ENHANCING ACCESSIBILITY - BANKS WORK TOGETHER WITH COMMUNITY Sydney,8 June, 2000: The Australian Bankers' Association (ABA) welcomes the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) report into access to electronic commerce and new technology services by older Australians and people with a disability. The HREOC report, "Access to E-Commerce and New Information and Service Technologies for Older Australians and People with a Disability" makes an important contribution to the on-going community effort to improve accessibility for the elderly and disabled to technology in the information age. Jeff Oughton, Acting Chief Executive of the ABA, noted that the banking industry has for many years worked to improve services and access for the elderly and disabled, and is pleased that these efforts have been recognised in the HREOC report. The report found: "For some people with disabilities, in particular, blind people, these systems are experienced as a great advance in access to information and services. The self-service model cannot be expected to suit all users, and may present serious access barriers to some people with disabilities, but for other people availability of this model represents independence and equality." "Self-service technology, especially phone-based services, ATMs, EFTPOS and increasingly websites, have provided people with disabilities and older customers with more convenient access to banking and financial services, " said Mr Oughton. The ABA has indicated it will participate in a broadly-based working group, including the Federal Government, business and the community, to discuss the findings of the report with a view to making further progress in improving access for older Australians and people with a disability. "This approach builds on the joint ABA, government and community partnership initiative, "Self-Service Banking and Older Australians," to assist older Australians to take advantage of the opportunities offered by electronic financial services," said Mr Oughton. For further information contact: Heather Wellard ABA PR Phone: 02 8298 0411 Mobile: 0409 830 439     ENDS Also see our website: www.bankers.asn.au June 8, 2000, 08/00