From: Felicity Maddison
[flicka@powerup.com.au]
Sent: Saturday, June 10, 2000
8:20
To: disabdis@hreoc.gov.au
Subject: ORTA application for
exemption
Dear Sir,
I have previously endorsed the Queensland
Disability Council's submission and stand by that endorsement. I have also
read the other informed submissions that have been sent to you and am appalled
at the gall of ORTA to expect special treatment and conditions for circumstances
that have arisen out of their own incompetence as an organisation and created by
a singular lack of foresight or understanding of a) the number of Australian
citizens with mobility difficulties and b) the impact on the daily lives of
these citizens if their access to appropriate transport is withdrawn. It is
simply not good enough to state that "it is only for nine weeks". Nine
weeks could mean nine weeks without pay as you are unable to go to work;nine
weeks could mean nine weeks confined to your home; nine weeks could mean nine
weeks of being unable to access any other form of transport due to the heavy
demands on other disability accessible transport;nine weeks could mean nine
weeks of not being able to access your doctor, your physio,your hospital, your
friends, your family; nine weeks could mean, for some, nine weeks of house
arrest. And ORTA has the gall to apply for exemptions under the
DDA(Legislation designed to protect the rights of people with a disability) in
order to protect bus operators and themselves from actions which will
effectively violate the Human Rights of Australian citizens with a disability
Australia wide.
Financial inducements have been offered to bus
operators to supply accessible buses, Bus 2000 and ORTA are all no doubt
handsomely financially rewarded for their roles and no doubt bonuses will apply
if they are successful - so where is the offer of compensation to people with a
disability? Who will replace lost wages? Who will compensate for loss of
amenity? Who will guarantee that if this despicable request is granted
that it will not be used as a precendent for future applications? Whilst it has
been suggested in the ORTA application that they wish to highlight Sydney and
provide a lasting impression to visitors of an abundance of accesible transport
why didn't they years ago, seek corporate sponship to buy a fleet of accessible
buses which could then have been left to Australian citizens with a disability
as a lasting and concrete example of goodwill and a commitment to accessible
transport not only in Sydney but Australia wide? They are the ones who
have blown it! They are the ones who have not prepared properly, they are the
ones who are seeking to disadvantage a large segment of Australian society in
order to appear competent. If this application is granted will it open the way
for special exemptions when it is discovered that there really aren't enough
wheelchairs, support staff, batteries or hoists to accommodate the needs of
visitors with disabilities? Will there be large scale "secondment" of such
equipment and personnel - only for nine weeks of course- to cater to visitor's
needs? Australian with a disability are not commodities. Let your ruling reflect
their value as Australian citizens whose Human Rights WILL BE VIOLATED if the
exemption is granted.
Felicity Maddison
Queensland