Page 3132 - Week 11 - Tuesday, 10 September 1991
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ADJOURNMENT
Royal Blind Society Week
MR BERRY (Deputy Chief Minister) (10.36): Mr Speaker, I move:
That the Assembly do now adjourn.
One issue that I would like to speak on tonight, Mr Speaker, is Royal Blind Society Week, which is from 9 to 13 September. I would like to draw the attention of members to an important health related event currently being promoted in Canberra to assist the blind and visually impaired. This week is, as I have said, Royal Blind Society Week.
Each year the Royal Blind Society sets aside one week to raise community awareness of problems that blind and visually impaired people have in coping with life in a society that is entirely oriented to visual acuity. As well as taking the opportunity to raise funds for the work of the society, this year they have a special aim and have designated Friday the 13th as White Step Day. This promotion, Mr Speaker, simply involves the painting of the edges of entrance steps to public and other buildings white. While many building owners already do this, the society is seeking the cooperation of government bodies, and shopping centres particularly, to provide this simple facility for the visually impaired.
The society has contact with 400 blind and visually impaired people in the ACT and estimates that there are as many again with severe visual impairment that they do not know about. Recently I spoke at the annual meeting of the national better health program and their State organising committees, at which a number of speakers spoke on programs addressed at improving community health. The ACT Government has allocated many thousands of dollars through the Health Promotion Fund towards promoting a healthier community; but here is one small enterprise, Mr Speaker, which can be embraced by many organisations and which will assist a disadvantaged section of the community to make daily life that much safer.
Essentially, it costs no more than the price of a can of paint, but it will assist many people to walk on the streets with more confidence. ACT Health's early intervention team, in the Special Services Branch, liaises with the Royal Blind Society on those cases in children aged 0 to 3 years where there are indications of visual impairment and the society's expertise is relevant. This society also uses the team's facilities for testing children. The early intervention team also works closely with the Department of Education teachers who teach visually impaired children.
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