Qld will trial Braille ballot papers

MEMBERS of Ipswich's vision impaired community say plans to trial Braille ballot papers during this election season will need a lot of work.

Les Christensen with Aimee a Seeing Eye dog and Val Malynn who are both legally blind feel that there needs to a considered roll out of braille ballot papers in the upcoming election. They are concerned there will not be enough educational support. . Picture: Claudia Baxter

MEMBERS of Ipswich's vision impaired community say plans to trial Braille ballot papers during this election season will need a lot of work.

Queensland will trial Braille ballot papers for the local and state elections, but Val Malynn from Vision Australia's Ipswich Support group was doubtful they would be of much help.

Mrs Malynn said due to the availability of audio services Braille was a dying art.

"Here at the Ipswich support group no one can read Braille," she said.

Ipswich Support Group co-coordinator Leslie Christensen appreciated the effort to recognise difficulties faced by vision impaired people.

"It is a good thing, but it will need a lot of work, feedback and consultation with the vision impaired people using it," he said. "There will be people who will use it if they know how."

When it comes to voting time there are not a lot of options for the vision impaired.

Mrs Malynn said she went to the polling booth with her husband and he helped her fill out the ballot paper, but some people frowned on this.

"One time the electoral person rushed over and said my husband couldn't fill the ballot paper out for me and that he would have to do it," she said.

"How do I know that the person filling in the form is doing the right thing?"

Mr Christensen had a similar experience at the polling booths and often opts to place a postal vote, but he said this system did not always work either.

Mr Christensen gets the paper work for the postal vote sent to his home, his wife has to fill it out for him and then he signs it and

Vision Australia manager Karen Knight is calling for the introduction of online and phone voting services similar to those used in New South Wales.

Mrs Malynn said it was a good idea but not all people knew how to use a computer.

Originally published as Qld will trial Braille ballot papers