LAUNCH OF INDUSTRY STANDARDS – IMPORTANT STEPS TO HELP OVERCOME THE DIGITAL DIVIDE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND OLDER AUSTRALIANS
Sydney, 15 April, 2002: The Australian Bankers’ Association (ABA) has worked with the community to produce voluntary Industry Standards which aim to improve the accessibility of electronic banking.
The Chairman of the ABA, David Murray, said: “The Industry Standards are important steps in helping overcome the digital divide and will assist individual banks develop or enhance their electronic banking services for older Australians and people with disabilities.”
The ABA, the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) and the Accessible E-Commerce Forum, worked with representatives from member banks, other financial institutions, community groups, suppliers and retailers to develop these Industry Standards.
The Industry Standards cover:
- Automated Teller Machines (ATMs); Available in HTML, Word or PDF
- Electronic Funds Transfer at the Point of Sale (EFTPOS); Available in HTML, Word or PDF
- Automated Telephone Banking; Available in HTML, Word or PDF
- Internet Banking; Available in HTML, Word or PDF
The Industry Standards were launched today at the HREOC’s Sydney offices by ABA Chairman, David Murray, HREOC Disability Discrimination Commissioner, Dr Sev Ozdowski and Blind Citizens Australia Executive Officer, Maryanne Diamond.
Mr Murray said: “These voluntary Industry Standards have been developed in consultation with community groups, who have been very helpful in giving advice and comment on the Standards.”
“The consultation process, which has taken place over three months, has greatly helped the ABA to understand what the community needs and wants from these Standards.”
“The Standards will also be raised in discussions with manufacturers of electronic banking products, so that due consideration is given to the needs of all bank customers.”
“Individual banks may use the Standards to assist in meeting the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act and it is up to individual banks to assess their compliance with the Act.”
For further information contact:
Heather Wellard
ABA PR
Phone: 02 8298 0411
Mobile: 0409 830 439
For copies of the Industry Standards see the ABA website: www.bankers.asn.au
Copies of the standards are also available from the ABA, including alternate formats eg braille and large print. Telephone ABA on (02) 8298 0417 or fax on (02) 8298 0402.
Background on Banking Industry Disability Action Plan and Draft Standards
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The role of the Accessible E-Commerce Forum was to identify partnerships and strategies to address the recommendations in the HREOC report (June 1999) "Accessibility of Electronic Commerce and New Service and Information Technologies for Older Australians and People with a Disability."
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The report identified an emerging digital divide between those people who could utilise new technologies to improve their lives and those who could not. The report made a series of recommendations to begin the process of eliminating the digital divide by dismantling e-commerce access barriers.
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The main driver of the Industry Action Plan is the Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) which requires all businesses to provide facilities that can be accessed by people with disabilities. The DDA means that there is no need or case for the industry itself to self-regulate for the adoption of the Standards and Protocols. It will be up to individual banks to make their own assessments as to whether they are meeting the requirements of the DDA and use the Industry Standards and Protocols to assist in this task.
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The Australian Bureau of Statistics estimates that 3.2 million Australians, or 18.4% of the population have some type of disability. 14% of the Australian population have a handicap resulting from their disability. Approximately 50% of the Australian population over 60 years have a disability.
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The Industry Standards can be found at:
-ABA website: www.bankers.asn.au;
-HREOC website: www.humanrights.gov.au
ENDS
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