From:	Claire Humble 
Sent:	Tuesday, 1 December 2009 11:03 AM
To:	disabdis
Subject:	application by Cinemas for exemption

I wish to voice my objection to the recent application made by Village Roadshow, Greater Union, Hoyts 
and Reading Cinemas requesting exemption from the Disability Discrimination Act for a period of two 
and a half years. 

If accepted the exemption means that Australians who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind and vision 
impaired stand to lose their right to complain to the Australian Human Rights Commission about the 
lack of provision of captioning and audio description at any of the 125 cinemas (1182 screens) owned 
by these four exhibitors. If the exemption is granted cinemas will provide captioning and audio 
description for a minimum of three screenings a week in 35 cinemas. That equates to .3 % of the 
estimated 40,000 films they screen each week. 

The proposed exemption is out of touch with the demographic reality of an ageing population 
reflected in the Department of Health and Ageing’s 2009 decision to fund audio description access 
equipment and promotional support for 12 independent cinemas around the country. 

The proposed exemption is also discriminatory and out of step with International comparisons and the 
wishes of people with a disability, their families, friends and carers expressed through recent 
consultation, the success of The Other Film Festival and current government policies.

I hope you will not allow this exemption.
Regards,Claire Humble 
Disability Liaison Officer  
Equity and Diversity Unit
Office of the Vice-Chancellor
Deakin University