The Disability Trust’s annual Your Voice Your Choice Conference was enjoyed by 472 people across Australia, who came together online to watch familiar faces from the media, a Paralympian and the CEOs of the National Disability Insurance Agency and Carers Australia discuss their experiences and important issues faced by people living with disability in Australia.
Following a wonderful opening routine put together by the Music Makers and Altogether Drama Group, the ABC’s Disability Affairs Reporter Nas Campanella gave the keynote speech, in which she described her professional and personal journey, and discussed the challenges people with disability can face when pursuing a career.
We also heard from Paralympic athlete Hannah Dodd and Love On The Spectrum star Ronan Soussa who told us their stories, as well as enjoying performances and personal experiences shared by other people with disability.
One of the most eagerly awaited interviews was a return visit from Martin Hoffman, CEO of the National Disability Insurance Agency, who answered questions, acknowledged some of the issues that have emerged in recent months and provided real insight into the Agency. Martin has also pledged to return next year.
There was a great presentation by Andrew Radford, board member of the Council for Intellectual Disability, who talked about his role as a self-advocate, traveling overseas to share his experiences of living with autism with an international audience.
Liz Callaghan, CEO of Carers Australia provided a much appreciated Carer’s perspective, and the conference closed with an uplifting AUSLAN singalong.
The annual conference has become an essential part of The Disability Trust calendar, and we are already looking forward to next year’s event.
