Action on Cinema Access

8 February 2010

ACTION ON CINEMA ACCESS is a newly-formed community group of concerned citizens who are working together to improve access to cinema for people with a disability. ACTION ON CINEMA ACCESS is supported by a number of community organizations.

Millions of Australians are being denied the opportunity to go to the cinema because more than 99% of screenings are inaccessible.

Less than 0.3% of all cinema sessions are accessible to people who are deaf, hard of hearing, legally blind or who have vision impairments.

This means 4 million Australians are excluded from going to the cinema.

We believe that EVERYONE has a right to access the cinema -
all films, all cinemas, all sessions.

…

SEND AN EMAIL TO PARLIAMENT!

If you feel that all Australians have a right to access the cinema, then email the messages below to the Hon. Robert McLelland, Attorney General, and to Bill Shorten MP, Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities  -

Hon. Robert McLelland, Attorney General

attorney@ag.gov.au / Parliament House, Canberra ACT 2600

Dear Attorney General,

Less than 0.3% of all cinema sessions are accessible to people who are deaf, hard of hearing, legally blind or who have vision impairments. This means 4 million Australians are excluded from going to the cinema. We believe that EVERYONE has a right to access the cinema. Recently, Village Roadshow, Greater Union, Hoyts and Reading Cinemas applied for exemption from the Disability Discrimination Act for two and a half years. If the exemption is granted, cinemas will get away with providing a minimal amount of captioning and audio description at only 105 of 41,370 screenings per week.

THIS IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH!

ALL Australians have a right to cinema access – this means all films, all cinemas, all sessions.

Sincerely,

[Insert your Name & Address]

…

Bill Shorten, Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities

bill.shorten.mp@aph.gov.au / PO Box 214, Moonee Ponds Vic 3039

Dear Bill Shorten MP,

Less than 0.3% of all cinema sessions are accessible to people who are deaf, hard of hearing, legally blind or who have vision impairments. This means 4 million Australians are excluded from going to the cinema. We believe that EVERYONE has a right to access the cinema.

Recently, Village Roadshow, Greater Union, Hoyts and Reading Cinemas applied for exemption from the Disability Discrimination Act for two and a half years. If the exemption is granted, cinemas will get away with providing a minimal amount of captioning and audio description at only 105 of 41,370 screenings per week.

THIS IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH!

ALL Australians have a right to cinema access – this means all films, all cinemas, all sessions.

Sincerely,

[Insert your Name & Address]

…

For further information contact Action On Cinema Access spokesperson Dean Barton-Smith at dbartonsmith@optusnet.com.au or call Arts Access Victoria on (03) 9699 8299

Find us on Facebook under Action-On Cinema-Access

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