Tesch welcomes captions for parliamentary proceedings
Member for Gosford Ms Liesl Tesch has welcomed the introduction of "live captions" for proceedings in the NSW Parliament.
NSW has become the first state or territory legislature in Australia to introduce live captions, making the Parliament more inclusive, she said.
"In my time in Parliament, I have been championing initiatives that increase accessibility for all, and this is an important step in enabling more people to actively engage with proceedings."
A dedicated team of stenographers will deliver captions in real time using technology developed from the model used by the United Kingdom's House of Commons, said Ms Tesch.
The new service has undergone extensive testing over several months to ensure a smooth introduction, she said.
"Ensuring that members of the deaf and hard-of-hearing community can participate more easily in our democratic system of government is crucial."
Ms Tesch said captioning would not be a formal record of proceedings.
"Hansard will continue to be the official record of the Parliament."
Parliamentary proceedings, including the new live captions, may viewed at www.parliament.nsw.gov.au when Parliament is sitting.
SOURCE:
Media release, 4 Jul 2022
Liesl Tesch, Member for Gosford