Patrick Gorman (Perth, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak about the heartless decision to defund CapTel handsets and provide incredible uncertainty for users of CapTel handsets across Australia. Some 4,000 Australians rely on CapTel handsets to, like so many of us in this place, use a telephone to communicate with the world. People who have hearing challenges, hearing impairments or are simply hard of hearing rely on these CapTel handsets. But to save just $10 million over the life of the contract, this government has thrown those users into complete uncertainty. I received a letter from Peggy, who lives in the suburb of Inglewood in my electorate. Peggy wrote to me with huge concerns that her letters to the minister hadn't been responded to and about what would happen to her if she cannot use CapTel handsets. She says, 'The CapTel handset has provided me with a reliable and effective option for communicating by telephone for many years.' In her words, the decision to stop supporting the CapTel handset is 'unfair and will discriminate against thousands of Australians who rely on CapTel in both their work and personal lives on a daily basis'. This comes on top of a $700,000 cut to Vision Australia Radio, denying access to our newspapers to people who have vision impairment. It is a disgrace and it should be reversed. The government has less than six months before this vital service is closed for good.