Ellis
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Ellis is Deafblind and has mobility issues.
They live in a suburb where there are frequent changes to the streetscape making it hard for them to participate safely in the community.
Ellis told the Royal Commission about a safety hazard not far from their home. The roots of a large tree push up through the footpath. Council regularly repairs the path, resurfacing the footpath with a black tar substance rather than new cement. ‘This creates a hazard for those with impaired vision as the topography of the surface can no longer be easily discerned, and therefore navigated.’
It takes Ellis five minutes to navigate a one-metre area so they don’t lose their balance and trip. They said the only alternative is to walk onto the road. People with certain mobility aids have no choice but to do this.
‘This represents a significant safety risk and this situation illustrates the ongoing impact of council decisions on the safety of their vulnerable citizens.’
Ellis said the council doesn’t communicate with people who are Deafblind when planning maintenance work or changes to traffic conditions.
The information is put in the letterbox and ‘there is no way to tell the difference between important information and standard junk mail’. If they do identify the important information, the maps are often too small for them to read. They rely on other community members to let them know what is going on.
‘Similarly, the channels through which people with disability can communicate with council are difficult and time consuming to navigate or are inaccessible.’
Ellis said for many Deafblind people voice calls are not accessible.
They suggest a single, dedicated and regularly monitored council email address for people with disability and council to use. Most people have access to computers with specialised software and braille displays.
‘I wouldn’t mind even if council could set up something where they text me the information.’
The council invited Ellis to be involved in a consultation process to establish a dedicated vision and hearing service in the area. But Ellis declined because they didn’t feel confident accessing the building where the meetings were held.
The new local service is located in a building with a bus lane directly in front ‘meaning vehicles cannot park there and rideshare vehicles or taxis will also not pick up or drop off in front of the site,’ Ellis said.
The one time Ellis accessed the service they were dropped off across the street and became disoriented. A member of the public had to help them find the building.
‘People don’t realise how tired you get. Just a couple of hours is exhausting. The extra steps to get there make you too tired to do the activity you’ve gone there to do in the first place.’
Ellis wants government and service providers to consult with people who are Deafblind meaningfully and consistently.
Disclaimer: This is the story of a person who shared their personal experience with the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability through a submission or private session. The names in this story are pseudonyms. The person who shared this experience was not a witness and their account is not evidence. They did not take an oath or affirmation before providing the story. Nothing in this story constitutes a finding of the Royal Commission. Any views expressed are those of the person who shared their experience, not of the Royal Commission.