Humanity Platform

As another International Day of People with a Disability comes to a close I’d like to celebrate my favourite people with disabilities. I am a huge fan of the politician Jordan Steele-John. I really admire how Jordan has served his constituents while simultaneously promoting the rights of people with disabilities. I one day hope to follow in his wheel treads but for Labor instead of the Greens. Another person I admire is Dylan Alcott because he has broken down many barriers in the sporting world and the television world. He was the first person with a disability to win a Logie ... beating me to the punch. I also admire all my fellow actors on the Performers with Disabilities Committee of the Media and Arts Alliance. May we all continue to work towards true representation of people with disabilities in the media. While I think it is good to have a day celebrating people with disabilities, I look forward to the day when it is no longer necessary because my disability is not me.

This year I have been forced to take a long voyage on the uncomfortable train. This might sound like a bad thing but circumstances have arisen in my life this year that have forced me to reacquaint myself with the philosophies of Stoicism, Zen, and Taoism. There have been many examples this year when I haven’t been able to get disability supports when I needed them. This has forced me to spend many hours in an uncomfortable condition. To prevent me from bursting a blood vessel in frustration I had to go back to my favourite Stoics and remind myself things could always be worse. I was also able to let go, thanks to the Taoist philosophy of Wu Wei which simply put is 'going with the flow'. Like the Spartans my disability has taught me how to handle painful conditions and I needed to remind myself of these philosophies in order to rebuild my mental fortress and sit with uncomfortable. Since 2016 the world has been in an uncomfortable state. This has recently been broug

For my entire career the most common topic I get asked to speak on is disability and sexuality. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to come across some very interesting information which backs up everything I believe about the topic. During my research I have recently found two very powerful podcasts; one is called OT After Dark and the other Disability After Dark . Both programs focus on breaking down social views about disability to talk about sex from all angles. I have always considered sexuality to be the most important aspect to my life that gets overlooked by society. It is only by talking to each other that sexuality can be embraced in a safe and consensual way. As I have said many times, people with disabilities like sex too and yet not only do people like myself have to fight against our physical restrictions of our disabilities but also negative social stereotypes. Throughout the centuries sexuality and attitudes towards it have seemed to calcify. Back in tim

In this 2019 election it is important to reenergise the power of your vote. The Australian coat of arms is a symbol of a country that is dedicated to moving forward so when we head to the polls on May 18th I ask all voters to remember the coat of arms. In election 2019 it is time to stop our democracy from being hacked and reengage with our politicians and politics. It is time to end left wing and right wing battles and come together as a solid base from which all people can enjoy Australia. Our real leaders should be better than fictional ones. My favourite leader is the president from the West Wing. All leaders should be as inspirational in the real world. World leaders such as the Dalai Lama, Mother Theresa and Martin Luther King made their stamp on the world when we they put their humanity first. So ask yourself, which of our leaders puts people first? In my opinion real leaders don't play mind games with the people only throwing Monopoly play money when it's tim

The 2019-2020 Budget has allowed the Coalition to send another direct hit to people with disabilities.  With the Liberal Government choosing to reallocate between 1.6 and 3 billion dollars that had been earmarked for NDIS it has caused much anxiety within the disability community.  It is no secret that disability services have been underfunded by at least 30 million dollars per annum for the last two decades and with the government choosing to take away this funding from disability services the gap is only going to get wider.  The Morrison Government claims that the funding is being reallocated due to the slower than expected roll out of the scheme but if you ask me that is a sign the government should be putting more money into the NDIS and not less. I have been a recipient of government funded services for the past 36 years however with the NDIS roll out I am experiencing more funding insecurity than ever before.  Disability services are not like renting a car or t

In my life my disability has put me in the unique position where 90% of my best friends are women. So unlike most of my male counterparts I believe I'm more aware of the skills, abilities and just general awesomeness of the opposite sex. I have been lucky enough to know many women that have ruled the world of academia. I also know many successful female police officers and a number of army officers. I have a childhood friend who has been a part of the national squad for the Australian Olympic Basketball Team. I am also lucky to have two colleagues, Ingrid and Tina, who are the best disability advocates I have known in my 36 years. Any success I have had in the world of advocacy is due to the fact that I have modelled my career on their work. Now let's not forget the hundreds of women who have been my personal support workers, therapists, nurses, and teachers who have helped make me the man I am today. So now in honour of every amazing woman in this world I have penn

In this day and age, the art of having a say is even more important than ever, as evident by this years 20th anniversary of the Having a Say conference. With the changing world of the NDIS people with disabilities need to have the ability and skills to speak up. The Having a Say conference allows us to do this. Having a Say allows people with disabilities to come together and influence policies and procedures, and the disability services we receive. It allows us to meet fellow people with disabilities from around Australia and the world. This years conference has workshops, exhibitions and presentations covering things like building safe and respectful cultures, our choice as well as workshops on public speaking, theatre, music and much more. The Together Project is one example of how participants at the Having a Say conference are empowered to speak up on serious issues like abuse and neglect in a creative art exhibition. I have always been very lucky to be good at the

I have been thinking for the last few months that many minority groups, whether they be disability groups or cultural groups, the LGBTQI community or the feminist movement would gain equality easier if we all worked together. I have recently been disappointed by many of my celebrity male heroes. The #MeToo campaign made me go back and watch Emma Watson's HeforShe UN speech and I have decided to take some small actions as a "real man" to show solidarity with all the females in my life. I am the first to admit that in the past I would make sexually inappropriate comments just because I thought it was funny but now I think before I speak. The recent right wing protests in Australia calling for an immigration ban on African and Muslim people is absolutely ridiculous. The colour of someone's skin does not make them dangerous. Like everyone I have my own subtle prejudices but someone's skin colour has never been a factor in my decision making. I have many frie