Event accessibility
Aiv PUGLIELLI (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:35): (373) My question today is to the Minister for Disability. Last weekend Christina Aguilera played her one-night-only show in Melbourne. There are several stories that have been rippling through social media over the past few days from people who went to this concert and did not get to enjoy Christina in all her glory. Several people who use wheelchairs, for instance, spent over 2 hours in the disability access line waiting for a buggy to the stage area. They were still sitting at the entrance, reportedly, when Christina took to the stage. Others have commented that the Auslan interpreters were so far away from those with impaired hearing that they would have needed superpower vision to see what was being signed. Obviously this is not good enough. Everyone should be able to enjoy concerts and festivals here in Melbourne. Minister, what are you doing to follow up on these issues and make sure that all events here in Victoria are truly accessible to everyone?
Lizzie BLANDTHORN (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Children, Minister for Disability) (12:36): Thank you, Mr Puglielli, for your question. I did make the comment to my staff earlier that a question in relation to what Victoria is doing to make our state more inclusive would indeed feel a bit like a Dorothy Dixer today in the context of the discussions we are having with the Commonwealth, so I do thank you for the question.
Victoria, as I outlined in my ministers statement earlier, is absolutely committed to making sure that our state is inclusive for everyone, from the investment that we are making in Changing Places, where we are leading the nation to make sure that our events, our tourist attractions and our sporting facilities are appropriate for people with disabilities, through to our Inclusive Victoria statement, which is about improving inclusivity in our workforce and in our workplaces, and the investments that we are making indeed in education to make sure our schools are inclusive places as well. Victoria is certainly leading the nation in the investments that we are making to ensure that Victoria is an inclusive state for everybody of all abilities.
In relation to the specific issues that you raise, I am happy to take some of those on notice and come back to you if we can provide some further information. But let this house be assured – and well beyond this house – that Victoria is doing its bit to make sure that our state is an inclusive state for all people, including people of all abilities, and I look forward to continuing to work with everyone in this place and beyond on that into the future.
Aiv PUGLIELLI (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:38): Thank you, Minister, and thank you additionally for taking part of that question on notice. That would be much appreciated. I appreciate that this may also fall partly into the conduct of the event organisers, but nonetheless it is something worth considering in this place, which is why I have raised it today. With so many more festivals, concerts and major events coming to Melbourne soon, it is critical that these sorts of things do not happen again. Taylor Swift is playing in February. For those who are lucky enough to have tickets – not me – it is important that they will be able to experience the concert and have a fun night. Will you guarantee that Taylor’s concerts in Melbourne will be fully accessible to everyone?
Lizzie BLANDTHORN (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Children, Minister for Disability) (12:39): I must admit I am also not one of those people that have tickets to Taylor Swift. But I do think it is important for everybody that does have tickets to Taylor Swift that this event is also one which supports people of all abilities, and I am more than happy to again take elements of your question on notice. I must confess I actually do not know where Taylor Swift is even playing, so I will discuss that with the minister for major events and have that discussion with him as well in terms of the state’s role. As you correctly identified, some of these elements of providing inclusive events and the responsibility to do so rest with those who are facilitating those events. For the state’s part, where the state has a role in ensuring that venues are accessible and that the transport to those venues is accessible, I am more than happy to take up those matters and come back to you again with some further information as necessary.