Deaf Australia wishes to congratulate the Yes campaign for Marriage Equality for its successful campaign of the for the same-sex marriage survey.
This is one of the most important and historic announcements to the members of the Australian communities, yet, Deaf Australia is expressing extreme disappointments with several broadcasters in failing to include Auslan interpreter throughout this important announcement.
It is understood that the media was briefed to include Auslan (Australian Sign Language) interpreters prior to the announcement. However, the following networks, Seven, Nine and Ten had failed to include Auslan interpreter throughout the special announcement.
‘Deaf Australia believe this is a deliberate and disrespectful act in excluding specific members of the Australian community’, said Kyle Miers, Chief Executive of Deaf Australia.
“I’m aware that many deaf Australians were looking forward to watch this special announcement, especially as it related to equality in Australia – a topic that is very close to our hearts’, said Todd Wright, Chairperson of Deaf Australia, ‘to experience further discrimination and exclusion through the announcement is extremely disappointing and inexcusable’.
This, unfortunately, is not the first occurrence, as in several past broadcasts of public announcements, in particularly, emergency and special government announcements, the Auslan interpreter was excluded in the shot.
Deaf Australia wishes to congratulate the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) who included Auslan interpreter in their entire broadcast of this announcement.
‘It is an example that Seven, Nine and Ten need to follow’, said Mr Miers.
We have sent letters to Seven, Nine and Ten requesting them to mandate inclusion of Auslan interpreters in all their future broadcasts and to issue public apology to Deaf community for excluding Auslan interpreters while broadcasting recent announcement.
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