The Independent Assessment

This is a bonus mini-episode recorded on Friday 24 April in response to Minister Butler's speech to the National Press Club about changes to the NDIS. Co-hosts C Moore and Craig Wallace speak to disability advocate Sam Connor about what changes the Government has proposed to the NDIS, what she's worried about, how she is fighting back and what you can do to by way of activism. Every Australia Counts https://everyaustraliancounts.com.au/ and https://www.facebook.com/everyaustraliancounts/  Disable People Against Cuts (Australia) https://www.disabledpeopleagainstcuts.com/ PWDA's Reasonable. Necessary. Ordinary. campaign https://pwd.org.au/disability-rights/stopNDIScuts/ Contact your Federal MP https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Contacting_Senators_and_Members Senator Jordan Steele-John https://greens.org.au/wa/person/jordon-steele-john and https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Parliamentarian?MPID=250156  This page has links to information about Thriving Kids consultation in your state or territory: https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/thriving-kids/thriving-kids-service-design-engagement-and-consultation   

This episode was recorded on Friday 27 March. In this month's episode we're talking about voice organisations and why we need them to be strong amidst a lot of white noise, disruption and identity politics. Co-hosts Craig and Sarah talk to our guests about elevating lived experience, strategies for getting your message across and how to balance competing views and demands on voice organisations. Our guests are Corinne Dobson from ACT Shelter and Josh Anlezark from Meridian.  

Note: This episode was recorded on Friday 27 February, prior to the attacks on Iran. In this month's episode, we're talking about Canberra streets, transport and urban centres. Are they broken for people with disability? Can we fix it? Today we're talking about city planning and what it means to be able to get about your own city and the impacts of being excluded. Guests: Gill King, Chair of Living Streets Canberra and Bill Gemmell, committee member of the Public Transport Association of Canberra. Mentioned in this episode. For more information on advanced care planning go to www.hcca.org.au/advance-care-planning

For this Christmas Special we're offering the 12 assessments of Christmas on the places, spaces, cultural trends, politics and people who have managed to crawl to the end of 2025.  And possibly some that didn't. It's our NDIS assessment themed yuletide trip back through a year most of you would probably rather forget. (Please note this episode was recorded prior to the terrorist attack at Bondi Beach).    Mentioned in this episode: TV Russel T Davies - It's a Sin 1923 House of Guiness The Pitt Podcasts QAA - QAnon Anonymous The Rest is Politics Horror Movies  Nosferatu 28 Years Later Weapons Frankenstein Books Mean Streak by Rick Morton  Dead Centre by Richard Denniss.  The Nightrunner Series by Lynn Flewelling Running Close to the Wind by Alexandra Rowland The Word by Irving Wallace  Elmer Bendiners: A Time for Angels  The Genius Myth by Helen Lewis  The Extinction of Experience: Reclaiming our Humanity in a digital world by Christine Rosen  Stars, influencers, leaders and activists David Pocock Jordan Steel John Stephen Mayne  Kelly @broadwaybabyto  Renee Heaton Sarah Langston  jay_morgan16x  Angecarfaaa Lizzyzpage0  Crutches and Spice  

This month we are looking at whether it's possible to turn back the tide of rising hate speech and disinformation about disability and other people in the community.  Why is this an issue?  What would it take to get this on the agenda? How and why is the ACT's I-Day program putting a spotlight on this?  Our guests are Dr Ashlegih Haw and Ravi Krishnamurthy.  

This episode, we're looking at advocacy, where rubber hits the road. Our guests are Sarah Langston and Dwayne Cranfield and we'll be talking with them about activism and advocacy in all its forms, from public protest to organisational lobbying. Why it's important, what works, what's changed over the history of the disability movement and who's doing it.