Another federal election done and dusted.
Let’s hope that this brings an outcome that makes life better for all Australians – including those living with disability.
Whilst we wait to see where our country goes from here, we’d love to hear how your voting experience went.
Did you use a postal vote, attend an early voting station, take advantage of mobile voting or other accessible options, or did you make it along to a polling place on election day and reward yourself with a democracy sausage?
Was your voting stress free or did you have to navigate around accessibility and playing your part in the democratic process?
We’d love to hear about your experiences, so that we can tell the Australian Electoral Commission what is and isn’t working for Australia’s disability community at election time.
Congratulations to Ali France on winning the seat of Dickson.
With her campaign having been focused on accessibility and inclusion, alongside her lived experience as an amputee and para-athlete, Australia’s disability community looks forward to finally having a voice at the table.
Hopefully Government will now be led by the Disability Royal Commission’s recommendation for establishment of a Department of Disability Equality and Inclusion and the introduction of a Minister for Disability Inclusion portfolio.
A big congratulations also to Senator Jordon Steele-John for being re-elected at Saturday’s federal elections.
Thank you for all that you’ve done so far for Australia’s disability community and for all that you’ll continue to bring to your position moving forwards.
Don’t throw your vote away without knowing a candidate’s disability policy or plan.
Contact your local MP and candidates and ask what they are doing for the 21.4% of Australians with a disability.
https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Contacting_Senators_and_Members
For more information on Fair Australia’s disability policy election campaign, go to:
There are a lot of benefits in becoming a PDA member.
Firstly it’s free.
But it also provides a wonderful community of people who truly understand what it means to live with a physical disability.
With physical disability making up a huge *76.8% of Australia’s reported 5.5 million disabled, PDA represents the vast majority of our country’s disability community – over 4.2 million in fact.
As well as Australians living with physical disability, we also welcome their families, friends, carers, support workers, providers and anyone with a supportive interest as PDA members.
We’ve been around since 1995 and are one of a very small handful of Australian disability organisations that actually has members and board representation in every Australian state and territory.
This gives us a national footprint and allows PDA to have its finger firmly on the pulse of disability in our country.
It is through this representation that our strong voice is heard and that we are included in Australia’s disability conversation.
As an organisation run by people with physical disability for people with physical disability, PDA also truly understands and stands for the needs, rights and consideration of its members.
We put disability rights at the forefront of all that we do.
Join today.
You’ll be glad that you did.
*https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/disability/disability-ageing-and-carers-australia-summary-findings/latest-release
There’s still time to apply for a postal vote – but you will need to apply by 6pm on April 30 by going to
You can also visit an early polling place ahead of Saturday. To find your nearest early voting centre, go to
https://www.aec.gov.au/election/voting.htm#start
However, for both postal votes an early voting, you will need a legitimate reason as to why you can’t attend a polling place on election day. These include you:
If you are blind or have low vision, you can vote over the phone by calling 1800 913 993. Registrations for telephone voting operates 8:30am to 5:30pm Australian Eastern Time (AET) Monday to Friday for the 10 business days immediately prior to polling day (excluding national public holidays), and 8am to 6pm AET on polling day. For more information, go to
https://www.aec.gov.au/election/fe25/telephone-voting.htm
The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) provides mobile voting (also referred to as mobile polling) in certain locations to provide an in-person voting service to individuals who experience barriers to electoral participation. This includes those:
For more information and to find locations, go to
https://www.aec.gov.au/election/fe25/mobile-voting.htm
If you are planning to vote in person at a polling place on Saturday, you can find your most convenient venue (including detailed accessibility info) by going to
https://www.aec.gov.au/election/voting.htm#start
For more information on accessible voting at this election, visit
https://www.aec.gov.au/assistance
People with disability face significant challenges in casting their vote, despite the Australian Electoral Commission’s efforts to make elections more accessible for everyone.
With a paltry 43% of our 7,000 polling places fully wheelchair accessible and just 48% with assisted access, is the AEC failing in its aim to “ensure people with disability are not disadvantaged when participating in the electoral system, and that they have full access to the voting process”? (https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/the-vote-casting-hurdle-these-australians-face/ja0dm5uby)
Whilst the AEC’s fully accessible polling place numbers will reportedly increase from the 2022 federal election (21.6% to 43%), there will be a decline in assisted access venues (from 62.3% to 48%) – https://www.aec.gov.au/referendums/files/supports-available-for-people-with-disability.pdf.
It is also important that in understanding the true impact of these numbers in the democratic process, demographic and geographic factors (including the locations of these venues vs local voting citizens’ needs for accessibility, and how far people need to travel to access polling stations that meet their needs) must also be considered.
PDA’s CEO, Jeremy Muir, said “We all have the right to vote. It is mandatory and you can be fined if you do not vote, so shouldn’t all polling booths, all pre-polling booths be fully accessible for every registered voter?”
Venue accessibility is also just one part of our country’s accessible elections conversation. PDA’s WA Director Melanie Hawkes shared her recent difficulties in voting at the WA elections (https://www.pda.org.au/my-state-election-experience) – particularly in terms of being able to fill in oversized ballot papers.
Despite the AEC having a range of initiatives in place to make elections more accessible (such as accessible communication, enrolment and voting options, and polling place accessibility), there needs to be a greater understanding of the myriad of accessibility issues that exist and these can only be truly addressed through involving the disability community in co-design projects.
So how do you think the election process could be better streamlined to ensure that all Australians are provided with the ability to utilise their democratic right and have their say?
What issues have you encountered in being part of a democratic Australia?
The NDIS Review into music and art therapy project, led by Dr Stephen Duckett AM, will be extended until Thursday, 17 April 2025.
This will allow time to properly consider all of the information collected from around 600 submissions.
NDIS participants can continue to access music and art therapy through their current arrangements during the review process.
NDIS providers may continue claiming at current pricing levels as listed in the NDIS Pricing Arrangements.
Art and music therapy are NDIS supports. This review is not considering whether music and art therapy will remain approved NDIS supports, but rather their effectiveness and appropriate price levels.
Regardless of the review findings, music and art therapy will remain part of the NDIS for eligible participants.
Once the final report has been received, the NDIA will consider the findings and finalise its operational guidance later this year.
Any proposed changes will not come into operation until after the review is completed and the relevant findings are considered.
https://www.ndis.gov.au/news/10644-review-music-and-art-therapy-update
Your involvement will help improve NDIA policies, services, templates, communication and more.
You must be 18 years or older to be part of the initiative. Child representatives are welcome to join.
In completing this information form you are agreeing to join the Participant First Engagement Initiative which is open to participants, their families and carers, and other people interested in the NDIS.
You will receive regular updates and invitations to provide feedback, complete surveys, join focus groups or take part in interviews. You don’t have to take up any of these invitations if you don’t want to.
Your information form will determine if you have the experience required for each engagement opportunity.
If you submit an expression of interest but have not completed an information form, you will not be selected to take part.
You only need to complete your information form once. If you would like to update your information, or have not completed an information form yet, please go to
If you need help with the form, or you have any questions, please email participant.engagement@ndis.gov.au
This form will take about 5 minutes to complete. The information form allows you to choose your preferred level of involvement.
Participation in this initiative is voluntary. Your decision to participate or not will not affect your relationship with the NDIS. If you change your mind, you can unsubscribe at any time.
Your involvement in Participant First will be kept entirely separate from your role as a participant. Your feedback will not be included in your official NDIS participant record.
Information supplied by you in this form will not be used for any other purpose.
To read about the way your data is handled, you can read the NDIS Privacy Policy by going to:
https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/policies/privacy
PDA’s Ambassador, Dr Dinesh Palipana OAM, and his beautiful Mum, Chithrani Palipana, have had a video of an interview by Dev Singh published on YouTube.
It’s a very powerful piece that highlights the importance of disability advocacy, gender equality and leadership.
Dev also explores efforts to support women with disabilities in the workplace, healthcare inclusion and the immigrant experience in Australia.
Most poignantly, this recording explores the strength of a Mother’s love, the impact that one person can have on shaping an outcome (even from a place that appears bleak) and practical parenting tips for raising strong, empathetic leaders and how to encourage men’s participation in gender equality.
It’s definitely worth a watch.
With so much going on in the disability space at the moment, our voices and concerns can often go unheard.
That’s why it’s important for all of us to work together and share our stories and make others aware of issues that are affecting us.
Physical Disability Australia works as a conduit to government, fellow disability organisations, our members and the wider disability community, to bring about positive change and improved conditions for people living with disability.
We’d love to hear from you about problems that you’re encountering, ideas that you have and things that are happening locally and nationally.
Let’s make a difference together.
1800 732 674
