielded via our website www.jotadot.com.au from around the world!

And the news just gets better. Jot a Dot has been selected as a finalist in the Saatchi and Saatchi World Changing Ideas Award. This prestigious Award aims to encourage innovative ideas that change the world. The winner will be announced in New York in November.

For further information please contact your nearest Quantum Technology office or local authorised dealer.

NSW (02) 8844 9888 Vic (03) 9585 3277 Qld (07) 3393 5776

Jot a Dot is proudly sponsored by the Guide Dog Association of NSW/ACT.

If you have difficulty reading or dialling the numbers on your telephone, holding a telephone handset, making yourself heard on the phone or cannot get to the phone in time to answer it, then we have the solution for you.

At Telstra we are committed to making communication accessible and affordable for all of our customers. As part of this commitment, we have launched two new phones under our Disability Equipment Program, which have buttons double the size of those on standard telephones.

The Big Button/Multi-Purpose and Cordless phones are two great example of Telstra’s extensive range of products and services available to eligible customers through our Disability Equipment Program at no additional cost to their standard monthly phone rental.

Telstra’s Disability Services manager, Bert Ciavarra, said “twenty percent of Australians have a disability and we believe that these two new products make the phone easier for people with a disability to use and stay connected to their family, friends and the community”.

“The Big Button Multi-Purpose Phone was developed in consultation with Telstra’s Disability Equipment Program Consumer Advisory Group and has been especially designed to suit people with a vision impairment and older people as the buttons are double the size of the standard phone and include a one-touch activated handsfree component.

In conjunction with a single switch arrangement, this phone for the first time allows people with functional disability to be able to use a phone with ease”.

The Cordless Phone, introduced as part of Telstra’s Disability Equipment Program following consultation, is particularly suitable for customers with a mobility impairment and also includes a handsfree function”, said Mr Ciavarra.

Mr Tony Starkey, from Blind Citizens Australia and co-chair of Telstra’s Disability Forum consulted with Telstra during the development period and said, “Telstra listens to customers and regularly consults with key stakeholder groups in the disability sector to ensure its products and services are developed to meet the needs of people with a disability and accessible to them”.

“The Big Button Multi-Purpose Phone and the Cordless Phone are clear examples of how Telstra consistently looks for smarter and more innovative ways to keep Australians with a disability connected”, he said.

We are committed to making communication accessible and affordable for all our customers. As part of this commitment we have developed a new brochure outlining the products and services available through Telstra’s Disability Equipment Program, which are designed to meet the communication needs of older customers and customers with a disability.

The new brochure includes an application form for our Disability Equipment Program, which offers eligible customers an extensive range of telephone equipment and accessories at no extra cost to our standard monthly phone rental.

Here are some great products and services that may suit you Our standard rental phones, which now include volume control as a standard feature. Our new Big Button/Multi-Purpose phone, which has buttons double the size of a standard phone, hands free, voice aid to make outgoing speech louder, volume control to increase incoming speech, and a light that flashes when the phone rings. Our new cordless phone, which has large numbers and buttons, and is also hands free.

TTYs for people who are Deaf or have a speech impairment. Telephone accessories including, visual and audible alarms that alert you to an incoming call and Cochlear Implant telephone adaptors.

Members of Blind Citizens Australia and generous members of the public have, for many years, partly funded the work of BCA through donations and lotteries. In recent times a number of friends and members have also shown their support by leaving a bequest or legacy from their estate in a Will.

This kind of support is vital for our ongoing work and we encourage all members and friends to ensure that Blind Citizens Australia will be here to work for blind and vision impaired Australians in the future. BCA’s advocacy to ensure that services and facilities do not discriminate against our members and other blind people has proved to be of enormous benefit to all blind Australians and we need to make sure that our work continues.

You can help by making a bequest in your Will. Please include Blind Citizens Australia in your Will by using the following wording: “I give to Blind Citizens Australia the sum of (include sum both in words and figures) free from all duties or other taxes, whether State or Federal.”

We would like to thank all members who have generously donated to BCA recently. If you would like to make a donation to BCA, but find it difficult filling out forms you may like to call the National Office on 1800 033 660 and donate over the phone using your credit card.

Articles for the next issue should be submitted no later than Friday, 28 October. Articles should be sent to Blind Citizens Australia National Office, if possible in large print (16pt or larger) or preferably in electronic form (disk or email attachment).

Blind Citizens News accepts material in the following categories:

Information about new services, facilities or events of wide interest among blind and vision impaired people is accepted for inclusion within the news content.

Announcements, for sale notices and other advertisements from individuals and small non-profit organisations may be included in a "Notice Board" section, provided that they do not exceed 25 words and are targeted to a national readership. A charge of $20 will apply for each notice.

Advertising on behalf of government, commercial or community organisations that is considered to be relevant to the general readership will be included under the heading "Advertisements". Advertisers must provide a copy suitable for inclusion in all formats of the publication and the following rates will apply.
Full page (320 words large print) $375
Half page (150 words large print) $200
Quarter page (70 words large print) $105

For greatest impact, why not consider sponsorship of an entire issue of Blind Citizens News? For $800 you will obtain:

A credit of up to 25 words on the front cover;
2 print pages for the sponsor’s message (equivalent space in other formats).

Blind Citizens News is published four times a year and is now read by more than 3000 people with a direct interest or involvement in the services and facilities available to Australia’s blind and vision impaired population. We circulate 980 large print, 1000 audio, 200 Braille and 50 electronic (computer disk and email) copies to members, libraries, service agencies, government departments and equipment suppliers throughout Australia. Blind Citizens News also appears in full on the internet website of Blind Citizens Australia.

For the latest information from Blind Citizens Australia tune in to Horizons on your RPH station, on a Community Station near you, or via the BCA website. 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 by Satellite.

Adelaide
5RPH 1197 Khz
9.15 pm Wednesday,
repeated 6.00 pm Friday

Brisbane
4RPH 1296 Khz
7.00 am Friday;
repeated 6.05 pm Monday

Canberra
1RPH 1125 Khz
11.15 am Tuesday;
repeated 8.00 pm Tuesday
and 9.30am Saturday

Hobart
7RPH 864 Khz
1.30pm Friday;
repeated 5.15pm Saturday

Perth
6RPH 990 Khz
10.30 am Friday;
repeated 9.45 pm Saturday

Sydney
2RPH 1224 Khz
3.00 pm Wednesday;
repeated 8.15 pm Saturday

Victoria
8.30pm Wednesday;
repeated 6.30pm Sunday
on the following stations:

Melbourne RPH 1179 AM
Albury RPH 101.7 FM
Bendigo RPH 88.7 FM
Geelong RPH 99.5 FM
Mildura RPH 107.5 FM
Shepparton RPH 101.1 FM
Warragul RPH 93.5 FM
Warrnambool RPH 94.5 FM.