About this session

When COVID-19 arrived on Australian shores in 2019, people with disability knew that they would be adversely affected. But their very real concerns were ignored which heightened the level of fear and sense of helplessness. From the outset, governments and service providers failed to consider what might be needed to keep people with disability safe. In frustration, disability peak bodies joined together to endorse an Open Letter to the National Cabinet outlining what immediate action was required. We're now nearly 3 years on and so many issues raised have only been tinkered with at the edges.

In this session, Disability Advocate El Gibbs facilitates a panel discussion with sector leaders to consider what barriers remain stubbornly in place that exclude the voices of people with disability. Why aren’t the people directly effected given a seat at the response planning table? And what are the next steps to address the shortfalls in the COVID response for people with disability?

El will be joined by:

Lennille Lamb, First Nations People with Disability Network
Jamie Bannister, Inclusion Australia
Dominic Golding, National Ethnic Disability Alliance

There will be time for Q&A following the discussion.

Auslan interpreters and captioning service is available at this event.

This session is part of the Advocacy Sector Conversations forum series.