NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet slammed for holding Covid-19 press conferences without Auslan interpreter

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has made one subtle Covid-19 change that has been blasted as a violation of human rights.

New NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has been slammed for failing to provide sign language interpretation at his two most recent Covid-19 press conferences.

A group of lawyers complained in an open letter to Mr Perrottet that providing crucial health information without translating to Auslan, the most widely used sign language of Australia’s deaf community, would violate the human rights of people with disabilities.

“Failure (to have a visible Auslan translator) places people with disabilities at risk of not receiving the vital information shared and violates their human rights,” Australian Lawyers for Human Rights wrote in the letter on Monday.

Mr Perrottet was chosen as the state’s new Premier on Tuesday and has held a number of press conferences related to Covid-19 since then.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has held two Covid-related press conferences without an Auslan translator. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Adam Yip

Auslan interpreters were present at pandemic updates on Thursday and Saturday, but at Sunday’s and Monday’s press conferences, none were visible.

The latest, held at a pub in Moore Park, was billed to reporters as an update on “the easing of restrictions” rather than a Covid-19 update.

But those who followed it would also have learned information about the vaccination program, Covid-19 case numbers and jab passports.

Deaf activist Sherrie Beaver said she was “disappointed” the translators were absent two days in a row.

“Having Auslan interpreters present at press conferences gives deaf people access to important information, so they are able to make informed decisions and lead full lives, especially during the pandemic and being able to adhere to changing Covid-19 restrictions,” she said.

“Captions are not wholly reliable due to several reasons, but mainly technical because captions can fail and often lags.

“Deaf people are often not familiar with jargons and terminology used in pressers, which is another reason why Auslan interpreters are important.”

Opposition disability spokeswoman Kate Washington said the lack of interpreters was a “backward step” by the Premier.

“In his very first week, the new Premier has taken a backward step by removing Auslan interpreters from these important updates,” she told NCA NewsWire.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet’s latest presser was held at Watson's Pub in Moore Park. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Adam Yip

“This can’t be an oversight - someone somewhere has decided to axe the Auslan interpreters. More than a million people with hearing loss in NSW have lost access to this information under Dom Perrottet.

“These important public servants should be rehired for any future Covid-19 updates.”

Ms Washington also provided a letter she had written to Mr Perrottet on Monday to ask why the interpreters were absent.

A government spokesman said Auslan interpreters would be booked for some, but not all media events in the future.

However, if NSW Health was involved in co-ordinating a press conference or if chief health officer Kerry Chant or her deputy appeared, Auslan interpreters would be requested, the spokesman said.