There are a number of campaigns across Australia that you can get involved to reduce barriers for deaf children. Click here to see current campaigns.

Featured campaign: Captions in Cinema 

Click here to read background information

UPDATE:

• A national Community Protest was held on 15th Feb 2010. Watch the coverage on ABC News here! You can read more about the protest on the Arts Access website.  
• Send an ePostcard to politicians!  Click here to go to Arts Access website and download the e-Postcard. Click here to see an example of letter to politicians.
• Join Action on Cinema Access Facebook Page!
• Deaf Australia is calling all Deaf and hard of hearing people to send in a formal complaint against their local cinema before Australian Human Rights Commission makes a decision... Please read a message from Deaf Australia here (MS Word).
• Newspaper articles on this issue:
  • http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2009/12/06/1260034218471.html
  • http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/writings-on-the-cin...
  • http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/opinion/contributors/memo-cinema-chains-...

Action on Cinema Access has shared with us one of the emails to the ministers sent by a parent.  
This may assist with writing letter/s to the government about access issues at cinemas for anyone's experience. [Email sent by a parent to Parliament House, cc. Dean Barton-Smith from Action on Cinema Access, with her permission to share with others.]

Dear Hon. Robert McClelland MP; Senator Hon. Stephen Conroy; Hon. Bill Shorten MP; and Hon. Peter Garrett AM, MP

I am forwarding this [email] regarding cinema access.

Every time I take my eight year old who is deaf (I am hearing), to see a movie I have to translate using sign language, because there is never captioning at the movies, which is what he uses to understand the television at home.

My gorgeous little boy LOVES the movies and is always so excited when I tell him that we are going. It breaks my heart every time (I'm starting to cry now as I write this) while I watch him trying to enjoy and watch the big screen and at the same time (I don't know how, him and I do it, but we do!) watch me signing to him in the DARK!) his little head turning constantly like he is watching a game of  tennis and him straining his eyes to see me.

Then we have a little break but it gets the better of him and he starts calling out "what are they saying?" "what did they say?" We are both exhausted after this! I feel uncomfortable and a nuisance to other people as they are constantly looking at me to see why a woman is waving her hands around. But I have to, I tell my self!!  My son has every right!  I hope you can please help us to no longer be discriminated against like this. Please!

Please Help Us!

Kind Regards

[Name of the parent]

Please do consider sending your message to the ministers.  All you have to do is: download the e-Postcard, open your email and attach the e-Postcard, and add your own message (it doesn’t matter how long/short it is!).  Then send it to the government ministers.  The relevant politicians are: 

• Robert McLelland, Attorney General (attorney@ag.gov.au or Parliament House, Canberra ACT 2600)
• Senator Stephen Conroy, Minister for Communications (minister@dbcde.gov.au or Suite MG70, Parliament House, Canberra ACT 2600)
• Bill Shorten, Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities (bill.shorten.mp@aph.gov.au or PO Box 214, Moonee Ponds Vic 3039)
• Peter Garrett, Minister for the Arts peter.garrett.mp@aph.org.au or PO Box 6022, Parliament House, Canberra ACT 2600)

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