S1: From Vision Australia. This is talking vision. And now here's
S1: your host Sam Colley.
S2: Hello, everyone. It's great to be here with you. And
S2: for the next half hour we talk matters of blindness
S2: and low vision.
S3: Most of the feedbacks come from able people are really
S3: good to get some targeted feedback from people living with
S3: a disability, and in particular people with low vision who
S3: can try and assist the Council to improve its urban
S3: design principles so that it can enable people with low
S3: vision to access both our public realm areas and our
S3: open space areas.
S2: Welcome to the program. This week we chat with Councillor
S2: Anthony Aitken from the City of Greater Geelong, who's here
S2: to chat to me about a series of drop in
S2: sessions and a survey which is open until the 12th
S2: of May for people to have their say about how
S2: to make the streets of Geelong that bit more safe
S2: and accessible for people with disabilities. That conversation's coming up
S2: very shortly, so make sure to stick around. And then
S2: after my chat with Anthony, I catch up with Sarina Ovens,
S2: CEO of Assistive Technology Services Australia, who tells us about
S2: a couple of expos that ATS is holding in Perth
S2: and Melbourne over the coming weeks. I hope you enjoy
S2: this week's episode of Talking Vision. Are you a Geelong
S2: resident with lived experience of disability or just an interest
S2: in accessibility? Well, the City of Greater Geelong would love
S2: to hear from you. They're currently holding a survey and
S2: a number of drop in sessions to help shape their parks,
S2: streets and public places to create more accessible spaces for
S2: people with disabilities. And to chat with me all about this.
S2: It's my great pleasure to welcome City of Greater Geelong
S2: councillor Anthony Aitken to Talking Vision. Anthony, welcome to Talking Vision.
S2: Thank you very much for your time today.
S3: I'm very pleased to be here and thank you for
S3: showing interest in Geelong.
S2: No problem at all. Now firstly, Anthony, we're here to
S2: discuss a bit of community engagement that the City of
S2: Greater Geelong is seeking from local residents in regards to accessibility.
S2: But before we get into the details of the survey
S2: and feedback themselves, I'm keen to hear a little bit
S2: more about your disability access and inclusion portfolio, as well
S2: as the committee that you belong to, the Access and
S2: Inclusion Advisory Committee.
S3: Well, Sam, the first thing I'd like to disclose to
S3: the listeners is I am an elected official with the
S3: City of Greater Geelong, and I've been there since 2017.
S3: But I'm also a person living with a disability. I'm
S3: actually deaf. And I'm very fortunate that cochlear implants, um,
S3: have given me hearing capacity. Um, and that's why I'm
S3: able to be able to listen to you today and
S3: also represent my community. And I think that's part of
S3: the reason why, um, I'm involved with our access and
S3: disability portfolio that we have in the city of Geelong.
S3: And I chair the Access and Inclusion Committee. That committee
S3: is an advisory committee to council, and it's made up
S3: of other members of the community who are living with disabilities. Um,
S3: it may be mobility issues, it may be hearing issues,
S3: it may be sight side issues. Um, it may be, um,
S3: mental health issues and it may be acquired disabilities. We
S3: have had a number of people who have had accidents
S3: that have had acquired brain injuries that sit on that
S3: committee as well to the whole purpose of the portfolio.
S3: And the committee is to elevate advocacy and issues associated
S3: with people living with a disability in the community. And
S3: I'm proud to say that I think we've done very
S3: well with that community and also with the representation, by
S3: giving a stronger voice to people living with a disability.
S2: Fantastic. And that's also what we're, of course, here to
S2: chat a bit further about. The City of Greater Geelong
S2: is looking for public feedback to help shape your parks,
S2: streets and public spaces. And as I understand it, that
S2: covers two main projects, namely Public Realm and Open Space.
S2: So could you tell us a little bit more about
S2: Public realm and open space.
S3: Look, there are two major strategies that the city's announced
S3: public engagement in at the present time. Public realm is
S3: actually spaces outside of our buildings. And what we're attempting
S3: to do there is to identify spaces where people may
S3: come and congregate to and actually how we can try
S3: and improve them. And public open space is where we
S3: have either organized sports or community activities. So it might
S3: be like where there's a local program, where there's a
S3: sporting field or where there's just public open space, which
S3: is just available for people to come and use at
S3: any particular time. The two strategies are separate, and what
S3: we're engaging at the present time is the communities to
S3: get feedback about both of them. An example is we've
S3: got significant building structures in Geelong, but we've got these
S3: public areas outside of them, and we really would like
S3: to hear from the community how we could make those
S3: spaces better and with our public open space, we really
S3: want to try and make them as accessible as possible
S3: for all members of the community, that they can feel
S3: safe and access them and enjoy them. But I personally
S3: have a very strong commitment to try to make sure
S3: that our public spaces, both public realm and open space,
S3: do meet accessibility requirements for people living with a disability.
S3: Whether it is sight, as most Vision Australia people would
S3: be who are listening to the broadcast today. But it
S3: also includes people living with hearing loss or mobility issues.
S3: And of course, you know those people that need access
S3: to a wheelchair or something for movement. The design and
S3: accessibility of our public spaces and public realm is really important.
S3: And that includes like having pathways that go towards our buildings,
S3: creating opportunities where there is existing tree canopy and mature
S3: tree canopy that someone can access the shade under those trees.
S3: And in public open spaces. It really is about how
S3: we can bring everyone's needs together in the future to
S3: make it an enjoyable space for them.
S2: And Anthony, as I understand the public community feedback has
S2: been open for just over a month now. What are
S2: the sort of things you've already heard from the community,
S2: especially in regards to accessibility?
S3: Well, look, the first thing that's come back is people
S3: said they want more public open space, and that probably
S3: reflects what we all experienced during Covid, where our local
S3: park actually became really important during that lockdown period because
S3: we needed some space to actually meet and congregate in.
S3: One of the challenges that we've got in Geelong is
S3: that over the next 17 years, our population is actually
S3: going to grow from 289,000 to an estimated 400,000 people,
S3: and it means our public open spaces have become even
S3: more important as more and more people are living in
S3: our urban areas and high density areas means that they
S3: will need public open space. So what the initial feedback
S3: that we received is predominantly been about people saying we
S3: actually need more public open space, but there's been some
S3: really good feedback as well, too, about what type of
S3: design materials we use for our footpaths, whether we should
S3: be using concrete because it's much more accessible than gravel,
S3: how we transition from grassed areas to public areas as
S3: well too. And that discussion has certainly been taken by
S3: the Council to consider it as well too. And what
S3: we're also it's not part of this particular strategy, but
S3: we are getting feedback as well too, about dogs and
S3: animals in public spaces as well too. So we're trying
S3: to channel that engagement. We actually have got a major
S3: dog management project that's going on underway as well to
S3: at the present time with engagement, but most people are
S3: actually being really good to think about ideas about how
S3: they can improve the public spaces and even simple things
S3: like people saying that they do need water fountains in
S3: public open spaces and even going back to that dog issue.
S3: People are saying we do need to have more dog
S3: bags for areas that the city is actually creating new
S3: public open spaces as well too. The engagement process is
S3: actually still open till the 12th of May, and we've
S3: actually got a major drop in. People can actually access
S3: it now online. And look at the council website and
S3: we may talk about that a little bit later as
S3: well too.
S2: That's right.
S3: But yeah, we really would encourage more feedback from people
S3: living with a disability so that we can try to
S3: target towards more accessibility. Most of the feedback has come
S3: from able people are really good to get some targeted
S3: feedback from people living with a disability, and in particular,
S3: people with low vision who can try and assist the
S3: Council to improve its urban design principles so that it
S3: can enable people with low vision to access both our
S3: public realm areas and our open space areas.
S2: As you've mentioned there, the drop in sessions are very
S2: quickly upon us. In fact, one of them's already just
S2: happened as of this week. It was on the 30th
S2: of April for people to head along then, but if
S2: people have missed out, there's still time. They can head
S2: along to a couple more. So let's get the details
S2: about those two sessions on the seventh and 8th of May.
S3: Well, what they are, um, Sam, is we recognize that
S3: not everybody can just fill out forms through the online internet.
S3: So there were three traditional face to face opportunities for
S3: people to go and be interviewed for public engagement. The
S3: second one was to occur at Drysdale, at the library there,
S3: at the new library on Wednesday the 7th of May,
S3: between 4 and 6 p.m., and the last one is
S3: actually scheduled to occur out in North Lane at the
S3: new Norlin Arc on Thursday the 8th of May, between
S3: 4 and 6 p.m. and we have missed the one
S3: that was, of course, on the 30th of April, which
S3: was at Wiki Niall, which is the civic administration building
S3: in the centre of Geelong.
S2: But that's okay, because as you've said, there's still opportunities
S2: for people to have their say either in those drop
S2: in sessions or through the survey itself. So let's get
S2: the details of that survey in particular.
S3: If people go to Geelong Australia.com. So all one word
S3: Geelong Australia.com. There's a section called have Your Say. And
S3: there is the opportunity to click on that section to
S3: help shape our parks, streets and public spaces. There are
S3: some accessibility. So if you need hearing or speech support
S3: you can click on that. And it will actually read
S3: out what is actually on the page. And there is
S3: translation support as well too, if people have non-English speaking background.
S3: but I suspect the hearing and speech support would be
S3: really important for people with low vision. That can be
S3: accessed through the council's website, and you are encouraged to
S3: fill out that survey before the 12th of May at
S3: 5 p.m., when it will formally close.
S2: But um, given the timing of everything and people may
S2: not be able to get in touch during session one,
S2: don't stress because as I understand it, Anthony, there will
S2: be a second phase of community engagement happening later on
S2: in the year for people around September. October? Isn't that right?
S3: Yeah. Look, the way our engagement processes work is we
S3: do our initial community engagement, which is what's occurring at
S3: the moment. So that was between the 28th of March
S3: and the 12th of May. And that's where we initial
S3: get our initial feedback. And then the officers will actually
S3: collate that information and collate other data as well to
S3: to develop the draft strategies. And because this we have
S3: so much public realm and also public open space in Geelong,
S3: it's quite a big task. So that's actually occurring between
S3: March and October of this year. And then there will
S3: be a draft of each of the strategies will come
S3: out and we will re seek public engagement. So you
S3: are right for those people who are thinking that they
S3: may have missed an opportunity to influence that, the draft
S3: strategies will be released and we will seek feedback on
S3: those draft strategies. So if there's some really important things
S3: that have been missed that people want to present, they
S3: will get that opportunity between October and November of this year.
S2: Okay, wonderful. Well, in that case, Anthony, I think we
S2: might get in touch in 4 or 5 months time
S2: and let people know about how those phases have gone already,
S2: but also, of course, invite people to take part in
S2: phase two of the community engagement for open space and
S2: public realm, and the strategies the City of Greater Geelong
S2: is putting together to make the city more accessible for
S2: all constituents out there. I've been speaking today with the
S2: City of Geelong's Disability Access and Inclusion portfolio chair and
S2: chair of the Access and Inclusion Advisory Committee, Councillor Anthony Aitken,
S2: about the community engagement the City of Greater Geelong is
S2: currently undertaking to improve the accessibility of parks, roads and
S2: public spaces in the Greater Geelong region. Anthony, thank you
S2: so much for your time today. It was a pleasure
S2: to catch up with you.
S3: Thanks, Sam, and thank you to all your listeners and
S3: I wish everyone a great 2025. And it sounds like
S3: we may have the opportunity to speak again towards the
S3: end of the year, and I would welcome that opportunity
S3: to come back and discuss some of the draft ideas
S3: that have come out, and I'm pleased I encourage anybody
S3: living with a disability Ability to be an active member
S3: of our community and try and make sure that everything
S3: is more accessible. And those people who are making the
S3: decisions listen and you are heard and we influence outcomes.
S3: So thank you, Sam.
S2: I'm Sam Corley and you're listening to Talking Vision on
S2: Vision Australia Radio, Associated Stations of Reading Radio and the
S2: Community Radio Network. I hope you enjoyed that conversation there
S2: with Anthony Aiken. If you missed any part of that
S2: chat with Anthony or you'd love to hear it again.
S2: Talking vision is available on the Vision Australia Radio website.
S2: Simply head to radio Dot. That's V radio Dot or
S2: you can find the program on the podcast app of
S2: your choice or through the Vision Australia library. Our next
S2: guest is the CEO of Assistive Technology Services Australia or
S2: Atsa for short, which is bringing their expos around the
S2: country in particular over the next couple of weeks in
S2: Perth and then Melbourne the week later. Her name is
S2: Serena Ovens and it's my great pleasure to welcome her
S2: right now. Serena, welcome to Talking Vision. Thank you very
S2: much for your time.
S4: Thanks for having me, Sam.
S2: We're here to have a bit of a chat about
S2: some upcoming expos that Azhar is involved with this month,
S2: but before we do that, let's get a bit of
S2: an overview of Azza itself and the work they do.
S4: Thanks. So at the peak industry body for the whole
S4: of Australia, for all of the organisations, be they manufacturers, distributors, suppliers,
S4: retailers of a massively broader range of assistive technology for
S4: people with disability and older people. We're also though a
S4: registered charity. So as well as supporting the industry and
S4: making sure that they're doing the right thing and selling
S4: product accordingly and bringing in things that are legal and
S4: fit Australia's standards, we also ensure that they ethically and
S4: equitably cater for their end users. The people that use
S4: that at and need to have it properly scripted, well
S4: looked after, maintained, repaired and supported all the way through
S4: their independence journey.
S2: And following on from that, Serena, there's a couple of
S2: expos coming up that we'd love to have a chat about.
S2: Let's start off with the expo happening in Perth in
S2: just over a week's time. That's pretty exciting.
S4: It is fam. It makes for a busy time for us.
S4: But we do have the Perth Expo, as you say,
S4: on the 14th and 15th of May at the Perth Showgrounds. Grants,
S4: and that's the first of 2 in 2 weeks, so
S4: it'll keep us fairly busy. Perth, of course, is a
S4: great place for us to be able to bring across
S4: the country a lot of both local at suppliers and
S4: of course, some of our suppliers come across from the
S4: other side of the country to be able to display
S4: and exhibit a broad range of assistive technology for people
S4: to come and try to view and see what's out
S4: in the market, to look at all the new technology
S4: also for allied health professionals as well, to be able
S4: to again understand what's out in the market so they
S4: can support people with disability in terms of any of
S4: the assistive technology that they need. So for, um, your
S4: cohort in particular, there will be exhibitors. In fact, Vision
S4: Australia themselves will be at I'm not sure if they're
S4: at Perth or they're definitely at Melbourne. We've got different
S4: organisations that will have things like pens that can read
S4: text on a page. We've got blind spots coming along
S4: to show people the different sporting activities that they can do.
S4: Things like vision tech that have amazing magnifiers for people
S4: with low vision and need different types of equipment to
S4: help them actually read lots of different activities. Our expos
S4: are the biggest at expos in Australia, and it's really
S4: great to be able to get along and see what's
S4: out there, because you would be blown away by the
S4: amount of new technology in the market, certainly.
S2: Yeah, those text to speech pens are incredible. I've heard
S2: quite a lot about them now. Serena, what else can
S2: people in Perth expect if they head along to the
S2: Perth Expo? That would be unique perhaps to the Perth
S2: event over the Melbourne one.
S4: Are now they would see an adaptive fashion show which
S4: will happen on the Thursday afternoon. It's free to attend,
S4: and I should say that so that everyone knows that
S4: they can walk in the door. And if they pre-register,
S4: they'll be entitled to get a free coffee when they
S4: come in as well. Not unique, but really good to
S4: know because everyone loves the tea or coffee halfway through
S4: the day when they're getting tired and walking around. The
S4: other thing I should let you know too, is that
S4: I believe there are limited trains to the event as well,
S4: so public transport is on hand for you to get there.
S4: Unique to Perth will be quite a number of your
S4: local suppliers and supports. So what we try to do
S4: with all our expos is, as well as bringing together
S4: the industry, is ensure that we can capture as many
S4: of the local supports, the local market so that you
S4: can link with people that you may not know but
S4: are locally on the ground, can support you both at
S4: the expo, but of course in your daily needs as well.
S2: Okay, wonderful. Now, Serena, let's have a bit of a
S2: chat about the Melbourne Expo, which is taking place the
S2: week after the Perth event.
S4: Yep. So Melbourne is happening on the 20th and 21st
S4: of May. The Tuesday and Wednesday of the following week.
S4: It's also at the Showgrounds, the Flemington Showgrounds in Melbourne.
S4: It is our biggest expo of all the expos we
S4: do across Australia. It is absolutely massive and we sell
S4: out really quickly. We keep taking more and more space
S4: and more and more exhibitors want space and it just
S4: keeps getting bigger and bigger. So in Melbourne you can
S4: expect to see the broadest range of equipment, home modifications online,
S4: it um, automated information, pretty much anything and everything that
S4: our industry provides.
S2: And I suppose similar to the Perth event, there's quite
S2: a few unique businesses and organisations specific to Melbourne and
S2: Victoria that will be appearing at the Melbourne Expo, but
S2: what else can people expect if they head along?
S4: Yeah, there's a really big sports area in Melbourne, so
S4: what they can see, there is a massive range of
S4: different options for people that want to try out different
S4: sporting events and activities. So things like pickleball, which has
S4: become really popular again, I believe we'll have blind spots
S4: on hand as well. I know that some of our expos,
S4: and I have to be honest, I'm not 100% sure
S4: of absolutely every different sporting event or group that will
S4: be there. But we've seen things from basketball to rock
S4: climbing to sailing to give people just the broadest range
S4: of come and try events. So it's not only just
S4: come and watch, but it's actually get in and give
S4: things a go yourself as well.
S2: And Serena, I understand both expos will be featuring a
S2: seminar program to educate the wider public about the various
S2: assistive technologies that are available.
S4: Absolutely, Sam. Across all our expos, we run seminars throughout
S4: both days at set times. Some of them are quite
S4: focused for allied health and other professionals, but broadly, there'd
S4: be quite a bit of interest for people to attend
S4: any of those seminars. They're welcome to do so. Again,
S4: they are also free, and you can find out what's
S4: on by looking at either the programme on the day
S4: when you get there, or by checking out the information
S4: on the website that'll tell you about the different sessions
S4: when they're running, where to find them, and decide whether
S4: it's something you're interested in getting some understanding about.
S2: Just to wrap up, if people would like to find
S2: out a bit more about assistive technology suppliers Australia, or
S2: perhaps sign up to or register or pick up a
S2: ticket to head along to these expos. What's the best
S2: way for them to do that?
S4: Absolutely. So they can either go directly to our website
S4: which is at dot org and that's at org, and
S4: you can from there get into the ASA Independent Living
S4: Expos via the events tab. And that will allow you
S4: to jump on and register your attendance at any of
S4: the events that we have. That registration, as I said,
S4: is free for anybody to attend any of our expos.
S4: And if you pre-register, gives you that free coffee or tea.
S4: So recommend people doing that. Again our website is a.
S2: Perfect. I've been speaking today with Serena Ovens, CEO of
S2: Assistive Technology Suppliers Australia. Here to chat to me about
S2: the upcoming expos that will be involved with over the
S2: month of May. Serena, thank you so much for your
S2: time today. It was a pleasure to catch up with
S2: you and chat about the Expos.
S4: Thanks, Sam. Really appreciate it and look forward to seeing
S4: yourself and your Vision Australia members there.
S2: And now here's Frances Kalen with a radar recommended.
S5: Thank you Sam. Today's reader recommended is about a city.
S5: It's a love song to a city and a memoir.
S5: It's called Perth and it's by David Whish-wilson. David Whish-wilson.
S5: Perth is a place of surprising beauty, of sand swept
S5: peace and brilliant light, yet a place where the deeper
S5: historical currents are never too far beneath the surface. Like
S5: the Swan River that flows in two directions at once
S5: at certain times, with the fresh water flowing seawards above
S5: the salty water flowing in beneath it, Perth strikes perfect
S5: harmony with the city's contradictions and eccentricities. We look beyond
S5: the shiny glass facades, the boosterish talk of mining booms
S5: to the richness of the natural world and the trailblazers,
S5: the rebels, the occasional ghost and the ordinary people that
S5: bring Australia's remotest city to life. Let's hear a sample
S5: of David Whish-wilson book, Perth.
S6: Twice a Day. The skin of the Swan River rises
S6: in a small ripple as the tidal surge makes its
S6: way from the river mouth at Fremantle, through Perth Water,
S6: and up into the higher reaches of the river near
S6: the fast growing suburb of Ellenbrook. Just over 20km northeast
S6: of Perth in winter, when a layer of brackish water
S6: runs off the scarp towards the ocean, the river flows
S6: in two directions, with the freshwater flowing seawards above the
S6: saline water flowing in beneath it. Today, the diurnal bulge
S6: of water that reveals the incoming tide is invisible. It's
S6: a Sunday morning, and I'm out on the river in
S6: an open kayak with my Uncle Scott. My father's youngest brother, Scott,
S6: moved from Tasmania to Perth as a teenager in the 1970s.
S6: Like so many others, he stayed for the climate and
S6: the lifestyle and the opportunity to work.
S5: So that was Perth by David Whish-wilson. There was a
S5: series of books by writers that wrote about the city
S5: that they grew up in, and so there's ones for
S5: all of the capital cities around Australia. If you would
S5: like that book, or if you would like to find
S5: out more about how the Vision Australia Library can work
S5: for you. If you have a print disability, give the
S5: library a call on 130654656. That's 1300 654 656. Or you can
S5: email library at Vision Australia. Org. That's library at Vision Australia.
S2: And that's all the time we have for today. You've
S2: been listening to Talking Vision. Talking vision is a Vision
S2: Australia radio production. Thanks to all involved with putting the
S2: show together every week. And remember, we love hearing from you.
S2: So please get in touch anytime on our email at
S2: Talking Vision at Vision Australia. That's talking vision all. One
S2: word at Vision Australia dot. But until next week it's
S2: Sam Corley saying bye for now.
S1: You can contact Vision Australia by phoning us anytime during
S1: business hours on one 384 746. That's one 384 74
S1: six or by visiting Vision Australia. That's Vision Australia.