The Board and Staff of Deaf Australia wish you a happy and festive season.

Our sincere thanks to members of the deaf community, volunteers, service providers, families of deaf children, professionals and governments in supporting the work of Deaf Australia this year.
We look forward continuing to work with members and stakeholders in 2015.
Deaf Australia is also delighted to announce that next year we will be introducing a new system for combining Deaf Australia membership with a unique system to recognise businesses and organisations that are accessible and ‘friendly’ to the deaf community; the Deaf Friendly scheme.

The Deaf Friendly Scheme

Deaf people will also be able to use our new Deaf Friendly Business Directory as a simple way to find businesses and organisations that employ staff who are deaf or have Auslan skills.
When the Scheme rolls out in 2015, Deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing people with Auslan skills will be able to use their Deaf Australia membership to assist their business or employer to get accreditation with the Deaf Friendly scheme: a deaf tick of approval that can be used Australia-wide!
Another bonus is that the money raised from the program will go straight into making sure Deaf Australia is able to keep advocating and working to benefit the lives of Deaf people across Australia.
[button url=”https://deafaustralia.org.au/the-deaf-friendly-scheme” class=”button” size=”large” color=”green-2″ target=”_self” lightbox_content=”” lightbox_description=””] For more information about the Deaf Friendly scheme, click here  [/button] Be safe and be well. See you in 2015!
Todd, John, Ida, Danni, Ann, Kyle, Rachel, Rebecca, Tony, Amber and Felicity.

Yesterday, Deaf Australia celebrated all people who live with disability, as well as celebrating their families and carers. Deaf Australia takes particular interest in deaf and hard of hearing people and these communities in Australia and thanks them for their contribution to the wider Australian community.

The deaf community is a rich and diverse one, and for many, Auslan (Australian Sign Language) is their primary language and the language that they express themselves most freely with. The United Nations Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities calls for recognition and promotion of the use of sign language.
Deaf people throughout Australia still experience inequality and discrimination in their everyday lives as services and supports are minimal and there is still a public perception that deaf people are a burden simply because they use sign language.

Access to information is crucial for everyone, including deaf people.

Deaf people are currently experiencing overt and passive discrimination in many ways, such as:

• limited access to communication support in TAFE
• Deaf people are still unable to serve as a members of a jury
• there is deregulation of captioning services on TV
• cuts to Auslan courses from TAFE
• limited access to emergency announcements in Auslan.

Until equality and full inclusion is achieved, we continue to work with various stakeholders and governments to advocate and lobby on behalf of all Deaf people. Current risk of defunding Deaf Australia and other disability organisations as national peak organisations will severely damage the cause for full inclusion for people with disabilities and directly affect deaf and disabled people in their everyday lives.

Deaf Australia would like to acknowledge the following particular people and organisations that have achieved success in 2014:

• Bruce Muller (SA) – obtained Queen’s honour – OAM.
• Anthony Hastings (NSW) – Deaf Australian of the Year (Deaf Australia)
• Jordanna Smith (NSW) – Emerging Leader (National Disability Award)
• Drisana Levitzke-Gray (WA) – winner of WA Young Australian of the Year.
• Colin Allen (NSW) – Nominee to Presidency of the World Federation of the Deaf
• Communication Republic – Fair Go Award (Deaf Australia)
• Vicdeaf and Victoria Emergency Services – Inclusion award (National Disability Award)

Congratulations to the deaf community nominees and winners at the 2014 National Disability Awards! The nominees this year were all very impressive, and it is always great to be able to feel proud that the amazing work of deaf people and organisations is being recognised on a national platform. Read for more information and pictures from the awards event …

Deaf Australia had a very busy and productive weekend in Perth on 22 and 23 November, 2014.

We had our Board meeting on Friday 21 November to discuss and confirm our strategic plan and activities for 2015 and onward.
[minimal_icon style=”zoom” url=”https://deafaustralia.org.au/information/reports/” target=”_blank” lightbox_content=”” lightbox_description=””]You can download and view the Annual Report and Financial report here. [/minimal_icon] In the evening, President Todd Wright and Chief Executive Kyle Miers gave a presentation to deaf community on “What is Deaf Australia’. Members of the community had the opportunity to raise issues and provide comments to our work. From the feedback we received on the night, I am pleased to say that Deaf Australia is continuing to work hard to address the needs of the deaf community.
The following day, the board of Deaf Australia and state organisations representatives (Western Australian Association of the Deaf, Deaf Australia NSW and Deaf Victoria) were in attendance. We had the opportunity to share information on what we are doing at national and state levels. Unfortunately, we were unable to hear what is happening in Queensland and South Australia. We had the opportunity to discuss constitution reviews and a new initiative that Deaf Australia is launching.
Prior to the Annual General Meeting, we had a Special General Meeting with one purpose: to approve the constitution. The members supported the Amendments of the Constitution. To pass the constitution, it required 75% of eligible votes at the meeting or by proxy. A total of 31 voters were present which means 24 votes were required to pass the Amendments. 30 votes were in favour of the Amendment and 1 was abstained. It means that the Amendments are approved.
At the 28th Annual General Meeting, we had over 50 members of the community who attended the Annual General Meeting and there were 42 eligible members. President Todd Wright and Treasurer John Wade presented their reports (see Annual Report and Financial Report). At the AGM, we also announced the winners of the Deaf Australian of the Year and Fair Go Award. Unfortunately, we did not receive any nominations for Deaf Youth of the Year. President Todd Wright invited President Katrina Lancaster to inform the members the outcomes of Deaf Youth Australia’s Board election.
After the Annual General Meeting, we had a special announcement.
President Todd Wright also announced at the meeting the appointment of Andy Dexterity as our Ambassador of Deaf Australia and Chief Executive Kyle Miers launched the Deaf Friendly Scheme; a new initiative that will be rolled out by Deaf Australia over the next 12 months.
On Sunday, the board and state organisations met to discuss the membership structure and strategic plan 2015-20.
[icon style=”icon-info” url=”https://deafaustralia.org.au/about-2/strategic-plan/” target=”_self” lightbox_content=”” lightbox_description=””]See more about our Strategic Plan in Auslan and in English here[/icon] Announcements:

• Deaf Australian of the Year – Anthony Hastings (NSW)
• Fair Go Award – Communication Republic (SA)
• Ambassador – Andy Dexterity (NSW)
• Recognition of Appreciation – John Louttit (Qld)
• Nomination to WFD President – Colin Allen (NSW)

The Board of Deaf Australia wishes to say a big thanks to all those volunteers and organisations who provide support to Deaf Australia, and especially to the Western Australian Association of the Deaf for hosting the meetings in Perth.
Photo credit: Vanessa Ravlich