Highlights from 2024: Disability Justice//

You're listening to Thursday Breakfast's Summer Programming on 3CR Community Radio. 

Today's show features a selection of interviews featuring the voices of Autistic and disabled folks, as well as those fighting for disability rights. Stay tuned to 3CR 855AM, 3CR Digital and streaming at 3cr.org.au or via the Community Radio App.//

Acknowledgement of Country//

Shaun Bickley - Thursday, 3 October & 10 October 2024 //

Autistic disability activist Shaun Bickley caught up with Priya in October 2024 to discuss the labour exploitation of disabled people in so-called Australia with a focus on the issue of wage theft by Australian Disability Enterprises or ADEs. Today, you'll hear part one and two of that conversation. Shaun is campaigning for an end to subminimum wage for disabled people in Australia, and has created an open letter, which you can sign onto as an individual or endorse on behalf of an organisation [Plain English version linked at top of letter].//

Leon Wingard - Thursday, 7 November 2024 //

Leon Wiegard, Assistant Branch Secretary of the Australian Services Union, joined us in November 2024 to discuss how employers are attempting to make it lawful for community and disability support workers to be at work for up to 28 hours without overtime pay - a move the Australian Services Union has condemned as reckless, arrogant and unjust.//

Melanie Hawkes - Thursday, 18 July 2024 //

In early July 2024,  NDIS minister Bill Shorten announced that users of the scheme would be denied access to sex workers and sexual services under planned reforms. The NDIS Amendment Bill has been met with criticism across the board for its heavy focus on budget cuts and a failure to centre the experiences of people living with a disability. Today we will hear from Melanie Hawkes - a member of the management committee of Touching Base and NDIS participant with a physical disability, who joined me to share her experience of sex and disability. Touching Base is a charitable organization developed to assist people with disability and sex workers connect with each other, focusing on access, human rights, legal issues and attitudinal barriers. In response to Minister Shorten’s announcement last week, they have released a joint statement alongside nine other organizations, calling for the right to protect access to NDIS funded sexuality services.

Please note that the next segment details sexual experiences and sex work. If you would prefer not to hear this type of content, or have children around, we advise you to tune out for the next 20 minutes.//

Kate aka Perno -  Thursday, 16 May 2024 //

Kate is a queer, disabled activist who joined us in May 2024 to speak about Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) during ME/CFS Awareness Week (12 -19 May). We will discuss international and evidence based guidelines and how australia has lagged in this area, how to reconnect with who you are while living with ME/CFS, and how we can learn more. Kate has also worked as a former nurse, a peer worker in drug harm reduction, been a fierce advocate for dancefloor safety through Cool Room and Safety Mates.//