Halting Hate, Finding Kindness Rebooting Diversity, Disability Inclusion and Equity in the 2020s

About This Event

In 2025, Australia is deciding what kind of community it wants to be. While disability pride and participation have grown, rising ableist hate speech, disinformation, and casual discrimination threaten the progress we’ve made together.

I-DAY 2025 brings together thought leaders across Australia to confront this challenge head-on. This isn’t a single statement or one-day hashtag – it’s a collective reboot of our commitment to dignity, truth, safety, and belonging.

Join us for a powerful day of dialogue that will:

• Surface the problem: Understand the origins, sources, and escalation of harmful speech about disability

• Examine real consequences: Explore impacts on discrimination, employment, mental health, and community safety

• Chart the path forward: Develop practical commitments across government, business, civil society, and the disability community

WITH a showcase of words, sounds and images on the IDAY themes. This year’s theme – Welcoming Community – reminds us that kindness is not weakness, and inclusion is not optional. To welcome is to defend.

Event Program

12:00 PM – Opening Ceremony

Welcome to Country, ministerial address, and the premiere showcase: Halting Hate, Finding Kindness – a curated collection of words, sounds and images modelling counter-speech, pride and allyship, and inclusive design from across the community.

Special message from:

• Professor Nicolas Levrat, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues

1:00 PM – Session 1: Facing the Situation We’re In

What’s happening? Expert discussions examining what we know about the origins and escalation of harmful speech about disability.

Speakers include: Professor Gerard Goggin, Dr. Ashleigh Haw, Professor Nicole Asquith and AFI Policy Head Craig Wallace

2:30 PM – Session 2: Sticks and Stones

Is this a ‘real’ problem and what does it mean?

• Discrimination (Dr. Robin Banks): When does speech tip into exclusion or unlawful conduct?

• Economy & Jobs (Craig Wallace): Productivity and workforce losses from normalised ableism, ‘burden language’ and damage to perceptions of people with disability and work

• Mental Health & Violence (C Moore): Acute and cumulative harms, service gaps

4:00 PM – Session 3: The Reboot We Need

Converting insight into action. A facilitated plenary discussion on roles, resourcing, and guardrails across:

• Government responses and digital safety standards

• Disabled People’s Organisations: counter-ableism codes and support systems

• Business and NDIS providers: zero-tolerance policies and training

• Civil society and allies: coalition commitments and counter-speech protocols

• Police, security, and regulators: proportional responses and safeguards

4:50 PM – Closing Plenary

Key takeaways and next steps for building a welcoming community together.

Registration Options

Please select the sessions you plan to attend:

Full Day Attendance (12:00 PM – 5:00 PM)

Join us for the complete I-DAY 2025 experience including opening ceremony, all sessions, and closing plenary.

Session 2 Breakout Preference

Please indicate your preferred group discussion topic:

• Discrimination (Dr. Robin Banks)

• Economy & Jobs (Craig Wallace)

• Mental Health & Violence (C Moore)

Partial Attendance

Opening Ceremony and Session 1 (12:00 PM – 2:15 PM)

Attend the Welcome to Country, ministerial address, premiere showcase, and Session 1: Facing the Situation we’re in

Sessions 2 & 3 (2:30 PM – 5:00 PM)

Sessions 2 & 3: Sticks and Stones + The Reboot We Need, plus closing plenary

Session 2 Breakout Preference

Please indicate your preferred small group discussion topic:

• Discrimination (Dr. Robin Banks)

• Economy & Jobs (Craig Wallace)

• Mental Health & Violence (C Moore)

Accessibility

We are committed to ensuring this event is accessible to all participants. The event will be held online using Zoom and will include Auslan interpreters. Please let us know if there are any additional accessibility requirements.

Why Attend

This International Day of People with Disability, we refuse to accept hate and lies as the new normal. Whether you’re a person with disability, advocate, ally, policymaker, service provider, or community member – your voice matters in building a welcoming community that actively safeguards dignity for all.

Join us in reclaiming the 2020s as a decade not of division, but of solidarity.

Register now!