Page 1498 - Week 05 - Thursday, 7 May 2015
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(a) work with people with disabilities, their families and carers as well as businesses and the community sector in developing the ACT Disability Inclusion Statement; and
(b) provide further updates to the Assembly on the continued development of the Statement and again on its release.
DR BOURKE (Ginninderra) (12.05): I strongly support the sentiments previously expressed by the Minister for Disability. I am proud of the achievements under future directions and am excited about the possibilities and benefits that the ACT disability inclusion statement will deliver for people with disability and our whole community over the next two years. Future directions helped to start an exciting collaborative movement towards a more inclusive and equitable community.
I would like to highlight some of the leading Canberrans—the inclusion champions—who have contributed to the strong community fabric of Canberra life in recent years. Craig Wallace is an inclusion champion. Craig has significantly raised the profile and inclusion of people with disability through a diversity of roles and projects over his working life. Craig is the President of People with Disability Australia. His extensive campaigning on disability issues means that he regularly deals with media, politicians and across the whole community. His innovative ideas have led to sustained initiatives that raise the profile, inclusion and support of people with disability, including the Chief Minister’s inclusion awards, Access City Hotline and adaptable housing work. Craig is a valued and respected deputy community chair of the ACT Disability Expert Panel. Craig’s voluntary and paid work in the community have been recognised nationally and internationally, including through winning the ACT Chief Minister’s award for excellence in 2014.
Claire Falls is also an impressive young champion of inclusion in Canberra. She is a 12-year-old football player who has actively advocated for the inclusion of young people with disability in sport. She is the creator and founder of FEVER, Football for Everyone, a not-for-profit organisation promoting social inclusion in football. Claire plays for Tuggeranong United Football Club in the men’s national premier league. She has successfully raised funds for inclusive sport and delivered presentations to mainstream national and international sporting groups on inclusion. She has just been asked to be the 2015 ambassador for the Australian football coalition.
I wonder how many other young leaders could be fostered to have a strong voice in our community through the collaborative efforts of the ACT disability inclusion statement.
We also have organisations that are leading the way in making inclusion possible. The Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House proactively addresses barriers to access, despite the limitations of being located in a heritage building. The museum has a disability reference group to provide advice on current ideas, thinking, approaches and technologies that improve access and participation for people with disabilities. The museum received a Chief Minister’s inclusion award in 2013.
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