Focal Point on Vison Australia Radio

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A weekly program presented by Peter Greco, Focal Point covers services from blindness organisations and other providers, technology, current affairs, breakthroughs in advocacy campaigns about all manner of challenges and promoting activities and events for people who are blind or vision impaired.

17h ago

21 Oct 2026

On FOCAL POINT: Professor Peter McCluskey AO – Ophthalmologist from Sydney University (speaking about juvenile idiopathic arthritis and its impact on vision/eye inflammation). Rachael – Marketing representative from Beyond Blindness (discussing upcoming combined tours, events, and activities). Sven Bluemell – Commissioner for the Victorian Electoral Commission (speaking about accessible voting options for the Victorian state election). Brooke Carter – President of Goalball Victoria (reporting on the outcome of the recently concluded Goalball Nationals). Resources: humanware.com (Humanware) 02 9686 2600 (Humanware Australia) jaffa.org.au (Juvenile Arthritis Foundation Australia) beyondblindness.org.au (Beyond Blindness) 08 8367 6088 (Beyond Blindness - Campbelltown Main Office) vec.vic.gov.au (Victorian Electoral Commission) 13 18 32 (Victorian Electoral Commission - General Enquiries) 135 723 (Victorian Electoral Commission - Telephone Assisted Voting Registration) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oct 14

14th Oct 26

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Oct 7

7th Oct 26

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Sep 30

30 Sep 2026

On FOCAL POINT: Casey Hyde: Author of The Naughtiest Guide Dog: The Hungriest Guide Dog, sharing the story behind her book, using AI for accessibility, and launching a charity for retired guide dogs. Robert Simms: Leader of the Greens in the South Australian Upper House, discussing proposed legislation around smart glasses and changes to the NDIS. Mira Kim (CEO of the Béla Music Foundation) and Helen Shapiro (Artistic Director) discussing their international music competitions and initiatives for blind and visually impaired musicians - highlighting the 2026 competition details and the opportunity to perform at Carnegie Hall. Phil Vandepeer: Co-founder and co-presenter of Focal Point, sharing thoughts on the societal and legislative impacts of smart glasses on people with vision impairment. Resources Béla Music Foundation: https://www.bellamf.org/ Casey Hyde Contact: caseyhyde@guidedeyes.org.au (for book orders) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sep 23

23 Sep 2026

On FOCAL POINT: Mark Gardiner (Founder & CEO, MPC Markets): Automated driving technology is rapidly evolving with extensive data collection from providers like Waymo, Tesla, and Uber.. Philip Martin (Adelaide City Councillor) Acknowledges privacy and misuse concerns raised nationally (e.g., eSafety Commissioner reports), while emphasizing that smart glasses remain a vital tool for vision-impaired users. Banning them outright is not proposed; rather, finding balanced usage regulation is key. Also has news and opinions on E-Scooters Andrew Lund & Samantha Bamford (Melbourne Airport) Major road and terminal layout changes take effect Tuesday, October 6. Emma J. Hawkins & Lisa Prout (Performers & Co-producers on "Exhibit") A 60-minute physical theatre and dance performance combining black humor and personal storytelling to explore societal perceptions of short-stature women. September 30 – October 4 at La Mama Courthouse (Melbourne Fringe Festival). Audio Described & Auslan Interpreted Show: Saturday, October 3 at 7:30 PM.Tactile Tour: Saturday, October 3 at 6:30 PM (includes tactile access to handmade tapestries and unique costumes). Resources Bookings for Exhibit: https://www.lamama.com.au/whats-on/melbourne-fringe-festival-2026/exhibit See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sep 16

16 Sep 2026

On FOCAL POINT: 01:55 – Dr. Anne-Marie Witherow Medical doctor, researcher, and advocate for dual-sensory impairment. She discusses co-authoring a new Usher syndrome textbook designed for healthcare and social care professionals alongside Emma Boswell and Emily Shepherd, as well as recent NDIS town hall discussions regarding deafblindness. 16:25 – Rachael (Marketing Dept, Beyond Blindness) Shares updates from Beyond Blindness, including an upcoming disability employment workshop, a guided visit to the Australian Space Discovery Centre, and expanding local "pocket groups" across South Australia. 29:12 – Mark Grey (Chair, Vision Australia) Shares his personal journey with sudden vision loss and details Vision Australia’s advocacy efforts in Canberra regarding NDIS legislative changes, aged care transitions, and tailored support services. Resources UsherKids Australia: https://usherkidsaustralia.com/ Beyond Blindness: https://beyondblindness.org.au/ Phone: (08) 8367 6088 Social Media: Facebook (@beyondblindness) and Instagram (@beyondblindness) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sep 9

09 Sep 2026

On FOCAL POINT: Nicole Holmes (Blindness Products Consultant, Pacific Vision Australia) Discusses her role providing product support and training for assistive technology, upcoming devices like the BrailleSense 7 (running Android 15 with integrated Google Gemini access and a magnetic QWERTY keyboard option) Hen Vaughn (Access2Arts) Previews upcoming audio-described arts and cultural events, including the 12-week Audio Description Training course starting in mid-January, State Theatre Company's production of The Heartbreak Choir, guided audio-described tours for the Monet in Fine Print exhibition at the Art Gallery of South Australia, and details on the Adelaide Fringe Poster Competition. Bridget Jolley (Women’s Empowerment Officer, Women with Disabilities Victoria) Details the launch of The Inclusive Lens, a 6-part podcast series created by young women and gender-diverse people with disabilities exploring media representation across news, social media, publishing, gaming, and television. Brooke Carter (President, Goalball Victoria) Previews the upcoming Australian Goalball Championships taking place October 1–4 at RMIT Bundoora, explaining how goalball is played, the extensive volunteer structure required to run games, and how to get involved. Resources: Pacific Vision Australia: https://pacificvisionaus.com.au/ (Email: Nicole Holmes (Pacific Vision): nicole@pacificvision.com.au) Access 2 Arts: https://access2arts.org.au/ (Email: Audio Description Inquiries): audio.describer@access.org.au) Women with Disabilities Victoria: https://wdv.org.au/ Goalball Victoria: https://www.goalball.org.au/ (Email: info@goalball.org.au) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sep 2

02 Sep 2026

On FOCAL POINT: 02:48 - Daniel Mew – Developer of the Tag Everything app 16:16 - Zoe Kong, Gabby Campbell, and Dean Caccamo (Master’s Students in Occupational Therapy, University of Sydney) The team shares details about their project with Dr. Anne-Marie and the Centre for Disability Research and Policy, developing a practical home modification guide designed for people living with combined hearing and vision loss. 29:18 - Lesley Heagney (Braille House) - Lesley outlines two major September events: the annual Braille Literacy Challenge hosted at the Queensland Tennis Centre (September 11) and the 105th Dickinson Memorial Literary Competition (closing September 18) 41:04 - William O'Neill (Rider & Advocate) William shares his story about participating in a 700 km tandem recumbent cycle journey (on Hase Pino bikes) from Germany to Amsterdam for the World Cycle Summit to champion cycling inclusivity for people with vision impairment. Resources Blind Citizens Australia (SA Catch-Up Event) Phone: 1800 033 660 (Ask for Kerry Skipworth) Tag Everything App Website: https://tageverything.app/ Braille House & Dickinson Memorial Literary Competition Website: https://www.braillehouse.org.au/ Phone: 07 3848 5257 Riding Together Charity Website: https://ridingtogether.org/netherlands-2026 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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A weekly program presented by Peter Greco, Focal Point covers services from blindness organisations and other providers, technology, current affairs, breakthroughs in advocacy campaigns about all manner of challenges and promoting activities and events for people who are blind or vision impaired.