Auslan interpreter Mark Quinn signs at real estate auction championships in Canberra

It's a very difficult task in a fast-moving auction environment and a barrier to the one in six Australians who have some form of hearing loss, said Rebecca Adam, CEO at non-profit organisation Expression Australia.

In a first step to making property auctions more accessible, Auslan interpreters travelled to Canberra on Tuesday to provide sign language at an annual auction competition.

Expression Australia partnered with the Real Estate Institute of the ACT to bring Auslan to the novice category at the Auctioneering Championships.

Standing alongside each budding auctioneer was a certified Auslan interpreter to translate the proceedings using the official sign language of the deaf and hard of hearing community in Australia.

Ms Adam said the event showed Auslan interpretation was possible and successful in a fast-paced auction environment.

"It really demonstrates that it can work regardless of pace and it can be successful and provide a very positive experience for deaf people who need to attend an auction," she said.

The opportunity to bring Auslan into real estate auctions would be "life-changing" for many people, she said.

REIACT CEO Maria Edwards said the Australian public was used to seeing Auslan interpreters throughout COVID-19 during live press conferences.

But there was an opportunity for Auslan to be incorporated into everyday life, not just in a crisis.

"The deaf and hard of hearing community have no chance, traditionally, to actually participate in auctions," she said.

"So if we can have the opportunity to have interpreters there, I think it will make a huge difference to that community."

She said the auction event showed the institute could lead the way in making the industry more inclusive.

Hayden Groves, president of the Real Estate Institute of Australia, said it was a "great moment in auctioneering history".

MORE PROPERTY NEWS:

He said the institute was committed to making real estate accessible to all members of the community.

"Accessible real estate transactions are obviously an important component to this and working to include the deaf and hard of hearing community is a great step toward that commitment," he said.

Ms Adam said real estate agents could contact Expression Australia to provide Auslan interpretation for their auctions.

"It's not only limited to real estate, it could also be utilised in other industries where deaf people wish to participate and have faced barriers in the past," she said.

We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on The Canberra Times website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. See our moderation policy here.