From Vision Australia. This is talking vision. And now here's your host Sam Colley.
Hello, everyone. It's great to be here with you. And for the next half hour we talk matters of blindness and low vision. Welcome to the program. This week we chat with Alex Morris from the Australian Electoral Commission, who's here to chat to me about the ways that the Commission is making voting accessible, safe and private for voters who are blind or have low vision and others with disabilities more broadly. That conversation's coming up very shortly, so
make sure to stick around to find out more. Then after we hear from Alex, we've got some news and information to share. Before we finish up with a reader recommended from Francis Kelland, I hope you'll enjoy this week's episode of Talking Vision. With the Australian federal election coming
up in just under a month's time. The safety, accessibility and privacy of the votes of the blind and low vision community is, of course, paramount to not only the Australian Electoral Commission, but also blindness and low vision organisations around Australia. So with that in mind, it's my great pleasure to welcome today Alex Morris from the Australian Electoral Commission to talk to us about the accessibility measures in place for voters with disabilities. Alex, welcome to Talking Vision.
Thank you very much for your time today.
Thank you for having me, Sam. It's a pleasure.
Now, firstly, Alex, I think let's get to the heart of the matter. As people may or no doubt be aware, the election is coming up in a few weeks. And for our listeners who are blind or have low vision, they might have a little bit of anxiety or, you know, trepidation about, oh, how is my how am I going to get an accessible vote? You know, what sort of
measures are in place for me? So just to put their minds at rest, so to speak, what sort of accessibility measures can the AEC promise for voters who are blind or have low vision.
Of course. And first of all, I completely understand where those listeners would be coming from. It's, uh, it's something that we've worked really, really hard at, uh, at the AEC for quite some time now, and I'm really hopeful that this is going to be, uh, good news for a lot of your listeners. So first and foremost, we do have a telephone voting option available for voters who
are blind or have low vision. It's the same telephone voting option that was previously made available at the last federal election for voters who had tested positive for Covid as well. But thankfully, the Covid conditions have changed somewhat and we're no longer in a position of needing to do that, which means the service is now just for blind and low vision voters, as well as people in
in Antarctica, those brave explorers down there now. It's a service that hasn't started yet at the time of recording, but will be opening for registration on Tuesday the 22nd of April.
Okay, that's great news. Now, what is that number for people out there and how do people sign up?
So from Tuesday the 22nd, which is the same day that early voting opens across the country, you will be able to call a number. It's A18 hundred number. That's 1800 913 993. Once again that's 1800 913 993. You can call that number between 830 and 530 every weekday except for public holidays. And that's important because Anzac Day is a public holiday this year and we will register you for a telephone vote.
Okay. Fantastic. Now, Alex, what's the process for people who've signed up to the telephone voting? They've rung up to cast their vote. What's the sort of steps that they can expect now?
The telephone vote itself for people that haven't done it before. It's a two stage process, and it's in two stages to preserve the privacy of your ballot. Of course, Australia invented the secret ballot, and we wouldn't be doing our jobs if we just took that away for people who were blind or had low vision. So it's a two call setup. So first and foremost, you give us a call after you've registered. We verify your identity and check
you off the electoral roll. We then provide an anonymous code, so you then call a second number and provide that code without providing your name. And someone on the phone will take your vote and walk you through the ballot paper. Of course, in a completely anonymous way. So the privacy of your vote is absolutely guaranteed through this process, which is a really, really important part of the process. Now, with that said, telephone voting is not the only thing
that we're doing to make voting accessible. And there are a range of measures that we're going to have in place at polling places as well, including some that we have collaborated with through Vision Australia. We're looking at working with Vision Australia to develop and distribute accessible information about voting all the way through this election period.
I'm very keen to hear about those. I mean, telephone voting is fantastic, but people, when they do feel like they would like to, you know, show up to the polling place in person and cast their votes that way, and they might have some mobility issues or they may have issues with different surfaces with their cane or their seeing eye dog, and they might have to deal with those sort of things. Or, you know, how do they fill out their vote in person? So I'm very keen
to get those details as well. Alex.
Absolutely. So the most important thing I will say is when the AEC publishes information about the locations of all of the polling places, which will be in a couple of weeks time on our polling place finder tool, you'll be able to find information about accessibility options that are available at the polling place. These will be including things about,
you know, whether a polling place is fully wheelchair accessible. Now, if you're working with a cane, or if you're working with a guide dog, you might want to avoid stairs as well. So that is something that you can definitely monitor and choose a polling place or even a pre-poll voting place as well based on those criteria. We'll also have information about some of the accessibility options that we have in place, particularly for people who are blind or have low vision.
And Alex, it's not just people who are blind or have low vision that the AEC is looking to make things more accessible for. Of course, you've got quite a few resources for voters who are deaf or hard of hearing, isn't that right?
Of course, we have hearing loops in place in selected polling places. That's a technology that's been around for some time now. We're continuing to roll it out, and information about where those hearing loops will be available will be available on our website. It's not every polling place, of course, because with polling places, we're booking out things like school gymnasiums and church halls. Some of them just don't have the technology in place to offer that. But where we can,
we do. And that information is on our website.
And Alex, there's some other technology for voters who are blind or have low vision. On top of the telephone voting, there's some digital technology available at some polling places for voters who do show up to the polling place.
The other really important technology that we're offering in some polling places. So again, check the polling place finder to work out which polling places you can find this technology at. Text to speech pens. Again, this is something that you might have used at previous elections. It's a great technology for the people that need it. And you can find all of that information on our website.
And if all else fails, Alex, of course, there's the traditional methods of getting assistance at the polling place. So tell our listeners a little bit about how they go about that and potentially call ahead of time to let the polling place know that they might just need a little bit of extra help.
Now, the other thing that is available at any polling place in Australia is, of course, the old favourite of putting your hand up and asking for assistance. You can if you have a friend with you, you can ask your friend for assistance with casting your vote. You can also, if you prefer, not to, you know, share your vote with with a with a friend or or you'd prefer to to keep that a bit more anonymous, you can talk to an AEC staff member directly and we can
help you out with that process. We're not going to tell you how to vote. Of course, that's not our role and that's not something that we do. But we will walk you through. Who's on the ballot paper. Where would you like to allocate your first preference, your second preference, etc., etc.? That is something we can do if you're in a circumstance where you have there are some more serious accessibility limitations and you're not even able to get out of your car to get into a polling place, we can
actually bring ballot papers out to you as well. Just flag that with our staff when you get to a polling place, or if you'd like more information about that as well, you can give us a call on 0132326, and we can talk you through the best way to approach that situation as well.
And for voters who are deaf or hard of hearing, Alex, there's more options for them as well if they head along to certain polling places. Tell us a bit about that.
Of course, the most important one as well. Yep. One of the options that is new at this election, I believe, or is being rolled out more at this election and is something that we're really, really proud of, is a virtual Auslan interpreter service that we're actually offering in collaboration
with Convo Australia. So when you get to a polling place, there'll be a QR code that you can actually scan with your phone, and that will give you access to a virtual Auslan interpreter that you can then use while you're talking to our staff. And that will walk you through the entire voting process as well. So a really, really important accessibility measure and something that I hope people are okay.
That is fantastic news for, you know, both the blind and low vision and deaf and hard of hearing communities. Now, Alex, let's get all of those contact details, all those websites, all those emails, all those phone numbers for all of our listeners out there. So that's, you know, how to sign up for telephone voting or visit some websites or emails to find out about that, how to find out about the accessibility measures at polling places, or any general
information they might be interested in. What are some first call go to places for people to contact the Aacn find out more.
Of course the repository of all wisdom is AEC. That is our website. It has been updated for the election and will continue to be updated as as the election continues and we roll out the locations of polling places, we'll also have information up about the names and the ballot paper position of candidates. Once we've done the draw for ballot paper position that's happening next Friday. So look out for that. And we have information available specifically about
the accessibility options available to voters at AEC. Accessibility. You can visit that page at any point during the period and give us a call on 0132326. And our staff can help you out with the answers to the questions that you have. But the other thing that you can do is that you can contact the AEC through the National Relay Service. Now we have information about how to
do that on our website. But the National Relay Service have been a partner for us for some time, and we're really happy to be working with them again at this election. And they are a great resource to get you some more accessible information and to contact us in a more accessible way. If you're on social media. You're also welcome to reach out to us, either in a public tag or just by sending us a DM. We are active on Facebook, we are active on Instagram. We
are active on threads. You can find us on TikTok for the first time. We're also on the site formerly known as Twitter, now known as X, and you can even find us on LinkedIn if you're feeling a little bit more professionally minded, but you're welcome to reach out to us via a DM or a tag on those platforms. We'll be happy to answer your questions there as well.
Oh wow, that's certainly covered all bases there. Thank you so much, Alex. I've been speaking today with Alex Morris from the Australian Electoral Commission here to chat to me about the range of accessibility measures for voters who are blind or have low vision or otherwise. Voters with disabilities heading to polling places or signing up for telephone voting in the lead up to the Australian federal election in May. Alex,
thank you so much for your time today. It was great to catch up with you and hear about all the ways that the AEC is making voting accessible for all voters in Australia with disabilities.
It's been my pleasure, Sam. Have a lovely election and I look forward to seeing you at a polling place.
I'm Sam Culley and you're listening to Talking Vision. On Vision Australia Radio, Associated Stations of Reading Radio and the Community Radio Network. I hope you enjoyed that conversation there with Alex Morris. If you missed any part of that conversation with Alex or you would love to hear it again. Talking vision is available on the Vision Australia Radio website. Simply head to VA radio Dot. That's VA radio all
one word.org. Or you can find the program on the podcast app of your choice or through the Vision Australia library. And now it's time this week for some news and information. Noble May is conducting a national research project entitled Understanding Election Accessibility for Australians with disability to better understand how accessible the voting process is for people with disabilities, particularly in the lead up to the 2025 federal election. This
work is not about political views or party preferences. Instead, it focuses on the accessibility of voting itself, including how to vote information, candidate materials, physical and digital voting environments, and the overall ease of participating in our democracy. What they're looking to achieve is to identify common barriers to voting for people with disability across different formats, such as in-person, postal or telephone. Explore how accessible and inclusive election information is.
For example, how to vote guides and candidate policies. Collect lived experiences that illustrate what's working and what's not. And to inform future improvements in election accessibility through insight led advocacy. The research includes a short screener survey open to all knowable Me May members and the wider community. Participants who provide detailed responses may be invited to participate in a longer $15 paid follow up survey, available either online or
by phone. In terms of who they're looking for, they're seeking feedback from people with disability or access needs who have voted before or planned to vote in the upcoming federal election. The eligibility survey went live on the 2nd of April 2025, and rolling invitations for paid survey interviews are going out from the 7th of April. If you haven't already taken part in the survey, there's still time as the survey is open until the end of the
14th of April, 2025. To find out more, visit noble.com. Me, that's k n o w a b l e dot m or call 043518557. That's 04351855. Double seven to take part. In other news, the Australian Disability Network Internship Program is still open for applications until the 20th of April. Australian Disability Network's internship program provides paid, practical work experience for
university students and recent graduates with disability. They understand the unique challenges you may face, such as gaps in your resume or limited access to part time work while studying. Through this internship program, you'll have the chance to work with inclusive employers who value diverse talent and are committed to creating accessible workplaces. These internships are designed to help you build your confidence, gain valuable experience, and take the
next steps toward your career goals. The internship period runs from July to September 2025, and as mentioned, applications are open until the 20th of April. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact Paula or the programs team at applications at Ausdance. That's applications at. Now you might be thinking Who's Paula? I haven't heard of Paula before. Well, here and there you may have heard Brooke Carter on the program. She was previously the program coordinator at Australian
Disability Network. But that's now Paula Bushell as Brooke is moving on to another role in the organization, which is very exciting. So all the best to Brooke. But yes, if you'd love to find out a bit more about the internships, get in touch with Paula. Get in touch with the applications team. Or you can also head to the Australian Disability Network website at Australian Disability Network. That's Australian disability network. And finally this week we've got some
exciting news about 100 K yoga. The momentum from the first wake of 100 K has been incredible. Vision Australia radios for teams collectively raised over $12,000, which took us three weeks to achieve in 2024. What an incredible effort. Well, this week, 100 K yoga partners Specsavers will be doubling every donation received on Friday the 11th of April. Every $1 raised on Matched Giving Day will be worth $2,
with Specsavers matching up to $15,000 in fundraising. This is for one day only, so spread the word for all those listeners out there who are hearing this today. Let everyone know, check it out and make a donation on Friday the 11th. So remind your friends, family, and even any friendly strangers you meet during the week to visit the Vision Australia Radio website and click on the 100 way link to donate and double their impact on Friday
the 11th of April. Once you click through from the front page, you'll find direct links to the Perth, Melbourne, Adelaide or regional radio teams to ensure they support Vision Australia radio and the vital work we do for the print disability community. That website again for people out there. VA radio.org. That's VA radio all one word.org. And now here's Frances Cleland with a reader recommended.
For those who like to follow the political machinations that go on behind the scenes sometimes. So if you're not sick of politics at this point in time, this is a book by Niki Savva. It's called Plots and Prayers. In an enthralling sequel to her best selling The Road
to Ruin. Niki Savva reveals the inside story of a bungled coup that overthrew the Liberal Prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, and installed a surprise successor, Scott Morrison, who went on to take the party to a miraculous electoral victory on the 21st of August 20, 18, 35 Liberal MPs cast their vote against Malcolm Turnbull, effectively signalling the end of his leadership. Three days later, the deed was done and
Scott Morrison was anointed prime minister. Tony Abbott's relentless campaign of destabilisation, helped along by his acolytes in the Parliament and by his powerful media mates, the betrayals of colleagues and the rise of the religious right climaxing in Peter Dutton's challenge, all played a part in Turnbull's downfall, but so did Turnbull's own poor political judgement. He was a good prime minister and a terrible politician. The good bits of Malcolm were not enough to make up for the
bad Malcolm. Nevertheless, the sheer brutality of his removal left many liberals aghast. MPs were traumatised or humiliated by eight days of madness. Men and women cried from sheer anguish. They went through hell and feared when it was over that they would not make it back, and nor would the Liberal Party. As it turned out, redemption came with Morrison's unexpected single handed 2019 election victory. Turnbull's road ended in ruins as it was always bound to and as
he always knew it would. As he predicted to Niki Savva less than three years before it happened. But when his end was imminent, he could not bear to let it go. And when it was over, he was defiant, fragile, and, yes, vengeful. This is the inside story of what happened and what happened next. Let's hear a sample of Plots and Prayers by Niki Savva. It's narrated by Daniel Wilks.
Malcolm Turnbull does not believe that Scott Morrison's stunning election victory vindicated the coup against him. Turnbull remains confident he could have won in 2019 and besides, the revolt by the right was designed to install Peter Dutton, not Morrison, as prime minister. The last person Dutton and his backers wanted to lead the party was Turnbull. The second last
was Morrison. Turnbull also firmly believes that by holding out against the insurgents during coup week by delaying a second ballot, he gave Morrison precious time to gather the numbers to triumph over Dutton. If there was any consolation for Turnbull, this was it, particularly as he and those closest to him had warned the plotters that if they persisted, the week would end with Morrison, whom they disliked, being sworn in as prime minister. It was only a part of
Turnbull's strategy that Morrison should succeed. The other part, the primary objective, of course, was to save himself. Morrison, the most astute conservative politician of his generation, did need the extra time that Turnbull bought him. But the plotting and planning by his lieutenants was already well advanced. It is impossible to get to where he got in 24 hours, which is what he later wanted people to believe. Morrison had done what he could to save Turnbull from himself.
He knew he would be damaged if people thought he had ascended to the Liberal leadership by being disloyal, or if he had blood on his hands. The image of him as a clean skin was vital to his success. This did not stop some of his backers from talking about how it happened. Nor his enemies from trying to
sully his reputation. He would not allow any of this to distract him from his singular objective of winning an election already deemed lost through the disunity and the despair that had embedded itself in Liberal ranks after the knifing of two prime ministers.
That was plots and prayers by Niki Savva. Niki is spelt n I k I sorry n I k I and Savva is sa double v a s a double v a. That book goes for about 14.5 hours.
And that's all the time we have for today. You've been listening to Talking Vision. Talking vision is a Vision Australia radio production. Thanks to all involved with putting the show together every week. And remember, we love hearing from you. So please get in touch anytime on our email at Talking Vision. Vision Australia. That's talking vision all. One word at Vision Australia dot. But until next week it's Sam Corley saying bye for now.
You can contact Vision Australia by phoning us anytime during business hours on one 384 746. That's one 384 74 six. Or by visiting Vision Australia. That's Vision Australia.