Latest news with #VisionAustralia
AU Financial Review
3 days ago
- Automotive
- AU Financial Review
Fat e-bike craze out-running police and regulators
E-bikes as fast and as powerful as motorcycles are now so common in Australian cities that everyone seems to have a horror story, at least of a near-miss. Chris Edwards, the government relations manager at Vision Australia, is no different. 'Food delivery riders, the speed they come down our street is supposed to be limited to 25km/h ... I was down at St Kilda the other day getting out of a car, one passed me at least at 50km/h which was pretty terrifying,' Edwards says.
West Australian
10-07-2025
- West Australian
Harold Scruby: Deadly e-scooters should be outlawed on WA footpaths
WA's pedestrian death toll is exploding — up a staggering 108 per cent in the past year, the worst in the country. Twenty-seven pedestrians are dead in just 12 months. A father of two, Thanh Phan, was recently killed — allegedly mowed down by a drunk tourist on a hired e-scooter. There will likely be no insurance, no compensation for his devastated family. The City of Perth responded instantly, suspending all hire schemes. The Police Commissioner said what every decent West Australian is thinking: these lethal machines do not belong on footpaths. Politicians love making laws but despise enforcing them. You won't hear 'road safety' or 'enforcement' pass their lips — tough enforcement doesn't win votes. Yet instead of demanding action, WA's Road Safety Commissioner Adrian Warner advocates 'balance,' 'education,' 'engagement,' 'regulation,' and 'compliance,' while talking up the supposed benefits of e-scooters. He claims police are doing an 'appropriate' job of enforcement. If this carnage is 'appropriate,' what does failure look like? These machines are already implicated in nine deaths since WA legalised e-rideables in 2021 — two people killed in the past month alone. And still, Warner insists the answer is more education. The Commission's own review, released in May, is damning: stakeholders 'almost without exception' said enforcement is abysmally insufficient. Speeding. Helmet non-compliance. Reckless riding. Illegal high-speed e-rideables sold openly. The public overwhelmingly wants more enforcement, not less. Penalties in WA remain pathetically low. Meanwhile, WA's emergency departments are overwhelmed by e-scooter injuries. Professor Dieter Weber, head of trauma at Royal Perth Hospital, says the number of preventable cases is 'enormous' with people suffering life-altering injuries every single day, funded by taxpayers. 'We see patients who don't survive,' he said. 'Others end up with brain injuries, spinal trauma, or permanent disability.' Among the 81 serious cases studied in WA, 40 per cent weren't wearing helmets, and 35 per cent were under the influence of drugs or alcohol. It's not just riders being hurt — a growing number of pedestrians are ending up in hospital, hit by these motorised missiles. The impact on vulnerable pedestrians is devastating. Vision Australia's survey found that 90 per cent of people who are blind or have low vision don't feel safe walking on footpaths due to e-rideables. And the next wave of trauma is already here: illegally modified fatboy e-bikes, capable of up to 120 kmh, are tearing through footpaths in the Eastern States. WA is next. At least Parliament has called an inquiry. But it must produce action, not another round of glossy reports. Enough funerals. Enough devastation. The WA Government must start by creating a formal road user hierarchy and putting the walking class first and banning anything with an electric motor from our footpaths. Harold Scruby is the chief executive of the Pedestrian Council of Australia
Express Tribune
19-05-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Apple launches accessibility features for people with sight and hearing impairment
Listen to article Apple has unveiled a suite of new accessibility features include live captions, upgraded braille support, personal voice replication, and new screen magnifier options designed for people with vision or hearing impairments on Wednesday, before Global Accessibility Awareness Day. In a significant shift, developers will now be required to include "nutrition labels" for accessibility in their app listings, showing support for features like voiceover, large text or voice control. Apple's senior director of global accessibility policy, Sarah Herrlinger, said the labelling initiative would help developers better understand how to build inclusive tools. 'It gives them a real opportunity to understand what it means to be accessible,' Herrlinger said. A highlight of the update is the new personal voice feature, which allows users to replicate their own voice using just 10 recorded phrases. The data remains on-device and encrypted unless backed up to iCloud. The screen magnifier, now available on Macs and iPhones, lets users zoom in on presentations or whiteboards, with adjustable settings for contrast, colour and brightness. The braille features include note-taking, mathematical input using Nemeth braille, and improved compatibility with devices. Apple also introduced 'Live Listen,' which allows AirPods to enhance audio in lecture halls or public settings. The update complements a previously released feature that turns AirPods into hearing aids. Herrlinger rejected the suggestion that Apple's accessibility tools come at a cost, despite the brand's premium pricing. 'All of this is available to you right out of the box at no additional charge,' she said. She added that users found it more economical to have multiple accessibility tools built into a single device rather than purchasing separate aids. Vision Australia's head of corporate affairs, Chris Edwards, who is blind and has a seeing eye dog, appreciate companies for ensuring the accessibility features were inbuilt into products and operating systems. 'I would imagine the interpretation of images through the new features will make these more accessible for everyone. Being able to interpret images live is a key next step to change people's lives,' he said. 'The new accessibility features looks particularly good for students in classrooms. I think it also highlights that braille is still a very important format.' The announcement comes just as Apple's main rival, Google, rolls out similar AI-powered accessibility tools on Android. Apple's updates will be released later this year.
