|
Waiting in the Darkness. Tragedy Someone I know rather well went from reading several novels a week to not being able to read the front page headlines in the Newspapers in just one weekend. Suddenly she was faced with the certainty that she would never see her son’s face again, never see her husbands face, a flower, a garden, the beach. She would never see the photographs of her family, write letters to people she had know for many years, go shopping for clothes with an eye for style and colour, never see the face of her favourite pet puppy, watch television or a video. Reading had been the passion of her life ever since Primary School and now all that she had left was the dimming shadows of darkness. A Lonely Tragedy But Not An Uncommon Ordeal Blindness is not uncommon 20,900 Queenslanders suffer from some sort of vision impairment but sight is one of those things we, who can see, take for granted. Until, of course, a tiny part of such a tragedy touches us. Just by knowing someone close to us who is forced to cope with the problem prises open a door of understanding if only very slightly. I have been somewhat more fortunate than most. Many years ago, I contracted a rare eye disease (something related to the smallpox infection). One eye was stuck closed and only partial sight remained in the other as it was painful and watery. (I did not think I was fortunate at the time) It took a fortnight for the specialists to find out what it was, but it did give me some small understanding of what an incapacitation it is. It wasn’t long before I became very disenchanted with radio announcers and the rubbish they plied, I was desperate for some one to talk to all the time but of course everyone has there own lives, families, and work so any discussion was a gratefully received bonus. Of course I had no reason to get miserable at all I had everything. I was secure in the knowledge that it was only a temporary ailment, the doctors had assured me. Not so for the blind the doctors don’t mince words. " Nothing we can do and it won’t get any better", they say. Talking Books I suppose the experience made me more determined to help that person who was especially close to me. So I phoned the Royal Society for the Blind in Brisbane. I wanted advice from the experts, the nice lady said that they would send out a catalogue of Aids for visual impairment. I asked about "Talking Books", and was told that the local Libraries had some but their tapes were not as suitable for the vision impaired and that they only had a very limited selection. The Royal Blind Society, she informed me, supplied a special machine with large operating buttons which helped the operator to distinguish the different functions by feel. She suggested that I contact the Royal Blind Society in Sydney N.S.W. which had a huge selection of tapes and a machine of higher quality. The machine they offer uses more tracks on the same tape which is much more suitable for visually impaired people when changing the tapes. I asked why the same sort of service was not available in Queensland, and was told that the Royal Blind Society of Queensland did run a similar service but the Queensland Government had cut off its funding and now the Royal Blind Society of N.S.W. serviced the Queensland area. She kindly gave me the phone number. If you are Blind and want "Talking Books" Live in N.S.W. Within Minutes I was talking to the N.S.W. "Talking Book" library. Yes, no problem, just give the address of the person needing the service, send fifty dollars we will send a machine on permeant loan we will ring the client up every fortnight to tell them what’s available the talking books are delivered free of charge. They come with a special box which is addressed and seals itself just drop it in the post and return, all free of charge. "That’s a great service" I said. The address is .............. Gympie Queensland 4570. "Oh Im sorry"came the reply, we don’t do Queensland any more. "Oh the lady at the Royal Blind Society in Brisbane told me just a few minutes ago that you do" I said. "Well we used to but the Queensland Government cut their funding and now we cannot take any new people from Queensland." He said. The Department of Broken Families, Perverted Youth, & Commune Care Being a nosy parker, I asked. Which Department was funding your project? He didn’t know but he soon put me through to the supervisor of the Library Mrs Barbra Futural. She informed me that the Royal Society for the Blind, Queensland, Talking Book Library closed due to lack of funds. The Queensland Department of Families, Youth & Community Care paid $265,914. every year to assist the Blind Society to service Queensland. The 4000 customers in N.S.W. and the 1600 that were once looked after by the Queensland branch kept the Blind Society financially close to the edge . When the Queensland Department of Families, Youth & Community Services (Queensland) cut their contribution this year by over a $100,000 they were forced to refuse services to Queensland. Up to now they had 66 vision impaired people on the waiting list and they could not add Queenslanders to this list until they received more funds or the current Queensland subscriber died off. I asked what was the situation in N.S.W. She said that if we lived over the border a fifty dollar deposit and the machine with the big controls would be delivered.. I asked Mrs Futural how many people she thought were missing out on the service in Queensland? She said "That the potential was unknown in NSW or Queensland as the resources had never been available to advertise their services. Most people with impaired vision would not know they exist but she thought that the potential was at least the same amount as the 4000 in N.S.W. Department of Political Agenda Spending. The Annual Report of the Department of Families, Youth & Community Care 97/98 the latest I could get reflects these statements on the funding but supplies more information on what this departments sees as its priorities. This Department gave $48.2 million (p18) to encourage and improve their financial management practices and accountabilities. Also rumour has it that all the resident of the Cherbourg Aboriginal community received $3000 as a Christmas present, I suppose that’s so they can practice managing it, checking the change at the hotel when they account for their Christmas Cheer. It may make a difference if you are a blind part Aboriginal or part blind Aboriginal whichever then of course with $48.2 million divided amongst this very small section of the Queensland Community you would not need "Talking Books." On that money they could employ a full time social worker to come and read to them in the comfort of there own fully subsidized mansion. If you detect some signs of sarcasm, you are on the ball as this 48.2 million is only a fly drop in comparison to the $2 or $3 billion which is wasted on these poor spoilt unfortunate people who now could not survive without it.
I dislike propagating Pre- Labour Election Blurbs but this one shows their true colours, how far down they will crawl and who they make their promises to. The above advert was taken from one of Queenslands Lesbian/Homo Newspaper. Anna Gives Money to the Twisted Sisters Whilst the Minister for the Department of Families, Youth & Community Care Ann Bligh is carrying out her electoral promises supporting the Gay and Lesbian Welfare Association, Lesbian Link and the Women’s Legal services to the tune of many $100,000 s of your dollars the people with impaired vision who are not the most vocal section of our community naturally due to their disability have to sit in the dark. Even though our State government gives money to fund Guide Dogs it does not assist or improve the quality of life for the elderly or infirm who will never have a guide dog or "Talking Books" they have to wait for a current subscriber to pass away before they can move up the queue. The secret for Queenslands people who are vision impaired, who want to get on the "talking book"program is longevity, out live their fellow suffers or move to NSW so they can have a chance of some enjoyment. Ron Owen |
