Facebook Marketplace has broadened the buying power of people with disabilities who might not necessarily be able to access or have physical access to charity secondhand stores.
Yes! That is a thing. Charity stores can be inaccessible because of stairs and no ramps, and it’s not just the small ones either. Huge chain charity stores are at fault for not providing access too.
I am not going to deny it, I love Marketplace. Why? Because it’s easy to access, it’s value for money and I am saving my money and the environment, one purchase at a time. In my home more than half my furniture and most of the plants in my garden and in the house, my clothes and books have been sourced from Marketplace at a fraction of the cost of both large secondhand stores and retail stores.
My therapeutic bed was a Marketplace purchase, unused by the previous owner and sold to me for a third of the cost for the same item from the big disability equipment provider in town. At that time I was also able to claim it as a disability cost through NDIS. I’m not sure what the rules on that are now, but back then I saved the NDIS $4000.
Myself and other people with disabilities are able to peruse the offerings on Marketplace from the comfort of our own homes, and then go off on adventures with a support worker to pick up said items.
It is probably not the intention of the NDIS or Marketplace to facilitate easier access to good quality secondhand items, but the results in providing good supports enable people to have more control over their purchases and their purse.
The risk? Personally I have not purchased anything from Marketplace that has not been of good quality. A few risk mitigation precautions, like never paying before pickup and also making sure the seller will allow you to look at the item before handing over your money, reassuringly means you have more control and less risk. In terms of personal safety, it’s also a bonus to have your support worker with you.
According to statista.com 2022, the secondhand item economy was valued at over 60 billion dollars with 85% of Australian households reporting they had sold unwanted items. And now PWD can be more a part of this than ever before.
If I want a book, a new release book, I can either go to a bookstore and buy it or I can look for it on Marketplace. More often than not, I will find the item (read once) and up for sale for half the cost of a new copy.
The benefits of this secondhand economy to our community are manyfold. Items are given extra life when they change hands, the disability community is given easy access because of technology and, because we are supported by support workers for social participation, we can go to the supermarket and do other errands on the way to pick up our Marketplace purchases.
I actually thought it was just me doing these sort of adventures, but it’s more common that I first thought with PWD off picking up items cheaply that they would not necessarily be able to afford on a fixed income with the assistance of supports.
The most amazing thing of my Marketplace purchases was a leather lounge suite, that I picked up for $800 from a doctor who didn’t want to pay for it to be shipped to their next posting. The same lounge suit is still available in stores for $4000. I also have purchased Christmas presents and gifts for birthdays from Marketplace. Today I bought a dress for my daughter from Decuba for $20 which still has the tags on it – that’s a $100 dress for $20! Too good to be true? No, and here is why. Stores will not return clearance items.
The growing trend of the circular economy is now open to PWD!
I see this accidental collision between good supports and access to the secondhand economy as a win/win. The cost-of-living crisis is affecting everyone, but PWD who are often paying more for medication and other necessities not always funded by NDIS are doing it tougher. A little affordable retail therapy is a bonus that was not an intentional consequence of the NDIS, but a happy outcome of good support and sensible spending.
Happy Marketplace shopping everyone!
The Australia Day 2025 Honours List recognises many incredible Australians who have shown commitment and hard work to earn their place on this esteemed wall of fame.
Of these, PDA wishes to thank and congratulate the following for their commendable contributions to Australia’s disability community:
Officer of the Order of Australia (AO)
Honorary) Member of the Order of Australia (AM)
Member of the Order of Australia (AM)
Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM)
(Honorary) Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM)
PDA would also like to raise a glass to everyone else who plays a role in supporting our community. Whether on a big or little scale, your efforts and contributions are recognised, seen and celebrated and we give thanks.
PDA would like to congratulate Neale Daniher for being recognised as 2025 Australian of the Year.
PDA’s CEO, Jeremy Muir, extended his applause for Neale’s well deserved accolade. “PDA would like to acknowledge the outstanding work of Neale in his tireless work to find a cure for MND and raise awareness of motor neurone disease. Through his unfailing commitment and drive, he (along with his family, friends and the FightMND Foundation) has not only raised over $100 million dollars of funding to help find a cure for MND, but also highlights the issues that those living with MND and their families face every day. Congratulations Neale.”
PDA would also like to congratulate Brother Thomas Oliver Pickett for being recognised as 2025 Senior Australian of the Year for his dedication providing children around the world with life-changing wheelchairs.
“For those of us who use a wheelchair for our everyday mobility, we understand the importance of having access to the right equipment and applaud Brother Thomas for his efforts in providing over 60,000 custom-built wheelchairs to children in over 80 countries. This life changing program will provide ongoing, meaningful and immeasurable opportunities for years to come. Congratulations Brother Thomas.”
A big congratulations also to the many individuals recognised in the Australia Day Honours List, particularly those working to make a difference within our country’s disability community.
We thank you for your efforts and commitment.
Thank you to Australian of the Year Awards/Australia National Day Council for allowing us to use their photographs (https://australianoftheyear.org.au/recipients).
CAN YOU PLEASE HELP?
Every year on 3 December, people around the world take part in International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD).
IDPwD is an opportunity to challenge perceptions and attitudes about people with disability.
In Australia, IDPwD is a joint effort between government, schools, organisations, community groups, businesses and individuals.
We are always looking for ways to make IDPwD better and want to seek feedback from the community through a short survey.
The IDPwD 2024 public survey will be available on our website from Monday 13 January to Sunday 2 February.
The survey contains 14 questions and should take around 10-15 minutes to complete.
The survey is completely anonymous.
Findings from this public survey, alongside an evaluation of our IDPwD communications activities in 2024 and feedback from Disability Representative Organisations, will help inform our approach to IDPwD 2025.
To take part in the survey go to:
www.idpwd.com.au/international-day-of-people-with-disability-idpwd-2024-survey/
If you have any questions, please email idpwd@dss.gov.au
It is with great pleasure that we introduce Jeremy Muir as PDA’s CEO and welcome him to the team.
Jeremy’s credentials positioned him as a perfect fit to steer Physical Disability Australia to even greater growth, success and recognition as a leading Australian disability representative organisation.
A dedicated professional with over 40 years of lived disability experience and extensive expertise in disability advocacy, policy development and leadership, Jeremy is focused on creating positive change and improving services for people with disabilities.
A strong background in advocacy and policy work, has seen him work closely with government leaders to shape disability policies and raise awareness of key issues. He has led national submissions on disability standards and facilitated workshops on social inclusion, presenting outcomes to federal decision-makers and driving meaningful change.
Leadership roles, both within government and community services, have shown Jeremy successfully manage a variety of disability programs, bringing teams together, streamlining operations and improving support for clients. Within the non-profit sector, he successfully grew an organisation by 300%, significantly increased its budget, and introduced new programs to support rural communities.
With over 15 years of experience in the higher education sector, he has also supported students with disabilities by developing tailored solutions, promoting inclusive practices and contributing to campus accessibility improvements. This helped drive a university-wide Disability Employment Strategy and played a key role in fostering a more supportive environment for students and staff.
As an advisor to government ministers, he has provided strategic advice, engaged with communities and contributed to the design and implementation of programs supporting people with disabilities.
A keen sports and music fan, Jeremy has traveled extensively across the globe and gained a broad perspective and appreciation for diverse cultures and experiences.
Through both professional expertise and lived experience, Jeremy’s name is synonymous with driving change, building strong teams, improving disability services, launching new programs, and influencing policy at a national level.
PDA’s President, Sharon Boyce, looks forward to working with Jeremy in his role as CEO to ensure PDA grows even stronger to support the organisation and its members. “This is a time where we need strength and are able to show leadership in our efforts to help all people with physical disability across Australia. On behalf of the PDA Board and it’s staff, I welcome Jeremy and am excited that together with his help and leadership we can achieve real inclusion for all.”
Welcome Jeremy. We look forward to a bright future for PDA with you at our helm.
Content warning: This article mentions sex, relationships and ableism.
Melanie Hawkes is PDA’s WA Director and she helped to kickstart open conversations around sexuality and disability.
In a Women’s Agenda article she shares her personal experiences and thoughts around her sexual journey, and provides a real insight into why intimacy, love and self growth is important for everyone.
On Sunday February 2nd 2025, Physical Disability Australia will be hosting the third Physical Disability Awareness Day.
Established in 2023 after seeing a gap in the awareness calendar for highlighting physical disabilities, this very special day brings attention to people living with physical disability, their contributions and the many conditions that fall under the physical disability umbrella.
The day also provides a wonderful opportunity for people to come together and be united in their support for Australia’s physical disability community.
A number of face-to-face events have also been scheduled, including Strolls & Rolls around local parks, morning and afternoon tea and a lunch.
Face to face Events
The ever popular online DisabiliTEA event will once again also be held, this time with a fun Trivia session (with some fantastic prizes) and some amazing guest speakers who will share their stories. The Trivia host and adjudicator will be Laura Scurr, Physical Disability Awareness Day Committee member and PDA Board representative.
NSW/VIC/ACT/TAS – 2pm
SA: 1.30pm
QLD: 1pm
NT: 12.30pm
WA: 11am
Feel free to pour yourself a cold drink or make yourself a cuppa as you enjoy a fun line up of guests and challenging trivia questions.
To register for the online DisabiliTEA event, please go to https://us02web.zoom.us/meetin…
We look forward to having you join us to celebrate Physical Disability Awareness Day 2025.
Together let’s grow and strengthen Physical Disability Awareness Day by making some noise, being seen, being recognised, being considered and being celebrated.
For news and updates on what’s happening near you and how you can be involved, please continue to visit this page or email promotion@pda.org.au to be sent updates via email.
If you would like to run your own Physical Disability Awareness Day event or would like to be involved in the organising committee for next year, please email Natasha at promotion@pda.org.au or call 1800 732 674.
In supporting our members and Australia’s disability community, Physical Disability Australia understands the importance of being kept up to date with news, opportunities, events and important issues.
We also value hearing the thoughts and experiences that give perspective on what’s truly happening and affecting our people.
That’s why we encourage you to stay in the loop in a number of key ways:
You’re also invited to join our monthly online catch-ups via Zoom:
Join us!
Together we are a voice that will be heard and a force that will continue to steer positive change for Australia’s #disability community.
We look forward to working with you to bring about positive change for Australians living with disability in 2025 and beyond.
If you need assistance please call 1800 732 674 and leave a message. Someone will return your call as soon as possible.
If you have an emergency, please call triple zero (000) or contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 or headspace on 1800 650 890.
Wishing you and your loved ones a very festive season and wishes for a wonderful 2025.
1800 732 674
