The Rebuttal

Silence is Not Golden
The Rebuttal “Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” Ellie Wiesel Never has the above quote been more true than in South Australia at the moment. The last Rebuttal article focused on the interpreter situation in South Australia. We wrote this article after being sent the open letter to the Deaf [...]
Language Legal Culture Sun, Jun 28 2009

A Question of Choice
The Rebuttal Deaf Australia, last week, circulated a letter to members of the South Australian Deaf community. The letter attempted to help the community make sense of an ongoing dispute between Deaf Can Do (DCD) and the National Auslan Booking Service (NABS). For those not familiar with NABS it is a service funded by the Commonwealth Government [...]
Legal Culture Fri, Jun 26 2009

The Chaser Team Get it Right! If Only Deaf Orgs Can…
The Rebuttal I rarely write for The Rebuttal, preferring the comfy surrounds of my own blog. But, I just had to do another post, a short one, because of the “public” reaction to The Chaser’s recent program that contained a skit satirising Make-A-Wish Foundation. I understand that terminally ill children is a sensitive topic, but this skit [...]
Culture Fri, Jun 05 2009

Damned If You Do, Damned If You Don’t!
The Rebuttal Gary's article Taking Control, has inspired some very articulate feedback. I decided to put my comments up as a post, rather than in the comments thread, because one comment in particular, by Andrew Stewart, of Deafness Forum, struck a chord with me.  I am fed up with all these people who want to be consulted, yet they are [...]
Culture Fri, Jun 05 2009

Desma Hunts Diaries
The Rebuttal I love a night at the movies. I get all dressed up to the nines. Put on my lippy and my heels and look the part. After all it is the MOVIES ...  You get to meet Brad Pitt and any other number of dishy men, you simply have to look the part. I went to [...]
Media Language Tech Fri, Jun 05 2009

Taking Control
The Rebuttal Last week I was fortunate to sit through a fascinating presentation by a man named Dr Paul Collier who graduated from Oxford University. Paul spoke at the Australian Federation of Disability Organisations conference about British funding that is known as SELF DIRECTED FUNDING. Paul is a quadriplegic. To live independently he needs a personal assistant [...]
Culture Wed, Jun 03 2009

Looking Back - By Gary Kerridge
The Rebuttal The article received over 40 comments. The bulk of them were in support of the message of the article. There were some objections from staff and Board members of Deaf Can Do, who willingly identified themselves as the sensory organisation in question,
Audism Culture Tue, May 26 2009

I was born and raised in Australia, brought up orally and...
The Rebuttal I was born and raised in Australia, brought up orally and went to an independent oral school in Adelaide. I had a cochlear implant when I was 14, and completed my schooling with grades good enough to get into a course in university where I eventually completed my degree. I have lived in three countries [...]
Higher Education Language Education Tech Legal Culture Thu, May 21 2009

From the Slums of Mumbaih (Bombay)
The Rebuttal I was visiting my folks on the weekend. I was in Adelaide playing golf and catching up with friends, attending a party and relaxing on the beach drinking good coffee. All was good in the world. My kids played in the sand, cracked jokes and generally charmed everyone in sight. It was just splendid really. [...]
Language Art and Storytelling Culture Mon, May 04 2009

Facebooking Coming of Age
The Rebuttal A couple of years back I was asked to advocate for a young deaf girl. The girl was 6 at the time and her mother, a single mother, wanted to set up Auslan tuition in the home. Living in the country only 12o kms from Melbourne you would think it would be a simple task. But NO! [...]
Education Tech Culture Tue, Apr 14 2009

Judge and Jury - The Reality!
The Rebuttal After the frivolities of sex last week it is back to more serious topics. Yesterday I met with the Juries Commissioner in Melbourne to discuss the issue of juries and access for deaf people. It was an interesting conversation and we touched upon many topics. In Australia, as suggested by Paul in response to the [...]
Higher Education Language Culture Mon, Mar 16 2009
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Being Turned On - Sex and the Deaf! (with hearing people)
The Rebuttal I have been doing The Rebuttal now for two and a half years. I have written about many different topics. Families, human development, a particular money wasting CEO, language, children, sport, ranting - somehow I find something to write about. I was chatting with a friend a few nights back and I told him that [...]
Art and Storytelling Culture Thu, Mar 12 2009

Why Big Ears are Important.
The Rebuttal As a young man, yes I am becoming old, I met a man at the NSW Deaf Society. He was a counsellor and a small d deaf man. Whether he could sign at the time I can not remember but he probably had a smattering of signing. My signing was nothing to write home about [...]
Language Art and Storytelling Education Tech Culture Mon, Mar 09 2009

Judge and Jury
The Rebuttal I was summoned to Jury duty. Being deaf I had the right to withdraw. But being Gary I decided that I wanted the experience (I have a big grin as I write that) Anyway I rang the courts through the relay service. Even before I had said anything through the relay service the court register [...]
Language Art and Storytelling Legal Culture Wed, Mar 04 2009

A Question of Priorities – By Marnie Kerridge
The Rebuttal This is a story that is all too common among families of deaf children, especially if they live in the country. It is the story of a deaf child denied access to language until the age of 5. It is a story of parents ignored by the system. Thankfully in this story the child, now [...]
Language Education Tech Wed, Mar 04 2009

John Maynard Keynes - Friend of the Deaf!
The Rebuttal John Maynard Keynes was a British economist. So good was he that most of the world's capitalist economies operate on the principles that he developed. He was not deaf. As far as I know had no deaf kids. He was not involved with deaf people. He probably never donated a cent of his wealth to [...]
Audism Mon, Mar 02 2009

Desma Hunts Diaries #8
The Rebuttal OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH .. I am just so pent up. I just received an email from my friend Michael. Oh he is such a lovely man. I could have had piece of him in another life .. Alas it is too late.  My hormones aside, his email just made me soooooo angry! Michael is deaf of course. Like [...]
Media Language Art and Storytelling Culture Mon, Feb 23 2009

Deaf Phobias
The Rebuttal As a kid just turning 13 you are very self conscious. If you have lost your hearing only in the last few years even more so. Throw in the need to wear hearing aids that make you stand out like a sore thumb and you have a recipe for a very mixed up adolescence. Call [...]
Culture Mon, Feb 16 2009

Deaf People and the Bushfires
The Rebuttal It has been a devastating week for Australia. First there were the floodsin far north Queensland and then there were the terrible Victorian Bushfires. The Victorian Bushfires are officially Australia's worst ever natural disaster. Today, the 11th February, the death toll stands at 181 and there is talk that it will increase to over 300. [...]
Language Tech Culture Wed, Feb 11 2009

Desma Hunts Diaries #7
The Rebuttal I am so proud to be Deaf today. All of us know of the terrible Bushfires in Victoria. It is shocking and many Deaf and hard of hearing people have been affected. Well the Deaf community have shown its strength and compassion. They got together today, four key organisations, small and not rich, all with [...]
Culture Tue, Feb 10 2009

It Could be Australia! No Wait! It is!
The Rebuttal The recent posts from Paul Bartlett and the article and The Strange Deaf and HI Sector in Australia have generated some fascinating comments. the interesting thing has been the attitude towards RNID by many Deaf people. It really has so many similarities with Australia it is uncanny. You can imagine CEOs in respective Australian and [...]
Language Audism Culture Thu, Feb 05 2009

The Strange Deaf and HI Sector in Australia
The Rebuttal Australia has a really bizarre Deaf and hearing impaired sector. Within it there are some fabulous, skilled and talented people. It is unfortunate that the sector has a whole seems to find ways of appointing the strangest people to lead it. These stories will make you cringe. I, for fear of legal action, have modified [...]
Language Art and Storytelling Culture Tue, Feb 03 2009

DEAF SERVICES AND CEOs – A FEW WORDS FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF...
The Rebuttal This article is in response to several pieces that have appeared in The Rebuttal regarding the leadership of deaf charities. I can empathise with those who think that CEOs of charities are paid too much but would like the opportunity to tell the story from the other side of the fence. I am a [...]
Culture Tue, Feb 03 2009

A Response from the National Relay Service to the Third...
The Rebuttal From Sean Kidney, National Relay Service Outreach The Rebuttal thanks Sean for his response. We felt it was important that it be seen by as many people as possible. Hence we have made Sean's response into an official post. I came across your post recently. Reasonable concerns, but I think I need to correct a few misconceptions [...]
Tech Culture Sat, Jan 24 2009

Red Rag to a Bull
The Rebuttal Certain things in this world are like a red rag to a bull. The mere mention of them is bound to get people going.  It might be animal cruelty, it might be the reasons behind the global credit crunch or something as mundane as to why a persons football team is performing like the local [...]
Media Language Audism Culture Thu, Jan 22 2009

The Cochlear Revolution
The Rebuttal One comical day in July last year I was referred for a Cochlear Implant. My middle son had a routine check up with the Ear Nose and Throat Department at the Hospital. There were some concerns that he was suffering from a conductive loss of hearing. He received a clean bill of health. However, before [...]
Art and Storytelling Tech Culture Tue, Jan 20 2009

The Third Person
The Rebuttal Deaf adults in Australia from the Seventies, Eighties and the beginning of the nineties will remember what a nightmare it was trying to access telecommunications. I vividly recall stressing out as late as 1994 as Coordinator of an employment project because I could not do my job properly. I had to place people into employment [...]
Tech Culture Tue, Jan 06 2009

Cynic? Who me? and I wonder why? by Gary Kerridge
The Rebuttal Deaf Children Australia is a reasonably rich deafness organisation that was set up in the 19th century by a Deaf man, Frederick John Rose. Originally this organisation was set up as a school for the deaf and later expanded to become a service  provider. Over a hundred years later the organisation still exists. Its purpose, [...]
Language Education Culture Wed, Dec 03 2008

Desma Hunt’s Diaries #6
The Rebuttal It is official. Deaf people mean nothing to Channel 9 or even Australia. We are inconsequental, know nothing morons who sit in the dark and gibber. People who are deaf, according to Channel 9,  dont need access to information. The only information they will give people who are deaf is information that they must so that [...]
Media Legal Higher Education Language Audism Culture Tech Thu, Nov 20 2008

Desma Hunt’s Diaries #5
The Rebuttal What fabulous news it was to hear that Deaf Australia won the tender to provide Auslan Training for the Queensland Education Department. The Queensland Education Department allocated $30 million over five years to introduce Auslan to the schools. I don't know how much went to Deaf Australia but it would be a significant amount of [...]
Language Education Legal Culture Mon, Nov 10 2008

Have Boots Will Travel
The Rebuttal Congratulations to Deaf Australia on winning the tender for providing Auslan training for the Queensland Education Department. It is fantastic news for them and Deaf people in general. It is fantastic news because it recognises that Deaf people and their families own Auslan. It is therefore fitting that they should be in control of teaching [...]
Higher Education Language Culture Sun, Nov 09 2008

This Speaking Voice of Mine is Nothing But Trouble -...
The Rebuttal I speak...fluently...but it’s not fair that hearing people can understand me while I have the hardship of ‘listening’ them back.  I am totally deaf.  So, what's the point in my speaking in the first place if I can not understand them? When I was younger, my hearing loss was not so bad.  I was diagnosed with a mild hearing [...]
Tech Culture Sun, Nov 02 2008

Losing It
The Rebuttal Shirley Stott Despoja's recent posting on bullying took me back to when I lost my hearing. I lost my hearing between the ages of 8 and 10. Young enough for me to realise what was happening but not mature enough to realise how it would impact on me. My overriding memory is how it impacted on [...]
Language Audism Art and Storytelling Education Tech Thu, Oct 23 2008

Bullying and the Deaf
The Rebuttal Paper for conference on Bullying, in Hobart, October 16, 2000. By Shirley Stott Despoja When I lost a lot of hearing suddenly, after being mildly hearing impaired for some years, my then partner cancelled my opera subscription. Isn't that simply a pragmatic response to someone's disability? How can that be called bullying? [...]
Audism Mon, Oct 20 2008

Desma Hunts Diaries #4
The Rebuttal I planned to go shopping today. Deaf Netball Victoria are having their 50th anniversary celebration next month. Hubby and I are dressing up to the nines. I wanted to go shopping to up-size my Little Black-dress. I have to breathe you know. I am sure it will still be little. On my way out I checked [...]
Culture Tue, Oct 14 2008

Lance Allred and the Mad World
The Rebuttal I received an article about Lance Allred last week. Lance is apparently the first ever deaf person to be offered an NBL contract in America. His contract was for ten days. I imagine he had ten days to prove himself. He didn't and he was cut. I am not sure why he was cut. Perhaps [...]
Language Audism Culture Sun, Oct 12 2008

Who is Laughing Now?
The Rebuttal Our disability discrimination laws are a laughing stock. They have to be the most ridiculous and toothless laws that exist anywhere in a comparable country in the Western World. The residents of an Australian suburb that took their Council to court will testify to that. This is a tragic tale of a group of [...]
Legal Culture Tue, Oct 07 2008

A Blast from the Past
The Rebuttal In the late 1990s I worked at VSDC which is now known as Deaf Children Australia. January of each year was generally a slow time with children being away on holiday. We used the time to tidy up minor administrative issues and set ourselves up for the New Year. One January my manager sentme [...]
Education Culture Tue, Oct 07 2008

Desma Hunt’s Diaries #3
The Rebuttal I have had a dreadful morning, simply dreadful. I was blow drying my hair and the power cut out. Talk about a bad hair day. It all started in the morning. I was in the shower and my middle son ran in and said,”There is a power cord in the laundry.” I was tired so I [...]
Art and Storytelling Wed, Oct 01 2008

Desma Hunt’s Diaries - No 2
The Rebuttal I had such a lovely morning. I attended my son's school assembly. Usually I just go and smile like the other parents. It just doesn't do to not be part of the crowd. You know how it is. You look secretly around you at what the other parents are doing. You see them chuckle so [...]
Language Education Tue, Sep 23 2008

Research Project: Deafness & Sexuality
The Rebuttal Hi. This is Tony Nicholas of Mephisto's Musings writing to tell you about an important survey I am working on with a colleague, Warwick Abraham. The research project,  Deafness and Sexuality, which I have written about on two occassions previously, in Mephisto's Musings: Research Project [see also Research Project Update], and has been mentioned in the [....
Language Culture Thu, Sep 18 2008

Double Dipping
The Rebuttal I was at a Do on the weekend in Ballarat.  Ballarat is a historical town in Australia famous for gold mining and considered the birthplace of Trade Unionism in Australia. Fair play and equal opportunity are very much rooted in the history of Ballarat. What better place than Ballarat to have a discussion over a [...]
Language Legal Culture Mon, Sep 15 2008

Is Technology Killing Deaf People?
The Rebuttal I've seen three miracles this week. I saw a curly headed deaf boy convert from sign to fluent speech. I saw a deaf twin pretending to be her hearing twin and speaking so well we could not tell the difference. I then saw a whole host of deaf kids listening and enjoying music on headphones [...]
Media Language Audism Education Tech Culture Tue, Sep 09 2008

That AD Again!
The Rebuttal Like a dog to a bone I can not leave this one alone.  A couple of deaf friends have contacted me asking for a transcript of the THAT AD - I have pasted a transcript below this paragraph. The first part is the Voice Over of the signing version provided by the young lad .. [...]
Media Language Audism Culture Sun, Sep 07 2008

Sorry To Say - But It Is So!
The Rebuttal Regular readers will have read the earlier article Please Say It Isn't So. Well I am sorry to have to tell you - It actually is so. A friend, simply by emailing the Cora Barclay Centre, asked for a copy of THAT Ad ... Dutifully the centre emailed it in the form of a Windows [...]
Language Education Culture Wed, Sep 03 2008

Speaking Out - By Rodney Adams BA, DipEd, MstSpecEd
The Rebuttal Auslan translation  Click here. Recent Australian figures show that 25% of science teachers do not have a science qualification and about one quarter of maths teachers do not have a major in maths. I am sure that the statistics of teachers of the deaf with no expertise in Sign Languages would be far higher. Not [...]
Education Culture Fri, Aug 29 2008

Reflections
The Rebuttal The Rebuttal is two years old in October. It started in 2006, just before the Australian Association of the Deaf National Conference. Our first piece attacked Deaf sector organisations for not making enough effort to promote and encourage deaf people into leadership and management roles. The message was clear, employing deaf people is not enough. [...]
Language Audism Education Culture Mon, Aug 25 2008

Please Say It Isn’t So!
The Rebuttal I woke up from a bad dream last night. I dreamt that I was watching television. Bolt had just run like lightening and secured the 200m sprint. In my dream he ran it it in 3.4 seconds. Dreams are like that you know. He had celebrated by shaking his thang as only a Jamaican can [...]
Media Language Art and Storytelling Wed, Aug 20 2008

What? Me Normal?
The Rebuttal I missed out on a job last week. It was to head a disability advocacy organisation. I was beaten by the proverbial Manchester United of Advocates. In comparison I am just Championship League material. More like a Preston North End .. Knocking on the door constantly but not quite making the grade. My conqueror, on [...]
Language Culture Thu, Aug 14 2008