VA general manager for accessible information solutions Mr Michael Simpson said the Bill’s passage would enable implentation of the Marrakesh Treaty that would bring Australia in line with global practices on accessibility for people with disabilities.The proposed amendments are aimed at streamlining and simplifying the disability framework by reinforcing regulations that mandate for the conversion of materials into an alternative format accessible to people with special needs.“Currently, only 5% of books worldwide are converted into accessible formats. The Treaty allows organisations that represent print disability communities in ratified countries to make accessible copies of works without having to ask permission from the rights-holders. It also permits the cross-border exchange of accessible format books both between organisations and directly from an organisation to an individual,” Simpson said.“The changes will mean we can legitimately reproduce a title into a structured audio file. As an example, this would give a student convenient access to the pages and section headings they actually need to read and learn. They wouldn’t need to read the text book from cover to cover.”
During the bill’s second reading, Federal Minister for Urban Infrastructure Mr Paul Fletcher lamented the fact that the large majority of digital online content was not accessible to people with visual impairments or other disabilities.“This bill, therefore, puts in place a consolidated, flexible exception for use by organisations that assist people with a disability. The bill also introduces a fair dealing provision for people with a disability,” Fletcher said.“They bring Australia in line with global best practice to provide a flexible copyright framework that recognises the various ways people with a disability use accessible format content. These measures are designed to be format-neutral to ensure that Australians with a print disability will be able to continue to have fair and equal access to material in line with technological advancents.”Debate on the bill, which is still currently before the House of Representatives, has been adjourned.
