From:	Jessica Scott 
Sent:	Monday, 7 December 2009 4:57 PM
To:	disabdis
Subject:	Application for an exemption from the Disability 
Discrimination Act in relation to captioning: Cinema Industry

To Whom It May Concern:
I wish to register my opposition to the application by the cinema industry to be exempt from 
captioning for the next 2 ½ years.
This is a gross example of discrimination and exactly the kind of thing that the Disability 
Discrimination Act should be in the service of protecting from.
My sister is partially deaf in both ears and has been dependent on hearing aids for her whole 
life.
She is also an avid fan, connoisseur and consumer of cinema. She is lucky that for most of 
her life she has been able to rely on a combination of hearing aids and lip reading to enjoy 
her favourite films like everyone else. It has not been a disruption to her life. However, the 
reality is that her hearing will likely deteriorate over time and she may one day be dependent 
on captioning.
This type of exemption sets a precedent for the industry which may result in further 
exemptions and erosion of the principle of equal opportunity and access for all disabled 
people.
Not to mention the thousands of young deaf people who will miss out on a whole range of 
filmic experience during the next couple of years, if this exemption were to go ahead.
Sincerely, 

    Jessie Scott
    Research Administrator, M-Th
 
     School of Social Work, University of Melbourne