Some of Our Parts

I have never accepted the concept of “lifters” and “Leaners”, a Ming dynasty phrase which has lately gained currency. It’s such a facile concept. And we all move from one role to the other dozens of times a day.

When I walk down the street with Maureen- and which ever street that is I couldn’t be happier- I’m a leaner. I’m gaining guidance from her by holding her arm. But when that guidance stops, and at the end of a long hard day for her, I put my arm around her in a supportive cuddle, I become a lifter.

I prefer a more positive, and less judgemental society, where everyone’s contribution is accepted and valued. I want entrances where everyone- not just people who use steps- can come in. I communicate with Auslan, so everyone – not just hearing people – can understand. This makes a more inclusive, and more sustainable society.

But many in society force people with disabilities to live within that leaner-lifter rubric. And we would be lifters, if there were not barriers in society which force us to be leaners. I have challenged it all my life, and will do so in this address.

Read the full speech at the Australian Human Rights Commission website.

Outgoing Federal Disability Discrimination Commissioner Graeme Innes has been a driver behind some of the most significant reforms in human rights and disability advocacy both nationally and internationally.

But with budget cuts to the Human Rights Commission from now on his role will be shared among the remaining commissioners, regardless of whether they have lived experience of disability or not.

Watch the ABC feature interview with Graeme, where he explains why that’s a bad idea, why we need a jobs plan not a welfare plan and what he’d like to see Tony Abbott do in the area of disability reform.

Have you ever had a lecturer or tutor who went that extra mile to ensure you were accommodated for in class? The MSA Teaching Awards are now open, and include a new category for Inclusive Teaching.

Make your vote count here!

The Australia Council is inviting applications from Australian cultural leaders and influencers with disability to participate in an intensive leadership development residency 22-26 October 2014.

The Sync Leadership residency will be presented by Jo Verrent, a UK based artist, producer and consultant with disability who specialises in the development of diversity and access, currently Senior Producer with Unlimited.

Sync and its sister programme in the south-east are training programs that focus on the interplay between leadership and disability. The provide fresh perspectives and also challenge deep seated thinking about leadership and disability. Designed to be radically different to any other training programs for people with disability, it takes its inspiration and name from syncopation – the emphases on an unusually un-emphasised beat.

Sync leadership pairs leadership learning and one-to-one coaching:

The members will be given access to leadership training, including five full days of face-to-face development work as a group.

Following the residency each member will be offered a limited number of personal coaching sessions over the following six months with Jo Verrent, course leader and/or Sarah Pickthall (co-creator of Synd) with options ranging from face to face, by telephone, email or msn.

For more information on the residencies and how to apply, please see the Australia Council website.

Find out. Take a biscuit.

Disability Discrimination Commissioner Graeme Innes will finish his term at the Commission on the 4th of July 2014, and the Disability Rights Team are looking to farewell Graeme and to thank him for his remarkable contribution to the Commission by creating an accessible farewell card.

If you would like to contribute, please send your farewell message to: Card4Graeme@humanrights.gov.au

Graeme Innes will address the National Press Club in Canberra on 2 July, just two days before his term ends.

How is every one? Are exams over yet? Do you have six more in the next two days?

Here are some of this week’s links to take your mind off exams, and hopefully the cold too!

• “The disability is not the problem, the accessibility is the problem.” – Mohamed Jemni
• The quote above is an example of the social model of disability. Jarrod Marrinon has some thoughts.
• The very charming Story Balloon, a writers collective made up of people with disabilities.
• Have you come across any Abnormally Funny People?
• A touching story about the friendships that are kindled in the prosthetics fitting room.
• Online is a great place to connect with other people who understand your disability, mental health or medical condition. So is the pub!
• 99 Problems and Palsy is just one.

Happy Friday!

A few days ago, Juliano Pinto, a paraplegic who wore a mind-controlled robotic exoskeleton, kicked off the World Cup with a first kick at the Corinthians Arena in Sao Paulo.

While some see this as a triumph of science and technology from the Walk Again Project, high school teacher Red Nicholson isn’t  quite so convinced. Neither is anthropologist William Peace.

Equality, Capacity and Disability in Commonwealth Laws was released on 22 May 2014.

This Discussion Paper is the second consultation document in the ALRC’s Inquiry into Commonwealth laws and legal frameworks that deny or diminish the equal recognition of people with disability before the law, and their ability to exercise legal capacity.

Any public contribution to an inquiry is called a submission. The deadline for submissions is the 30th June 2014. You can make a submission by creating an account on the Australian Law Reform Commission website.

Stella Young is a comedian and journalist who happens to go about her day in a wheelchair — a fact that doesn’t, she’d like to make clear, automatically turn her into a noble inspiration to all humanity. In Stella’s TEDx talk, “I’m not your inspiration, thank you very much” she discusses society’s habit of turning disabled people into “inspiration porn.”