Does the community care??
A speech from the National Week of Deaf People Business Breakfast by Grant Roberts on October 18th 2007
In my observation since I have been in Tasmania over 2.5 years ago, my talk this morning will give strong evidence to demonstrate that the community doesn’t care and that each and every one of us here today and those involved directly or indirectly with the Deaf Society needs to work together to change the community thinking so that the community and Deaf and Hard of Hearing people are better off in the future as Tasmanian.
So my presentation today will cover
The definition of Community
Disability Framework Tasmania
Shame List
Needs to improve list
Positive List
What the community can do to assist each other
The term community in this presentation means government, services/ organisations, and those in a position to do something but in my opinion are reluctant, or don’t want to make the changes that are needed to make a better community.
Since commencing as Manager of Tasdeaf in 2005, my observation of Tasmania as a place to live/visit for Deaf people is a no no. It is a struggle for many Deaf people who try and move within the community but are consistency blocked by the community itself.
If we look at the Disability Framework set up by the Government, its guiding principals are
Guiding Principles
The following principles underpin the Framework for Action:
Equity People with a disability have the same rights as other citizens and equal opportunity to participate in the social, cultural, economic and political life of our community and to access the structures, processes and resources to realise these opportunities.
Inclusiveness Mainstream programs, services and facilities should be available and accessible to people with disabilities.Access Ensure access to specialist services that are appropriate to the needs of individuals.
Autonomy People with a disability should be free to make or influence the decisions and choices that affect their lives.
Recognising and Supporting Diversity The knowledge and life experience of people with a disability, and the contribution they make to society, should be acknowledged and valued, including in Government policy.
Non-discrimination All people have the right to live their lives free of discrimination.
Prioritising Resources Resources should be targeted to areas in which they can make the greatest difference in the lives of people with a disability. Priority should be given to those in greatest need, particularly those with severe or profound disabilities.
It is sad to see that there are two Government organisations on my Shame list
Firstly let me give you the Broad definition of the Disability Discrimination Law which stated that Discrimination occurs when direct discrimination occurs when a person with a disability is treated less favourably than a person who does not have a disability. http://www.legalaid.tas.gov.au/Factsheets/Discrimination.html
Shame list
Port Arthur
Cadbury
Youth Week Grants
Uni Revue
In the example of Cadbury, action was taken by one person to the Anti Discrimination Commission because Cadbury refused to pay for an interpreter. The decision made by the commission found in favour of Cadbury because the commission had found that Cadbury had
Low fee structure of tour compare to cost of Interpreter
Nature of the operations. It is a working chocolate factory
Because they let the interpreter is for free, that means the chocolate factory is losing money by that space being not available to a paying customer on the tour
It further goes on to say that it is not unreasonable to have visitors make private arrangement for Interpreting assistance
As Cadbury is around the corner from our organisation, I am intrigue to find that they will not provide interpreters nor do they provide amplification to enable Hard of Hearing people to hear what is going on. Yet when I read about Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) which is defined as a continuing commitment by businesses like Cadbury to behave ethically and contribute to the economic development while improving the workforce of their family and local community and social at large. (Page 4 TASCOSS Sept 2007 newsletter)
In my observation I find that Cadbury according to this definitely had failed to improve the local community by not recognising that there is a group within the community that has a need and responding to that need.
Another example is
Youth Week Grant as it fails to look after the community as it did not provides funds to ensure Deaf and Hard of Hearing Youth could access mainstream youth events.
Yet in the case of Port Arthur and Youth Week Grant there is a massive failure for the Government to provide a service for Deaf and Hard of Hearing people.
In Port Arthur case, this is a Government Business Enterprise and therefore it should be automatic that access be provided and pay for by the Port Arthur Management Group. But no they wont pay. Instead like in most situation when a request for an Auslan interpreter is made many people/ organisation will respond with
will they be able to lip read
someone know the alphabet is that okay for the speech
using pen and paper to communicate
refusing to acknowledge that they need to be accountable for the provision of service. Not our problem.
Need to improve list
Red Cross
Cancer Council of Tasmania
TCCI - Tasmanian Chambers of Commerce and Industry
I know of a situation where a person who wanted to join the Cancer Council Support network and was knocked back because organisation was experiencing a deficit due to transporting patient along the North and North West corridor. By providing funds for interpreters would mean a possible reduction in service. Who would want to carry that burden I thought to myself but that is what the Cancer Council told me when I advocated on behalf of the user.
Yet the Cancer Council had a retained surplus of $1.6m nationally.
For Red Cross, a person wanted to become a volunteer to assist in the community and to give something back. The response was who would pay for the interpreter?? The answer was Red Cross, the response ummm ahhhhhh nah I don’t think we have any funds allocated for interpreting was the standard response. Red Cross had a $92.8m surplus in 2005 (due to high donations) http://www.redcross.org.au/media/financials05_06.pdf
Yet in the dull light of the day it is good to know there are some who recognize the value of inclusiveness. While some are part of the Government and should have an automatic obligation sometime its just doesn’t happen however, Tasdeaf would like to recognize the good work of
Positive Lists
Dept of Justice – Courts
TAFE Tasmania
Wise Employment
Anglicare Social Justice Issues
So far this year alone TAFE has spent nearly $30,000 on Interpreters and support workers to ensure that the users of the TAFE system had access to information in their language. And no one word of complaint but I can imagine the TAFE DLO/ accountant are having sleepiness nights trying to cut cost in other sectors within TAFE to ensure that TAFE continues to provide ongoing support
So in summary the sense of community is not there and certainly for Deaf people more than any other group in the community (and I might be bias in saying this) it has not been there and will not continue to be there because the community is reluctant to make the changes to accept the person into the community. As Dr Rhonda Galbally stated in her Anglicare Tasmania Social Justice presentation in 2006, sixty five percent of people play a role in a participative, community organisation that people join as members, friends, volunteers and Board or committee members. And as research ….shows joining up and joining in is good for us (Dr R Galbally page 15)
Furthermore Dr Galbally goes on to say participative community organisation at their best provide members with an opportunity to belong. (Dr R Galbally page 15)
But sadly as we live in Tasmania this is not likely to happen because nobody in the community has the will to make the changes to make Deaf people part of the community.
In concluding my presentation for this morning as I think of how the future might look for Deaf and Hard of People in Tasmania, I am reminded of Kurt Lewin Change theory which according to Kurt shows that there is a link between behaviour and social environment.
Kurt’s believed was that Behaviour is a factor of personality and environment and that Governments, services and organisation can do little to change our personality because it is up to us to change. However Governments, services and organisation are the drivers of the social environment and this determines how the community behaves and I think this sum up Tasmania today and the challenge for all of us to is to change the social environment so that Deaf and Hard of Hearing people have a role to play in this beautiful state.
(A fish rots from the head Tony Richardson Reflection on social justice The heart sees what is invisible to the eye. Anglicare social justice action and research Centre 2004)
Thank you.
