021/06 27
March 2006

New provider to raise awareness of National Relay Service

WestWood Spice have been selected to deliver outreach services for the National Relay Service from 1 July 2006, the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator Helen Coonan, announced today.

“Through the National Relay Service the Australian Government helps people who are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment, by providing them with a standard telephone service comparable to the service available to other Australians,” Senator Coonan said.

“The outreach service is designed to increase awareness and acceptance of the relay service, offer information, and provide support and training to users and potential users.”

Calls made through the National Relay Service are assisted by a relay officer so that people who are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment, can type and read the conversation via a telecommunication device such as teletypewriters (TTYs).

In most cases the relay officer becomes ‘the voice’ and reads the deaf, hearing or speech impaired person’s conversation to the other person.

WestWood Spice is a Sydney-based specialist consulting group with expertise in the community and human services sectors.

WestWood Spice will partner with the Australian Federation of Deaf Societies Inc, a not-for-profit organisation, to operate across Australia.

“I would like to acknowledge the contribution of Australian Communication Exchange which has provided the outreach service since its inception,” Senator Coonan said.

The new contract for the provision of the relay service component of the National Relay Service is yet to be finalised.