On 23 June 2017, the Government announced its commitment to ensure the sustainability of the National Relay Service (NRS).

The National Relay Service is an essential service for deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind, and speech impaired citizens. It provides near equivalent communication services for those who  cannot use standard telephone services.
The commitment to the future of the NRS is welcomed by a consumer coalition of deaf and disability organisations, which includes Deaf Australia, Deafness Forum Australia, Deafblind Australia and Communications Rights Australia and their supporting organisations (listed at the end of the media release).
However, the consumer coalition does not support the Government’s plan for the next NRS contract arrangements. The coalition is very concerned that growing demand for NRS services in the last three years has impacted on the quality of the service and on the delivery of community outreach training programs. We are also concerned that the proposed capped funding may curtail or limit the services offered.
“The introduction of video relay, SMS relay, two-way internet relay and the NRS app in 2013 has seen large increases in NRS usage,” said Deaf Australia CEO, Kyle Miers. “Australia’s relay service is a worlds- best service which we should be proud of. However, due to a funding cap in the current contract, the community training program (Outreach Program) has been significantly reduced to meet the growing demands of the NRS.”
“This means future potential users of the NRS will not be given training on how to use the service effectively. This may impact a person’s ability to be independent. Online outreach is not an effective training strategy, particularly for people who are deafblind or speech impaired.”
Prior to the current NRS contract, the funding of the NRS was based on user-needs rather than a capped service plan. The capped plan places significant stress on the current delivery of the NRS and does not allow for Video Relay to function as a 24/7 service.
“The NRS should be funded on a user-need model and funding should not be capped at the 2012 level of $20 million per year (excluding GST),” added Mr Miers.
The government also intends to have NRS users register to use the service.
“We are concerned that this requirement will impose unnecessary and undue hardship for individual due to the diminished capacity of the Outreach Program,” said Mr Miers. “The NRS is an essential service and imposing such requirements will create an environment of vulnerability for NRS users.”
“The government has not listened to the strong and consistent community response to the 2016 consultation on the NRS. It has not implemented or even discussed with us the critical initiatives recommended.”
Our coalition of NRS users calls on the government to:

• Implement a user-based contract for the NRS;
• Mandate that all component of the relay service, including Video Relay, operates on  a 24/7, 365 days a year basis;
• Reinstate and increase funding for the Outreach Program so that every target group are adequately  supported; and
• Reconsider the registration requirement for NRS  users until  a  more  thorough consultation with NRS stakeholders is completed.

We have written to the Minister sharing our position on the NRS and we seek an urgent meeting and fair consultation to discuss the future of the NRS.
You can find a copy of the coalition’s position paper at https://deafaustralia.org.au/wp-content/uploads/Coalition-Position-Paper.pdf
Supporting Organisations:

• Australian Consumer  Communications Action  Network
• Australian Sign Language  Interpreter Association
• Australian Federation of Deaf  Societies
• Conexu  Foundation
• National Seniors

The deadline for WFDYS Junior Camp registrations has been extended to FRIDAY 9 DECEMBER 2016. This is the only time we will extend this deadline. The deadline will not be extended again.

They are now accepting up to four young people aged between 13-17 each country with one leader aged between 21 and 30.

The registration forms can be found in the Second Announcement which can be downloaded by clicking this link: http://deafyouthaustralia.com/camp2017/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/WFDYS.2A.04.08.2016.pdf
They have also created a video answering some questions that we have been asked several times!

Please refer to their website for further information: http://deafyouthaustralia.com/camp2017/ or email them on [email protected] for further information.

Deaf Australia launched the National Week of Deaf People (NWDP) at the National Auslan Conference in Melbourne during the recent weekend, and there will be lots of activities organised by various organisations, clubs and individuals throughout the week.

The theme for the Week is: With Auslan, I am Equal.
The theme will be focusing on:

• Birth Rights: deaf children to access and acquire Auslan as their first language;
• Deaf Identity: deaf people are a cultural and linguistic minority who use Auslan as their primary or preferred language;
• Accessibility: deaf people need access to public information and services through Auslan;
• Equal Language: recognising Auslan as a language equal to spoken/ written languages;
• Equal Employment Opportunity: removing the barriers where hearing is a requirement and promoting greater inclusion and opportunities for deaf people to realise their goals;
• Bilingual Education: accepting the need for bilingual education for deaf children (Auslan and English), and for teachers and interpreters to be fully accessible;
• Equal Participation: deaf people to be able to fully participate in the personal, public and political along with everyone else; and
• Lifelong Learning: access to education, training and ongoing professional development is the key to gaining and retaining a job and being able to make a reasonable living.

Last week, the members of Deaf Australia have overwhelmingly endorsed a new Position Statement on the Requirements for Early Intervention for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children in Australia. You can download it here.
Deaf Australia also launched the ‘Colin Allen Lecture’ which will be an annual award recognising individuals who promotes the right of deaf people in all walks of life, continuing Colin Allen’s legacy in politics, advocacy, community, international development, sports and/ or theatre.
The Australian Curriculum has submitted the National Auslan Curriculum for publication approval, which will include Auslan as one of the language curricula available for K to year 10. The National Auslan curriculum is expected to be in effect from 2017.
Australian Consumers Communication Actions Network (ACCAN) launched their Auslan Translation Standards and Production Guidelines for producing Auslan content videos at the recent National Auslan Conference.
However, our society still does not treat deaf people equally.
On 5 October 2016, the Australian High Court (Lyons v. Queensland) found that in its present interpretation of the Jury Act, the Queensland State did not discriminate against Ms. Lyons by refusing to provide Auslan interpreters to enable her to undertake her civic duty as a juror. The Jury Act needs to be changed.
As summer is quickly approaching, deaf people will need access to emergency announcements. For deaf people, the best way to get information is through Auslan.  All emergency announcements need to be made accessible in Auslan nationally.
Significant numbers of deaf children around Australia do not have full access to Auslan in schools.  Deaf children need full access to Auslan for their education.
These are some examples of things that need to change in order to realise deaf people’s capacity to be equal.
With Auslan, I am Equal.

Please see this video with some answers to common questions about the 6th WFDYS Junior Camp, Victoria, Australia, 11 – 17 April 2017.
Please note: The deadline for registration is on 11 November 2016. 

Deaf Australia would like to congratulate National Rugby League Ltd for including Auslan at the 2016 NRL Grand Final on 2 October 2016. It was very inspiring to see a deaf interpreter sign the national anthem in Auslan (Australian Sign Language).

Today, the High Court of Australia handed down its decision favoring the State of Queensland in discriminating against Ms Lyons.

Ms Lyons alleges that she has been discriminated against by the State of Queensland when it refused to provide her with an Auslan (Australian Sign Language) interpreter so that she can perform her civic duties as a juror.
Ms Lyons has unsuccessfully appealed against the Queensland Court of Appeal decision that there was no discrimination by the State of Queensland.
In a unanimous ruling the High Court states ‘that for a juror to deliberate with other jurors in isolation who requires the assistance of an interpreter is incapable to effectively performing the functions of the juror’.
Deaf Australia believes that this decision will have wider implications against deaf people who need to access Auslan interpreters to communicate articulately and be treated as equal citizens.
‘This is a smack in our face’, says Ms Lyons, ‘it is about the principle of justice and equality for every citizen of Australia and deaf people should not be treated any differently – and the High Court does not see that’.
‘This is an extremely poor outcome … deaf people have long sought equality in Australia’, said Todd Wright, Chairperson of Deaf Australia. ‘This decision may not only impact Queensland, but throughout Australia, bringing into question whether deaf people are treated as equal citizens in Australia’.
The United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which the Australian government ratified in 2008, calls for the recognition of sign languages.
‘It is unfortunate that the High Court has failed to recognise the Convention’, said Kyle Miers, Chief Executive of Deaf Australia. ‘It is time for all states and territories, including the Commonwealth government, to take immediate action to amend their Anti- Discrimination Acts and to remove discrimination in all areas, and more importantly, recognising the right for deaf people to use Auslan’.

With Auslan, I am Equal
Each year, starting on 3^rd weekend of October, Deaf Australia and the deaf community in Australia celebrate National Week of Deaf People (NWDP).
Deaf Australia will be launching the NWDP at the National Auslan Conference in Melbourne and there will be heaps of activities organised by various organisations, clubs and individual throughout the week. If you wish to register your event/ activities, please register here.
Throughout the week, Deaf Australia will be posting key messages on our Facebook/ Twitter to raise awareness of the NWDP. You can help by re-posting Facebook messages and re-tweeting our messages.
We will be focusing on

• Birth Rights: deaf children to access and acquire Auslan as their first language;
• Deaf Identity: deaf people are a cultural and linguistic minority who use Auslan as their primary language;
• Accessibility: deaf people need access to public information and services through Auslan;
• Equal Language: recognising Auslan as an equal language as other spoken/ written languages;
• Equal Employment Opportunity: removing the barriers where hearing is a requirement and to promote greater inclusion and opportunities for deaf people to realise their dreams;
• Bilingual Education: accepting the need for bilingual education for deaf children (Auslan and English), and for teachers and interpreters to be fully accessible;
• Equal Participation: deaf people to be able to fully participate in the personal, public and political areas along with everyone else; and
• Lifelong Learning: access to education, training and ongoing professional development is the key to gaining and retaining a job and to be able to make a living. 

The theme is an adaption of the theme for the World Federation of the Deaf International Week of Deaf People, which is ‘With Sign Language, I am Equal’, beginning today.
You can help by joining the campaign by organising or being involved with NWDP activities in your local area. We have included the NWDP Info Kit 2016 for your use as a resource. This toolkit can be used by anyone in Australia to help promote awareness of Deaf people and Auslan.
With Auslan, I am Equal.
[minimal_icon style=”download” url=”https://deafaustralia.org.au/wp-content/uploads/National-Week-of-Deaf-People-info-kit-final.pdf” target=”_self” lightbox_content=”” lightbox_description=””]Download the NWDP 2016 Toolkit here.[/minimal_icon]

Deaf Australia will hold its Twenty-Ninth Annual General Meeting on Friday 14 October 2016 at 4pm at John Pierce Centre at 25-35 High Street, PRAHAN, Vic 3181.

Deaf Australia’s Constitution (as amended on 22 November 2014) states:
Election of Board Directors:

1. Nomination shall be in writing addressed to the Company Secretary and be signed by the nominee, proposer and seconder, all whom must be financial ordinary member of Deaf Australia. Please use Nomination form attached.
2. Nomination must be lodged and received 21 days prior to the Annual General Meeting (nominations must be received by Thursday 22 September 2016.
3. Voting for election for the Board is done before the Annual General Meeting.
4. Only Ordinary Individual Members (1) are entitled to vote for Board of Directors. We will send you information on ballot voting once we receive nominations; and
5. If we receive more than enough nominations, we will advise you how to ballot. We must receive ballot by Wednesday 12 October 2016. If we receive after 12 October 2016, it will not be accepted.

The current Board Directors:

• Todd Wright (NSW), Chairperson – continue to 2017
• Debbie Kennewell (SA) – continue to 2018
• Ramas McRae (Vic) – continue to 2018
• 2 x Director (vacancy)

The constitution dictates the following:

1. Maximum (two) 2 board of Directors can be elected from same state;
2. Up to 2 board directors to be elected at 2016 AGM;

After the AGM, the elected directors will determine its position.
Agenda:

1. All members (Ordinary and Associate) are entitled to put items (things you want to talk about) on the Agenda for the Annual General Meeting.
2. Written Notice of items for the Agenda must be received by Company Secretary by Thursday, 22 September 2015.
3. Agenda, minutes and other papers will be sent to you on Friday 23 September 2016.

Voting at the Annual General Meeting:

1. If you are an Ordinary Individual Members (1) or an Ordinary Organisation Members (2) you are entitled to vote at the Deaf Australia General meetings.
2. If you are not coming to the Meeting, on 14 October, you may appoint another member as your proxy to vote to vote for you at Deaf Australia general meetings (proxy form attached). Proxy forms or email must be received by Thursday 13 October 2016.
   NOTE: The person you choose as your proxy must be an Ordinary Individual Member of Deaf Australia.
3. If you are an Associate Individual Member (3) or an Associate Organisation Member (4) of Deaf Australia, you are not entitled to vote at Deaf Australia’s general meetings. However, you are very welcome to attend the meeting – the meeting is open to all members and other interested people who are not members.

To summarise:

1. Send your Board of Director Nomination form by Thursday 22 September 2016;
2. Send Agenda Item by Thursday 22 September 2016;
3. end your ballot for Board of Director by Wednesday 12 October 2016;
4. Send your proxy form by Thursday, 13 October 2016.

Please post/email all items to Deaf Australia at PO Box 1348, Blackburn North, Victoria 3130 or fax at 03 8691 1324 or email at [email protected]. Thank you.
NOTES:
(1) An ordinary individual member is a deaf or hard of hearing person;
(2) An Ordinary Organisation is a national members where more than 50% of its board members are deaf or hard of hearing;
(3) An Associate Individual member is a non-deaf person;
(4) An Associate Organisation is any organisation that is does not have majority (more than 50%) of deaf/ hard of hearing board members.
Download a Nomination Form
Download a Proxy/Apology Form
[content_box style=”green-2″ title=”Deaf Australian of the year nominations are now open”] Don’t forget to place your nominations for Deaf Australian of the Year, Deaf Australia Youth of the Year and Fair Go Awards.
Nominations can be made online and close at 5pm on September 21, 2016. [/content_box]