This blog post is about Australian Deaf politics, which I don't know a lot about. So I do not have an opinion on any of the issues within, nor can I even verify anything.
The ins and outs I don't relate to (Australia is half a world away), just the underlying theme of how deaf people can be treated.
I read this post, Going Going Gone?? on The Rebuttal this morning. Go read it.
It struck me that it mirrored a lot of what happens in the UK. Deaf organisations controlling deaf people, when they are supposed to exist to "help" or "empower" them. In fact, they frequently do quite the opposite. I first encountered this Control Freaks R Us mentality around 1998, where quite frankly it was my biggest culture shock where I've witnessed it even pushing a descent into mental illness. I had grown up in the mainstream and also my legal training promoted freedom of thought, the ability to question and etc. You know, all the boxes for a healthy society and hey last time I checked we live in a democracy. This isn't supposed to be a dictatorship. Except, there can be a sit down, shut up and do as you're told mentality.
So The Rebuttal's post has been deleted. However, nothing gets deleted on the internet. It is a waste of time and just draws attention to the issue. Google's cache allowed me to retrieve it. Here goes:
26 Feburary 2012
Going Going Gone????The Rebuttal has received a letter concerning the future of the grand ‘262’ building that is the home of the SA Deaf Community. Yet again it seems the future of the ‘262’ building is under threat. The building, ‘262’, as it is affectionately known, has been home to the Deaf community for almost a hundred years. The first Deaf girl I ever kissed was at ‘262’. My first job in the deaf sector was at ‘262’ and I nearly married the receptionist from ‘262’. I also sat on the Board of the then Royal South Australian Deaf Society for three years in the early 1990’s. My affection for the building and the community runs deep. So it is with great concern and sadness that I hear that the building is under threat yet again.
My attachment to ‘262’ is nothing compared to many others in the SA Deaf community. For many of them the building has been their rock since they were babes. Their parents would have met there. Some would have actually got married upstairs in the chapel. This chapel, with its curved and rising seats, was specially designed for Deaf people. Others would have used the building as their central meeting spot throughout their lives right up to joining the Senior Citizens Group. I love the Senior Citizens Group. When I worked there I would sneak out at lunch time to hear stories of the past from brilliant story tellers such as Clarrie and Alfred. The tale of Bruce Muller riding his motorcycle up the stairs is legendary. (I am assured it is true, but like many legends it may have taken a life of its own over the years.)
BUT ENOUGH – It almost sounds like I am writing the eulogy of this grand old building. Sadly this may actually be the case. Having been on the Board at the Royal SA Deaf Society I fully understand that maintaining the old dear is not a cheap job. Attempts over the years to raise money through leasing parts of building, selling adjoining land or establishing business initiatives have not led to long term sustainability of ‘262’. Recently there was the disastrous attempt to set up second hand clothing shops. Currently there is a hearing technology business called Can Do Hearing . The success of this business is unknown. However, if the rumours are true, cash flow created by Can Do Hearing is not enough to maintain ‘262’
At the crux of the matter appears to be a cash flow problem. Without cash the ‘262’ cannot stay open. Unfortunately when the Deaf SA entered into a partnership with Townsend House to stay afloat it gave away its autonomy by necessity. Sure it was a “business partnership” but the bottom line was and remains that the Royal SA Deaf Society, (now known as Deaf Can Do), appears to have very little capital and without Townsend House they are sunk. Townsend House really has all the control.
It seems that a number of suggestions are being put forward to keep ‘262’ viable. I am told that there has been given consideration to building apartments out the back where the Deaf Club now stands. A good money spinner but what is to happen to the Deaf club and the spiritual home of the Deaf community? Will it be set up somewhere else? There is consideration to the leasing of the building to whoever is willing to pay a premium. If so what access will the Deaf community have to their chapel, their club rooms and their hall? There is a suggestion that the building will be a kind of ‘clinic’ – For what? I am not sure. The crucial question is. - If any of this happens, what access will the Deaf community have to the building?
According to the letter we have received there is also a suggestion that the Deaf community will receive a ‘loan’. It seems the idea is that they will be provided with a loan and be fully responsible for ‘262’. The fear is that Townsend House will wash its hands of any responsibility. The fear is that funds from the loan will only allow them to survive for two to three months. On top of this, with so little capital, it is not known how the loan can be repaid. Unless, in that short time frame, the South Australian Deaf community can suddenly find access to funding it is possible that this strategy will be the final nail in the coffin.
There is seems to be a crisis happening. Decisions, quick decisions have to be made. Ideally one would consult widely and come up with solutions that involve input from the SA Deaf community. From the information received it looks like the time for consulting has passed and unless funding and solutions can be obtained quickly ’262’ could be gone by June.
This may all be well far off the mark. BUT a group of concerned Deaf people have seen fit to contact The Rebuttal to bring attention to the situation. They are clearly very worried and in need of assurance or at least the truth. What that truth is we do not know. Now is the time for openness and discussions. Get this in the open and let the South Australian Deaf community know what is happening. These discussions have to get out of the Board room and out into the community. Only then can the speculation be ended.
The situation at ‘262’ is not unique. There is a similar situation in Victoria with the historic Bluestone Building that hosts Deaf Children Australia. The cost of maintaining this beautiful old building is in the millions of dollars and it is a cost that Deaf Children Australia is trying to meet. Like the management of ‘262’ they have tried numerous ways to raise funds. They have leased parts of the building. They have set up businesses like Sign On Employment and they are currently trying to sell parts of the building and its land to raise funds that can be invested to retain and maintain the building.
The latter strategy has not been without controversy. The historic Victorian School for the Deaf do not want any sale to proceed because it encroaches upon facilities they see as vital to their school. They have protested and claimed that areas put up for sale are crown land. This may well be the case but the strategy of Deaf Children Australia has been to KEEP the building and retain its history and heritage. To do this sacrifices have to be made. It is difficult to please everyone but one thing is sure and that is that no business can afford to lose millions on an asset every year and expect to survive.
There is also a major difference between Deaf Children Australia and ‘262’ in that Deaf Children Australia have capital and they are looking to the long term to find a way for the Bluestone Building to survive. The crisis of ‘262’ is different. There is no capital, no money and the ‘business partner’, this being Townsend House, has no wish to lose any more money. After all they only became a partner to ‘help’ not to lose hard earned money. The cynic might say that they saw an opportunity to profit but now that this looks unlikely they are looking to cut the ‘partnership’ adrift. Only through transparent communication can they put to bed this type of speculation.
The more immediate crisis is the future of SA Deaf Community. What is to happen to them? If ‘262’ is leased out or sold where will they go? A short-term loan is not going to help them. They need a plan and assurance for the future. At the moment this is not being provided and they are very worried.
Other Deaf societies around Australia have had to sell up and move. Other Deaf societies around Australia have had to cry for help. In crying for this help, and in their scramble to survive, they often have forgotten the Deaf community. Sydney lost its Deaf club and the Deaf community there became fragmented and dispersed. Although the NSW Deaf community is showing signs of recovery the damage has taken years to repair. Victoria sold up as well. Little thought was given to the importance of the Deaf community centre. It has a farcical situation where after 6pm, if community groups use the JM Lovett Centre someone must go down the elevator with a security card to let other people in. They must also compete with other groups for use of the rooms, there is no autonomy. Currently there are discussions about developing a HUB for the Victorian Deaf community. Let us hope that this takes off. The situation in other states is unknown but whenever these ‘business’ decisions are made it always seems that the Deaf community are the whipping boys.
In 2007 the SA Deaf community almost lost ‘262’. It was saved by the development of the ’partnership’ with Townsend House. At the time the President of SA Deaf and the CEO of Townsend House assured the Deaf community that ‘262’ would never be sold. In retrospect this may have been more bravado than sensible.
It may well be that’262’ cannot be saved. It has not been for the want of trying. But South Australia is in a unique position in that it can learn from the mistakes of other states. The Deaf community centre, the history it maintains and the identity it brings are crucial to the Deaf community. If ‘262’ must go, and this may well be the case, let’s make sure that funds are invested to ensure a strong base and future for the SA Deaf community. In the ideal world this will be at ‘262’and if it cannot be there the powers that be need to make sure a significant investment is made in the SA Deaf community. The Board of the Deaf Society (Deaf Can Do) and Townsend House need to start consulting with the wider SA Deaf community and now! Only through significant investment can the Deaf community retain its autonomy, history, identity and more importantly its viability. ‘262’ was set up for the SA Deaf community. Let’s hope that the decision makers make sure, whatever decision is made, that any profits made and any developments entered into are used to secure the long term future of the SA Deaf Community.
And as for those who try to control deaf people, you should be ashamed. As for deaf people, you are not supposed to be prisoners nor caged birds.
