
Issue No 18		18 June 1999

News

Talking Books Silenced

The future of the Royal Blind Society's talking books is under threat after the termination of four workers less than 12 months after a fundraising drive secured $1 million to improve the charity's recording studios.

The Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance says the decision to make four of the project's six staff redundant pre-empts a review into the Talking Book Studios announced recently by CEO John Landau.

MEAA state secretary Michel Hryce says the Blind Society has been forced to cut production of the acclaimed program and is unlikely to be able to complete the 50 new books already scheduled for completion.

The Australian Talking Books program translates local books into audio for the blind and vision impaired. MEAA says the cutbacks will not just hurt the visually impaired; it will also impact on Australian writers.

In 1998 the Society completed a successful appeal to raise $1 million to upgrade the book studios, with involvement from governor Gordon Samuels, Premier Bob Carr and the Chamber of Commerce's Katie Leahey.

"They'll find themselves with a $1 million recording facility, but no-one to work in it," Hryce warns.

The move has been condemned by Geoff Cartwright who won the 1996 TDK Award for his narration of Tim Winton's 'The Riders'.

"I am saddened and angry that this decision has been made which will almost certainly lead to a reduction of the recording of Australian works of fiction," Cartwright says.

"It's always been my understanding that the Society was committed to their production of talking books."

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  Issue 18 contents

Interview: Ballot Boxing
In the midst of a key anti-union ballot, the Finance Sector Union's Geoff Derrick is learning vital lessons about life in a deregulated labour market.

Unions: Psyched Out
Intense competition in the labour market has fuelled a new renaissance in psychometric testing.

History: Rhetoric and Reality
This month will be a big one for Labor Party rhetoric about the "light on the hill".

International: ILO Adopts Child Labor Convention
Child slavery, prostitution and hazardous work have been outlawed in Geneva

Legal: Competing Agendas in Enterprise Bargaining
Recent developments show unions how they can turn the Reith laws on their head.

Review: Sister Power
A new book offers practical help for women who want to be heard.

» Carers Crisis: Victims Turned Away

» Farmers Back Social Audit

» Holiday Bugs: Government Asked to Act on Y2K

» Oakdale Miners Take Message to Canberra

» United Front for Public Sector Pay

» Talking Books Silenced

» Upper House Reform: Lest We Forget Greiner

» Pregnancy Bunfight Looms

» Horta Launches East Timor Mercy Ship

» Sparkies Back Fantastic Plastic

» APHEDA Helps Beat The Blockade

» Torture Support Day, June 26

» Guest Report

» Sport

» Trades Hall

» Piers Watch

» Chardonnay Debate Lacks Class

» GST Rally, Town Hall, Monday June 21

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