From:	Audrey.Falconer
Sent:	Friday, 4 December 2009 11:57 AM
To:	disabdis
Subject:	Application for exemption under DDA section 55: Cinema captioning and 
audio description 

Importance:	High


Dear Mr Small,

I am writing to express my concern about the application for exemption
under DDA section 55: Cinema captioning and audio description.

I am partially deaf and unable to follow television and cinema without the
assistance of subtitles. At present I do not bother to attend cinema at all
simply due to the complete lack of any subtitled movies being shown in any
location convenient for me at convenient times. (I live near Chadstone
Shopping Centre in Melbourne, where Hoyts offer a ridiculous number of
screens, none of which offer subtitled movies. I note that the proposed
increases in screens does not include Hoyts Chadstone.). Instead of
watching movies in the cinema I purchase DVDs with subtitles, at a
considerably higher cost than attending the cinema.

If the number of cinemas with subtitles were substantially increased I
would become a regular cinema attendee and I would love to be able to join
in on conversations with friends and workmates about current movies!

I would like to suggest that cinemas which do not offer subtitles be
required to sell subtitled DVDs at the same cost as a single cinema ticket,
to ensure that deaf people have equal access.

I also feel that all cinemas with large numbers of screens should
permanently dedicate one screen for subtitled movies.

I am appalled that the cinemas feel the need to be protected from
complaints when they are not offering any guarantees that their proposed
expansion will actually take place – if the exemption is granted we will
not be able to complain to HREOC if the expansion does not take place! I
fail to comprehend any logic in this request – if the cinemas had good
faith they would simply proceed with the expansion and defend any
complaints with reference to the scheduled future expansions. If you do
grant the expemption requested, it should be on condition that the proposed
schedule of expansion is met.

Yours sincerely,

Audrey Falconer