[dbaust] Cost of adaptive equipment
- From: "claire tellefson" <desktalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "deafblind freelist" <dbaust@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 19 Jul 2012 09:51:26 +1000
Australians with disabilities pay too much for IT
Tuesday, 17 July 2012 9:39am
The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) has published a
report outlining how Australians pay too much for technology and that people
with disability are being hit hardest.
ACCAN's submission to the Inquiry into IT Pricing, which is being conducted by
the House Standing Committee on Infrastructure and Communications, investigated
how much Australians pay for software and hardware compared to the rest of the
world. In particular, assistive technology costs more here than elsewhere in
the world, yet Australians with disability are more likely to be under
financial pressure.
Submission author Erin Turner said, "Companies are asking people with
disability to pay more for essential equipment - these products allow people to
communicate with friends and family or access basic government services online.
The extra amount people with disability in Australia have to pay for this IT
equipment makes living on tight budgets even more difficult."
ACCAN compared the price of assistive technology sold by Humanware in
Australia, Canada, the UK, the USA and New Zealand. Price differences were
startling. For instance, the BrailleNote Apex BT 32 Braille Notetaker costs
$AU6242 in the USA and $AU8750 when bought in Australia.
ACCAN attributes much of this price difference to the size of the assistive
technology market in Australia compared to that of larger countries. One
solution proposed by Turner is for the government to adopt a public procurement
policy for IT equipment. This would mean that the government purchases
technology in bulk, increasing market competition and, ultimately, lowering
prices for consumers. Turner says that similar programs have been successfully
implemented in other countries, including the USA.
Claire Tellefson
Co-ordinator Ablelink
Level 3, Ross House
247 Flinders Lane, 3000
Phone: Voice 9654 7133
Phone: TTY 9639 7900
Phone: Braille TTY 9654 8544
Fax: 9654 8544
claire.tellefson@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.ableaustralia.org.au
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