Closing the gap between rhetoric and reality

Kurt Fearnley, former Paralympian and host of ABCTV's One Plus One, moderated our end of year panel discussion with well-known disability advocates, El Gibbs, Dougie Herd, Damian Griffis and Professor Anne Kavanagh.

The last two years have seen some unprecedented challenges for people with disability and their families. The impact of the COVID19 pandemic, proposed changes to the National Disability Insurance Scheme, continued shocking testimony at the Disability Royal Commission are just some of the things people with disability have had to grapple with. It has been an extraordinary time.

That’s why MDI decided to focus our annual end of year webinar with a look back at some of the events of the last two years – and a look forward to what we think might lie around the corner. And what we think needs to happen so that we close the gap between rhetoric and reality and get real change for people with disability in this country.

Moderated by former Paralympian and well-known host of ABCTV's One Plus One Kurt Fearnley, our panel included well known disability advocates El Gibbs, Dougie Herd, Damian Griffis and Professor Anne Kavanagh.

As expected, they did not hold back as they looked at whether we have learned any lessons from from the impact of the COVID19 pandemic on people with disability, or the proposed changes to the NDIS. It was a lively conversation with some challenging thoughts and questions from the audience.

We are keen to continue this important conversation as we head into 2022.

Access the recording here.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/kat0536o64bxg3w/Melbourne%20Disability%20Institute%20-%20Panel%20Event.mp4?dl=0

Access the event transcript here. (Coming soon)

Questions? Contact us at md-i@unimelb.edu.au