From:	LIZZIE SMITH 
Sent:	Monday, 7 December 2009 2:14 PM
To:	disabdis
Subject:	Cinema captioning: application for DDA exemption


To whom it may concern, 
I am writing to express my dismay over Village Roadshow, Greater Union, Hoyts and 
Reading Cinemas' application for exemption to complaints about the lack of captioning 
and audio descriptions in their establishments.
Going to the movies is something that so many Australians enjoy: socially; 
romantically; individually; as family outings and quite simply to escape the heat of a 
hot summer's day. For so many of us this is taken for granted, while for many others 
the experience is at best highly restricted or at worse closed-off completely. Not only 
does this affect people who are deaf, hard of hearing, legally blind or vision impaired 
but their hearing and sighted family, loved ones, parents and friends who naturally 
want to share these experiences.
What is also taken for granted is the right to voice complaint and concern over 
corporate practices that discriminate against members of the community - this right 
should not be taken away.
Village Roadshow, Greater Union, Hoyts and Reading Cinemas are shirking their 
corporate responsibilities and should not be exempt from receiving and hearing 
people's concerns about their corporate practices.
Lizzie Smith