@Normal:Dandenong resident Sharon Harris said inadequate disabled access at Readings Cinemas was not good enough. 66653
By Nicole Williams
INADEQUATE disabled access at Readings Cinemas has infuriated a Dandenong woman.
Sharon Harris, who is wheelchair-bound with multiple disabilities, said she had visited the Dandenong cinemas a number of times and each time the lifts were unsatisfactory or not working at all.
“I feel discriminated against,” Ms Harris said.
“It’s supposed to be accessible!”
A trip to the movies with her grand-daughter at Easter was a disaster when the lift failed to operate at all, meaning they couldn’t even get from the foyer down to the cinemas.
“It was really disappointing,” she said.
“No, it was not only disappointing, it was not good enough.”
She tried again on Monday 13 June and although the lift was working Ms Harris required assistance to open the doors to get in and out, the lighting was so poor inside the lift she couldn’t see the buttons and the buttons didn’t work properly.
“I couldn’t open door and when I was pressing buttons nothing happened,” she said.
“And I even couldn’t see which buttons to press to start with.”
When the Star rang the Dandenong cinema complex last Friday to inquire about the functionality of the lifts, it was told the problem had been fixed nearly three weeks ago.
But Ms Harris visited the cinemas again on Monday and said the lifts were still substandard.
“When you get to the bottom, it gives a big bang and I still found it very hard to see,” she said.
“Someone who is vision impaired would find that very difficult.”
While the lifts may be the only option for people with disabilities it also affects the wider community, Ms Harris said.
“It’s not just me. It’s for all people who use the cinema and need to use a lift – people with pushers and prams,” she said.
“This is supposed to be the 20th century. The disabled and those in marginal groups who need access to lift should have access to a lift!”
“Why is it not a priority (to fix it)?”
The Star was also emailed by another wheelchair patron who did not wish to be identified.
“Management need to be made accountable for running a proper business and leisure activity for ALL,” they wrote.
The patron said they had complained to Readings Cinemas without success and were worried about what plans were in place for emergency exits if a problem arose.
Ms Harris agreed that it was worrying that there was no emergency exit if the lift wasn’t working.
“I asked a staff member (at Easter) if there was an emergency exit and she said ‘no’,” Ms Harris said.
“It’s supposed to be accessible.”
Readings Cinemas head office declined to comment due to a company policy to not speak to the media.
Ms Harris plans to take her complaint to the Equal Opportunity Board.
