The UTS Centre for Local Government (CLG) and the UTS Disability Research Network (DRN) would like to invite you to an interactive panel session on Designing Inclusive and Safe Communities: A Local Government Perspective.

Join our expert panelists Glenn Redmayne (Access and Inclusion Planning Leader, Inner West Council), Naomi Deck (Committee Member of the Disability Inclusion Committee, North Sydney Council) and Megan Taylor (Research Associate, UTS Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building) along with CLG Director Prof Carol Mills, CLG Adjunct A/Prof Vanessa Chan and DRN Co-Chair Prof Simon Darcy.

Accessibility planning is emerging as a powerful framework to address inequalities in accessing essential services. In the lead up to the International Day of People with Disability, this panel event will explore the critical issues of accessibility and safety and provide insights and strategies for integrating these considerations into local government planning, drawing from the latest research and practical experiences.

This event is an opportunity for practitioners, policymakers, businesses and advocates to come together with others committed to making our communities safer and more accessible.

Event Schedule

3.45 pm Arrival and registration
4.00 pm Interactive panel discussion
5.00 pm Networking

Meet our panelists

Glenn Redmayne

Glenn is the Access and Inclusion Planning Leader at Inner West Council and has 29 years of experience in local government. As an advocate, he is a board member of Kindred, an organisation for families with children with disabilities and was formerly an executive member of the Disability Council NSW. His notable achievements include collaborating with LGNSW to develop their Disability Inclusion Action Plan Guide for local councils and advising on the Sydney 2000 Olympic and Paralympic Games through their Social Impact Advisory Committee and Access Advisory Committee. Glenn is eager to draw on his personal and professional experience to assist people with disabilities, communities, allies, support organisations and governments in their inclusion journey. He is passionate about making local government a leader and platform for supporting current and future generations.

Naomi Deck

Naomi is a Committee Member of the Disability Inclusion Committee at North Sydney Council. She feels a strong sense of responsibility to act on her abilities after experiencing a severe traumatic brain injury in 2007. Over the years, she has used both her professional experience (nursing, health promotion and management) and her lived experience of having an invisible disability to connect with and empower others. Naomi proactively manages her life, health and employment, and she has successfully returned to making meaningful contributions to the community both locally and internationally

Megan Taylor

Megan is a Research Associate in the School of Built Environment within the Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building at UTS. Her PhD dissertation, currently under examination, is titled Responding to Changing Demand for Local Park Provision: A Study on NSW Local Council Decision-Making Environments in Sydney. Megan has worked across various sectors to improve inclusion for people with disabilities, focusing on physical and digital environments, public policy, product design, participation in sport, access to entertainment and higher education.