From:	Michelle Francis 
Sent:	Wednesday, 2 December 2009 12:03 PM
To:	disabdis
Subject:	Application for temporary exemption under DDA section 55: Cinema 
captioning and audio description 

Dear Michael Small
 
I submit this email stating that I do not support the Temporary Exemption for the above.
 
The Disability Discrimination Act is there to protect the rights of those with a disability to access places 
used by the public which includes Cinemas.
 
Jointly, these exhibitors have 1,1,82 screens across Australia showing approx. 41,370 screenings per 
week. Of these, should the applicants be granted the temporary exemption under DDA section 55, there 
will be only 105 screenings with captioning and audio desciptions. A mere 0.3% of the approx. 41,370 
screenings per week. And... right now those who are Deaf, hearing imparied and/or visually 
impaired have access to much less than this. 
 
Does the current arrangement and the proposed plan meet the human rights of those with a disability? 
NOT EVEN CLOSE!!!
 
Furthermore it would be ignorant to believe that those who are Deaf, hearing imparied and/or visually 
impaired are all living within close vicinity of the cinemas that are currently or will be equipped under the 
proposal put forward in the application. This could not be further from the truth. We come from from all 
four corners of our states within Australia and each have the right to attend a screening both locally and 
at screening time OF OUR CHOICE! 
 
We should not have to watch those in our municipalities have the luxury of attending a screening close to 
home whilst we have to travel outside of our municipalities AND at a time that DOES NOT suit most 
people considering we too also have jobs, families and committments.
 
We SHOULD have the same access that is made available to the public. NOTHING LESS!!!
 
I ask you not to accept their request for an exemption.
 
Kind Regards
 
Michelle Francis