Making a change from within I River Night - Developing Australian Communities

In this powerful episode of Innovate for Impact, host Tania Gomez sits down with River Knight, founder of Developing Australian Communities and a disability advocate, to discuss how to reshape the disability sector. River shares insights from over 30 years of experience, reflecting on the systemic challenges in NDIS, the urgent need for holistic case management, and his push for political change to better serve people with disabilities.   They also discuss the failures of co-design in NDIS reforms, the erosion of choice and control for participants, and the essential role of collaboration across government departments. With an election on the horizon, River’s call to action is clear: It’s time for intelligent voting and accountability in disability services.   Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction to the episode 02:10 – Meet River Knight: 30+ years in the disability sector 06:30 – The story behind Developing Australian Communities 11:15 – Pivoting to politics: Why River wants to represent Blair 18:00 – Failures of co-design in NDIS and rapid policy changes 25:40 – The erosion of choice and control for NDIS participants 30:15 – Why collaboration between government departments is essential 37:50 – How to address systemic failures in NDIS case management 45:20 – Holding policymakers accountable and the power of advocacy 50:00 – River’s vision for a reformed NDIS and holistic disability support 55:30 – Why voters in Blair need to demand representation that matters 01:00:00 – Final takeaway: Advocating for a united voice in disability services   Follow Tania Gomez Consulting on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/taniagomezconsulting/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taniagomezconsulting/ LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/company/tania-gomez-consulting   Or you can also visit our website: http://www.taniagomez.com.au/   👉 Enjoying Innovate for Impact? Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with your network!