Gai Brodtmann (Canberra, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

Earlier this year I had the great pleasure of attending a lunch to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Radio 1RPH—radio for the print handicapped. Radio 1PRH provides an incredible service to Canberrans and the greater region. Radio 1RPH turns print information from newspapers, magazines, books and other printed materials into sound. Radio 1RPH listeners include people who are blind or vision impaired; have had a stroke; are quadriplegic or paraplegic; suffer from cerebral palsy, arthritis, multiple sclerosis or dyslexia; have trouble reading English or may have never learnt to read.

Around 15 per cent of the population has some form of reading difficulty, so it was absolutely wonderful to help celebrate this 30th anniversary—and I again congratulate 1RPH on the very necessary and invaluable service it provides to many Canberrans. Radio 1RPH relies on the services of more than 100 dedicated volunteers who provide more than 270 hours every week to ensure that the station has sufficient content to go to air. Several volunteers have dedicated their time to Radio 1RPH for more than 20 years. I want to thank those dedicated volunteers, as I did at the lunch, as well as members, listeners and supporters. Since that lunch, I have been fortunate to visit 1RPH not once but twice to be interviewed. I have really enjoyed the opportunity to talk to the volunteers who were working at the station, and I want to congratulate 1RPH on 30 years of successful operation. Thank you for everything you have done for Canberra. (Time expired)

See this speech in context