Hello everyone, We at Deaf Australia understand that many people are unhappy about the cinemas application for an exemption from complaints while they work on increasing the number of cinemas from 12 to 35. We are very frustrated with the cinemas too. We have been working for many years to get the cinemas to improve things. Not just the number of cinemas but other things like the types of films, the number of times a film is screened, better advertising etc. Our submission to the AHRC about the exemption application is at www.humanrights.gov.au/disability_rights/exemptions/cinemas/subs.htm Our submission explains that after all the years of work we have done to try to get the cinemas to do more, we believe the cinemas just won’t do anything unless they are given a temporary exemption that locks them into doing something. It says that if the AHRC gives the cinemas an exemption, we want them to also give them very strict conditions to force the cinemas to fix thing other things as well, not just the number of cinemas with captions. More than 200 people have told AHRC they object to the exemption application. Some of them are members of Deaf Australia. Most are not members. We understand that many of our members support what we are trying to do. Some members have helped us with our work in the past by sending in formal complaints to AHRC against their local cinema. In the last few years we encouraged our members to put in formal complaints to AHRC against their local cinema, and we represented members and helped them negotiate their complaints. A few were successful. Most of the time the cinemas just refused to do anything. This meant the only option our members had was to go to the Federal Court. We understand why members haven’t wanted to do that. If you really want to make a difference and support the work that Deaf Australia, Media Access Australia and Deafness Forum are trying to do for all Deaf and hard of hearing people (not just our members, everyone benefits from our work) then the best way to do that is to send in a formal complaint against your local cinema. And do it now. Deaf Australia is currently representing 2 new complaints that people have sent in against their local cinemas. 200 formal complaints against 200 local cinemas that the cinemas have to answer and negotiate will have a much bigger impact than a public march. To make a formal complaint against your cinema, you can use the complaint form on the AHRC website at www.humanrights.gov.au/complaints_information/download/complaint_form.pdf Or write a letter to newcomplaints@humanrights.gov.au Your complaint must give the name and address of your local cinema, your name and address, and state that the cinema does not show captioned films and so you believe your are being discriminated against. Do it now – this week – before the AHRC makes a decision on the cinemas exemption application. This is what will help us achieve what we are trying to achieve. Thanks. And have a happy Christmas everyone.

Karen Lloyd Deaf Australia Executive Officer

Hey all .. we still think that the exemption should be oppossed but there are two sides to every argument. We agree with Deaf Australia … COMPLAIN NOW!!!!! Lodge your complaint here:

http://www.hreoc.gov.au/complaints_information/online_form/index.html