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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-07-17 Daily Xml
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DISABILITY ACCESS, CINEMA

1 The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (13 March 2012).

1. How many South Australian mainstream and independent cinemas currently offer accessible sessions for persons with disabilities?

2. Typically, where and when are these sessions held and with what frequency?

3. What correspondence or communications is the Minister aware of with regards to any possible exemption request under the Disability Discrimination Act for mainstream and independent cinemas?

4. When will more South Australian cinemas begin accessible sessions under the Cinema Access Implementation Plan?

5. What is being done to ensure the provision of information concerning movie sessions is adequate and accessible for people who are hearing or vision impaired?

6. Are the sessions available to view on cinema websites accessible to those who are blind or vision impaired?

7. What is being done to ensure the provision of information concerning movie sessions is adequate and accessible for people who are hearing impaired?

8. How many equipment units, on average, are available for an accessible session?

9 Is it clear in the advertising for accessible sessions that there may be a limited number of units for these sessions?

10. What processes exist to ensure that patrons are not disappointed in not being able to access the limited equipment should the number of patrons exceed the available equipment?

11. What are the impediments in providing an online booking system for accessible movies and access to equipment for people who are blind or vision or hearing impaired?

12. When will the independent sector commence the rollout of a similar access plan?

13. What is Screen Australia doing to ensure end product with captions and audio description appear on Australian cinema screens?

14. What is Screen Australia's plan to update the policy to reflect the global move to digital cinema and the need for producers to provide access features on digital cinema packages as opposed to DTS access discs?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion, Minister for Social Housing, Minister for Disabilities, Minister for Youth, Minister for Volunteers): I have been advised:

1. Under the Building Codes Australia, Access to Premises Standards, all cinemas in South Australia are required to ensure their services are accessible. The Commonwealth Government has provided funding to support a trial of new technologies in cinemas. The Cinema Access Implementation Plan was proposed by the four major cinema chains: Hoyts, Village Cinemas, Event Cinemas (Greater Union Birch Caroll and Coyle), and Reading Cinemas. Information obtained from Media Access Australia shows three sites in South Australia, Marion Megaplex (which is part of the trial under the Cinema Access Implementation Plan), Norwood Hoyts and Whyalla Cinema.

2. Information obtained from Media Access Australia shows Marion Megaplex has closed captions and audio description on three screens, with 15 closed caption units and 15 audio units. Norwood Hoyts has one closed caption screen and five closed caption units. Whyalla Cinema has open captions and audio description on one screen with open captions appearing at dedicated sessions, they also have ten audio description units.

3. I am aware that an application for exemption was made under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 to the Commission by Village Roadshow, Greater Union Cinemas, Event Cinemas and Birch Carroll & Coyle, Reading Cinemas and Hoyts. The Commission refused the application on 29 April 2010. The Commission has not received any further temporary exemption applications from cinemas.

4. I understand cinemas in the Cinema Access Implementation Plan trial are expected to have 242 screens by the end of 2014. For South Australia this will mean one screen per cinema from the four major cinema chains. I believe no other cinemas will be incorporated in the plan as part of the trial, but this does not mean other cinemas cannot incorporate accessible sessions and advertise availability through their own websites, newspapers and the Media Access Australia website.

5. All three South Australian cinemas with accessible technology provide screening information on their own websites. These cinemas also provide telephone booking services.

6. Website standards, created by the World Wide Web Consortium, provide all agencies with recommended requirements to ensure accessibility of their websites, for people who are blind or have visual impairments. These standards are enforceable under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992.

7. People who have a hearing impairment will find the information they require on the cinema websites.

8. Information obtained from Media Access Australia gives a clear breakdown of the services available. The three South Australian cinemas vary in the number of equipment units available. Marion Megaplex, which is part of the trial, has a higher number of units available over more screens than Norwood Hoyts and the Whyalla Cinema. I am pleased to see that, although not part of the trial, Norwood Hoyts and the Whyalla Cinema have taken the positive step of introducing these services albeit on a smaller scale.

9. The three South Australian cinemas offering accessible screens provide information on their websites about which sessions have closed captions, open captions and audio descriptions. The cinemas do not advertise the number of assistive devices available. The cinemas do have 'contact us' functions on their websites to assist in such circumstances.

10. As with any patron of the cinema, there is the chance that people may not get into the movie session they want.

11. All cinemas have a requirement to ensure their websites are accessible and meet the Disability Discrimination Act 1992, World Wide Web Consortium, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. The World Wide Web Consortium is applicable under the Disability Discrimination Act under section 67(1)(k) which authorises the Australian Rights Commission to issue guidelines for the purpose of avoiding discrimination. It is not a legal requirement but adhering to it will mean that one is less likely to be held liable.

12. There is currently no plan for the independent sector to develop Cinema Access Implementation Plans.

13. The Commonwealth Government and Screen Australia are working to ensure that all digital based technology reduces barriers to people with a disability in accessing cinema screen entertainment.

14. Screen Australia is currently revising the Cinema Access Implementation Plan, which I believe should be released shortly. Advice on progressing technology to improve access is provided by the Accessible Cinema Advisory Group (ACAG). The ACAG was proposed by the four main cinema chains to advise and assist the cinema industry to meet its goal, to improve cinema accessibility for people who are deaf or hearing impaired, blind or vision impaired.

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