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Tomw Communications Pty Ltd - Media Release

US Internet Discrimination Battle Coming to Australia

8 June 2000, Sydney - Major Australian organisations can expect court action for discrimination on the Internet, Michael Bourk, telecommunication policy researcher, said during his address to Internet World in Sydney today.

Bourk has warned that several court cases in the USA brought by people with disabilities have serious implications for Australian corporations and government agencies:

"The outcomes are about to be decided in the courts and both issues concern people with disabilities and major corporations. I don't think that it is an overstatement to claim that institutional shareholders, corporations, lawyers and consumers across America are waiting with baited breath for the court's decision, which will come any day."

In addressing the Internet World conference Michael Bourk talked about discrimination legislation and an Australian case with implications for Internet accessibility.

"Few know that in 1995 a member of the West Australian Deaf community, and a peak disability group launched a successful case against Telstra in an inquiry overseen by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission. Telstra was found to have unfairly discriminated by refusing to supply a teletypewriter on the same basis that the corporation supplied a standard telephone to able-bodied persons."

Bourk has warned that Australian companies and Government agencies are vulnerable to legal action from the blind community for poorly designed web sites:

"The proactive position by governments on specific areas of Internet access such as Commonwealth sites should not give others room for complacency. The legislation is clear that both public and private sectors that provide a service are required to ensure reasonable access provisions are made for consumers with disabilities also."

Michael Bourk's book "Universal Service? - Telecommunications Policy In Australia and People with Disabilities" was launched today at Internet World 2000. A free version of the book is available on the web at: http://www.tomw.net.au/uso/

Chair of the Government session at Internet World 2000, Tom Worthington, an e-business consultant collaborated with Michael Bourk to prepare "Universal Service". He commented that many of the steps needed to make web sites accessible to people with disabilities are simple and will also help other users.

"Making web sites accessible by the blind can be as simple as putting text captions on the photos on the web pages. As well as helping the blind, this will assist people with older and slower equipment, such as regional users on slow phone lines and yuppies using wireless internet hand-held gadgets. In contrast to all the hype about building new WAP facilities, making existing web sites accessible to the disabled would be cheaper, easier and provide a larger return on investment for companies and government agencies."

ENDS

The web version of this media release has links to documents mentioned and is available at: http://www.tomw.net.au/media/20000608.html

Media Enquires:

Michael Bourk MA (Communication), Tel 0408 238 773 Email: mxb@adminserver.canberra.edu.au

Tom Worthington FACS, Email: tom.worthington@tomw.net.au Tel: 0419 496 150

Terry Quinn, Event PR, INTERNET WORLD 2000, Tel: 0412 076 398 Emal: quinnid@ozemail.com.au

TomW Communications Pty Ltd, PO Box 13, Belconnen ACT 2617, Australia
E-mail: tomw.communications@tomw.net.au Ph: 0419 496150 A.C.N. 088 714 309

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