A few facts that seem to have been missed as the news story went around the world (from an Australian):
1) SOCOG were notified of this problem and were asked to fix the site 14 months ago, the entire site could ahve been changed by one person in less than that time.
2) The Australian Disability Discrimination Act applys to everything (workplaces shopping centers etc.) and everywhere (except in a few extreme circumstances), and given how easy it is to change the website i think it should apply to them.
3) SOCOG has been ordered to change the site by the olympics, or damages can be brought against them in a civil action. Which have the potential to be a huge amount, this has not happened yet and SOCOG may still fix the site in time.
For point 3 i feel they have bugger all chance of completing it in time now however as they were informed 14 months ago, the courts will have little to no sympathy if a civil suit is brought against them.
So either Socog will have to pay an enourmas amount to have it fixed in time, political forces will influence the 'independant' judicary and get them off the hook, SOCOG will have to pay a huge amount in damages or SOCOG will continue to appeal until the other party runs out of money if a civil suit is brought against them. Then again something i haven't thought of may also happen.
Essentialy i don't think the site will change in time but it is the precident which is being set that matters. That is it doesn't matter who you are the law applies to all and all people deserve equal treatment and access in all areas of life.
Slashdot Mirror
A few facts that seem to have been missed as the news story went around the world (from an Australian):
1) SOCOG were notified of this problem and were asked to fix the site 14 months ago, the entire site could ahve been changed by one person in less than that time.
2) The Australian Disability Discrimination Act applys to everything (workplaces shopping centers etc.) and everywhere (except in a few extreme circumstances), and given how easy it is to change the website i think it should apply to them.
3) SOCOG has been ordered to change the site by the olympics, or damages can be brought against them in a civil action. Which have the potential to be a huge amount, this has not happened yet and SOCOG may still fix the site in time.
For point 3 i feel they have bugger all chance of completing it in time now however as they were informed 14 months ago, the courts will have little to no sympathy if a civil suit is brought against them.
So either Socog will have to pay an enourmas amount to have it fixed in time, political forces will influence the 'independant' judicary and get them off the hook, SOCOG will have to pay a huge amount in damages or SOCOG will continue to appeal until the other party runs out of money if a civil suit is brought against them. Then again something i haven't thought of may also happen.
Essentialy i don't think the site will change in time but it is the precident which is being set that matters. That is it doesn't matter who you are the law applies to all and all people deserve equal treatment and access in all areas of life.