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MBIE released their consultation report and a couple other documents a few days ago: www.mbie.govt.nz/document-lib...

mbie.govt.nzmbie.govt.nz
Dr. Curiosity@drcuriosity.bsky.social

People with an interest in supporting those with disabilities may want to get on this, if they haven't already. www.nzrelay.co.nz/about-us "New Zealand Relay is a free, government-funded service that enables people with hearing and speech communication difficulties to use the phone."

2 of the 3 documents are Paul Buckrell's submission which includes this great quote: > The closing date [...] was extended from 6 July to 20 July after it was discovered [...] MBIE had not directly informed the relevant NGOs nor the Telecommunications Carriers Forum that the consultation was open.

A few random excerpts from the report: > An NZSL submitter reported banks treating Video Interpreting Service (VIS) calls as scam calls

> One participant [...] asked the provider why there was a switch away from real-time typing for web-based text relay, and the response she received was that it was a government decision. The participant said the usual response to service shortcomings was ‘it's not within the contract’.

> Personal privacy concerns represent the single largest barrier to registration, identified by 50% of respondents (42 of 84) > an NZSL submitter described the vulnerability of having to disclose sensitive information, such as driver’s licence and bank account numbers through a video call

> These risks are compounded by platform limitations in Microsoft Teams where users have reported an inability to have confidence [...] that conversation histories are deleted after a call, leading to fears that subsequent Interpreters or others using the same device could access private transcripts

> Submissions describe the same pattern—a son who makes and takes calls for his father, colleagues who make calls for a deaf accountant, a husband who speaks for his wife and passes on messages > The designated person is not always accepted by the organisation on the other end of the line

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> The potential role of artificial intelligence (AI) was specifically discussed in wānanga. Participants were clear that AI has no role in language, saying that a signing avatar cannot hold a karakia, and that AI is not culturally sound, nor is it a substitute for NZSL interpretation

> The Teletypewriter (TTY) is discussed later in this report. [...] it works over a landline without data > One participant described whānau in the far north who simply cannot connect, and who are therefore not future users of anything other than TTY

> Some community members, however, highlighted that TTY is faced with an impending deadline. New Zealand's landline network is itself scheduled for phaseout. While not in the short term, this broader phase-out does mean that TTY will one day be retired.

> Microsoft Teams creates barriers for users. One submitter said that for her, creating an account took approximately 90 minutes