National Disability Awards
2009 National Disability Award recipients announced!
Recipients of the 2009 National Disability Awards were announced at the awards ceremony held in the Great Hall of Parliament House on 23 November.
One recipient was announced in each of the Business, Social Inclusion, Local Government and Disability Rights Young Leader award categories. In an exciting twist, two recipients were awarded the Minister's Lifelong Achievement Award.
IDPwD Patron Therese Rein, Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs the Hon Jenny Macklin MP, Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children's Services the Hon Bill Shorten MP, Minister for Ageing the Hon Justine Elliot MP, and the Minister for Employment Participation Senator the Hon Mark Arbib presented recipients with their awards.
2009 Award Recipients
Sue Gordon
Robert Strike
Dudley Afford
Tina Zeleznik
Michael Taggart
Melissa Noonan
Sue Gordon - Minister's Lifelong Achievement Award
For the last 15 years Sue has worked with The Advocacy and Support Centre (TASC) in Queensland where she assisted in the instigation of Australia's only dedicated criminal law service for defendants with disability. In conjunction with legal representatives, Sue pioneered the award winning Disability Law Project which investigates the impact of mental illness, intellectual disability and/or acquired brain injury and the relationship to the behaviour that led to the particular charge.
While at TASC Sue helped establish the Queensland Criminal Justice Centre, a web based resource for lawyers and legal professionals on representing people with disability in the courts.
Sue also established the Disability Action Group Force, a community driven organisation that focuses on lobbying for people with disability across education, employment, transport, housing and accommodation sectors.
Earlier this year Sue won a scholarship to travel to New York to study the work of the community courts and Centre for Court Innovation. The Centre for Court Innovation is considered to be a world leader in therapeutic jurisprudence reform for people with mental illness or intellectual disability facing the criminal justice system.
Robert Strike - Minister's Lifelong Achievement Award
Spending most of his young life in an institution has driven Robert Strike's passion for empowering individuals with intellectual disability. Robert, one of the founders of the Self Advocacy movement in Australia, has spent the past 20 years lobbying for systemic change to ensure people with disability are treated equally.
Robert's commitment is evident through his work as co-founder and current President of Self Advocacy Sydney, Chairperson of the NSW Council for Intellectual Disability, educator for the Intellectual Disability Rights Service and former Board Member of Citizens Advocacy Western Sydney.
Robert has educated police, judges and the wider community about the rights of and the discrimination often faced by people with disability, in the justice system. Robert regularly presents at conferences and universities, to support staff and councils on the systemic issues facing people with intellectual disability, and continues to meet with members of parliament to champion for change.
The NSW Council for Intellectual Disability, under Robert's leadership, calls for the breakdown of institutions and believes people with intellectual disability should be living a better life in our communities.
Dudley Afford - Disability Rights Young Leader Award
Dudley Afford is a 21 year old with a commitment to change stronger than many people twice his age. Dudley has improved the lives of people with physical disability in his own high school, and right across Adelaide.
Dudley received merit certificates from his school, the Open Access College, for his Disability Access in Adelaide project as part of his Community Studies subject studies. The project identified areas across Adelaide where mobility was limited and access needed improvement.
Dudley's project made recommendations on how to make public areas accessible for people with disability. Many of Dudley's recommendations have been implemented, including audio-tactile pedestrian crossings, improved signage and train access. Dudley's work has brought about improved access and the removal of some of the physical obstacles faced by people with disability.
Dudley's work has also resulted in his own school becoming a wheelchair friendly environment, with new doors and ramps making school grounds easily accessible for students with physical disability.
Tina Zeleznik - Business Award
Tina Zeleznik is a passionate advocate for equal rights and opportunities for people with disability. Tina has worked for 20 years to break down employment barriers facing people with disability in Australia.
Tina is a constant advocate promoting the benefits of hiring people with disability to large corporate employers, federal, state and local government departments.
In 2003 Tina established the charity organisation Disability Works Australia Ltd (DWA), formed at the time from existing disability recruitment providers. DWA is a single point of access for employers to recruit people with disability, by working with employers linking them with disability employment services, and facilitating the initial development of working relationships between the two.
Under Tina's leadership 85 large corporations have signed client agreements with DWA showing their commitment to increasing employment of people with disability. As a result, Tina has helped more than 8,000 people with high support needs find sustainable employment.
Michael Taggart - Local Government Award
Michael Taggart is a disability advocate and leader, and a driving force for disability accessibility in local government.
Michael was instrumental in the integration of assistive PC screen reader technology at the Salisbury City Council.
Michael led the development of the City of Salisbury's first Disability Action Plan 1999-2003. The plan, under Michael's direction, has led to increased accessibility of new facilities, retro-fitting of inaccessible buildings, footpaths and playgrounds, and has provided library and community centre computers with large font and voice output technology.
Michael also contributed to the development of the Salisbury City Council's first 'footpath trading policy' to improve access in retail precincts. The policy was implemented in 2008/09 and has led to footpaths in retail precincts being kept clear for 1.8 metres from shopfronts.
Michael was the project leader for the development of a local government disability discrimination awareness training package 2000-2003, across the five largest city councils in South Australia.
Ongoing training has been delivered to 300 Salisbury City Council staff since March 2008 and has increased staff awareness about what disability discrimination is, the importance of recognising how barriers to access can be easily avoided, and the knowledge and skills needed for local government to avoid discrimination.
Melissa Noonan - Social Inclusion Award
Melissa Noonan has worked tirelessly as a public speaker promoting community awareness about amputees.
In October 2004 Melissa co-founded Limbs 4 Life, a not for profit organisation which provides information, knowledge and support to amputees within the community, with the aim of preventing isolation caused by the disability. Through Limbs 4 Life Melissa has been able to empower and promote an inclusive community for amputees.
In June 2008 Melissa established the AMP-Link forum on the Limbs 4 Life website to reduce social isolation for amputees in rural and regional communities. The online forum provides amputees with a way to connect with other amputees and discuss specific issues unique to them.
Through the Peer Support Program run by Limbs 4 Life, Melissa has provided a network of opportunities for amputees, helping them feel part of the community. The Peer Support Program helps ensure that no amputee goes through the trauma of limb loss alone. There are currently 55 trained volunteers (all amputees) across four states, who have donated almost 6,000 hours of their time to the Peer Support Program.
You can find out more about each of the 15 finalists in the 2009 Finalist Booklet, available below:
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2009 National Disability Award Finalist Booklet: PDF [1.68MB] / Word [88.5KB]
About the National Disability Awards
The National Disability Awards are part of the Australian Government's celebration of International Day of People with Disability. The awards celebrate and acknowledge the achievements and contributions that individuals with disability make to our community, and recognise individuals within our community who have contributed to the disability sector.
There were five award categories in 2009:
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Minister's Lifelong Achievement Award: For a person, over 25 years of age, with or without disability who has demonstrated a sustained and extraordinary personal commitment to improving and/or reshaping the lives of people with disability.
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Disability Rights Young Leader Award: For a young person, 12-25 years of age, with disability who has raised awareness and shown outstanding leadership in improving the lives of people with disability.
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Business Award: For a person with or without disability who has displayed an innovative approach and achieved substantial outcomes, in advancing the lives of people with disability in areas such as transport, housing, communication and technology. No age limit.
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Local Government Award: For a person who has challenged or lobbied, and has succeeded in implementing substantial change by breaking down barriers faced by people with disability. No age limit.
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Social Inclusion Award: For a person who has worked towards a more inclusive environment by creating opportunities for people with disability to participate in areas such as sport, the arts, education and the wider community. No age limit.
You can find out more about the awards from the Nomination Guidelines.
- National Disability Awards Nomination Guidelines PDF [125KB] / Word [108KB]
Judging Panel
The National Disability Awards finalists and recipients are recommended by an independent panel of judges. The 2009 judges were:
• Dr Rhonda Galbally AO
• Ms Terese Edwards
• Mr Ian Silk
