Vicdeaf -
Next Generation National Relay Service - Campaign by Deaf Australia
9 March 2010
This is about the National Relay Service in Australia. For the last few years, Deaf Australia has collected information from the deaf community through our community consultations, discussion papers and written position papers about telecommunications and Deaf people. In the feedback from the community, Deaf people are concerned that, with the advances in technology, they are being disadvantaged and want the National Relay Service to be up to date with technology.The Deaf community wants Deaf Australia to lobby the Australian Government to provide:
1. Video Relay Service (VRS),
2. access to emergency services through mobile phones or in Auslan and,
3. for some of us, a Captioned Telephone.
The current National Relay Service needs to be upgraded to accommodate these additional services without delay.
It is your fundamental right to access a relay service in your own language, Auslan, and this will make your phone calls quicker and easier to understand. The time you spend on the phone will be shorter because you are communicating in your own language! We are currently preparing a lobbying campaign called ‘I need a Next Generation NRS’ and the first step of this campaign is for all our members to send a letter to Senator Stephen Conroy.
Click here to download a prepared draft letter from Deaf Australia which you can copy and add your information, to send to Senator Conroy who is the Minister of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy. In this letter it says that you want the Australian Government to provide VRS, access to emergency services using mobiles or in Auslan and a Captioned Telephone without delay.
Can you please read the letter, add your own details and comments and either email it to the Senator at minister@dbcde.gov.au or post it to:
Senator the Hon Stephen Conroy
Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy
Level 4, 4 Treasury Place
Melbourne Vic 3002
Please cc your email to david.parker@deafau.org.au or post a copy of your letter to:
David Parker
Deaf Australia
PO Box 4681
North Rocks NSW 2151
This is a very important campaign and the more letters the Government receives, the more impact we will have. We need your support so please spare us a few minutes of your time – send a letter!
We thank you for your time and we will keep you informed of any updates. For further enquiries, please email David Parker at david.parker@deafau.org.au
Regards
David Parker
AUSLAN OF THIS EMAIL AVAILABLE – CLICK HERE
AUSLAN OF THE LETTER AVAILABLE – CLICK HERE
AUSLAN of What is VRS? – CLICK HERE