PWdWA State Conference 2022 - Inclusive Communities
7 & 8 December - Bendat Centre
Call for Content information
Submissions close: 30 June 2022
Presenter places offered by: 17 August 2022
You are invited to present a session at the conference.
Anyone can offer to present a session, and it doesn’t matter if you have never presented at a conference before. People with lived experience of disability are particularly encouraged to take part.
To put forward your idea, you need to complete an online form (or contact us if you need a different format).
We will contact you by mid-August 2022 to let you know if we can include your suggestion in the conference program.
Below you will find the links to make a submission and further information about the Call to Content. Please email our Communications Officer if you would like an alternative format for your accessibility at [email protected].
Call for Content submission - Closes Thursday 30 June at 4 pm.
PWdWA State Conference Website
Keep up to date with what will be happening at our Conference or join the mailing list on our website.
Conference Reference Group
PWdWA and Evolve Events are working with fantastic volunteers to plan and govern our conference. Our reference group is comprised exclusively of people with disabilities.
- Lisa Burnette
- Simon Chong
- Nihal Iscel
- Kat Johns
- Amber Jones
- Rachel-Anne Sambell
Hon. Don Punch Announcement
On Wednesday, 4 May, Minister for Disability Services, Hon. Don Punch announced that the Department of Communities will sponsor PWdWA's State Conference.
Click on the link below to read the press release. If you would like this information presented differently, please contact PWdWA's Communications Officer at [email protected]
Hon. Don Punch Press Release (PDF)
PWdWA State Conference 2020 - Celebrating Self Advocacy
19 & 20 November - Bendat Centre
PWdWA welcomed Western Australians to our Inaugural State Conference. This was WA's first-ever conference, led exclusively by people with disabilities.
Conference Reference Group
Our conference was planned and governed exclusively by people with disabilities. Our amazing volunteers were:
- Simon Chong - A board member of PWdWA and Blind Citizens WA. Simon has lived experience of being legally blind.
- Jamin Dix - Jamin has lived experience with autism and ADHD.
- Jacqueline Green - from Women with Disabilities. Jacqueline has lived experience with cerebral palsy.
- Adam Hewber - PWDWA board member, METRONET adviser and ACROD Reference Body member. Adam has lived experience of spastic paraparesis.
- Samantha Jenkinson - former PWdWA Executive Officer and Conference Chair. Samantha has lived experience of physical disability.
- Kirsten Whent - Kirsten has lived experience of hard of hearing and mental health issues.
Invited Speakers
Prue Hawkins
Disability Inclusion: a work in progress
Principal of her law firm, Prue has extensive experience in disability discrimination matters in state and federal jurisdictions; Prue draws on her lived experience as a wheelchair user with brittle bone disease. You can listen to what Prue had to say on Day 1 of the PWdWA Conference Youtube session starting at 1:18:00. Closed Captioning and Auslan provided.
Patrick Gunaserkera
Self-Advocacy Beyond the System
Patrick is a queercrip Sinhalla interdisciplinary artist. Patrick has performed nationally, and his writing is widely published. Patrick's work is informed by ideas of resistance, grassroots organising and solidarity set by People of Colour and disabled activists. You can watch what Patrick says on Day 1 of the Conference Youtube channel at 1:35:40 with closed captioning and Auslan.
Senator Jordon Steel-John
Influencing Decision Makers
Australia's youngest Senator and former PWdWA board member is a lifelong disability advocate and social justice campaigner. Jordan was the McKinnon Emerging Political Leader of the YEr. He holds a range of policy portfolios and is deeply involved with the Disability Royal Commission. You can watch what Jordan spoke about on Day 2 of the Conference Youtube channel at the 1:14:55 mark. Ausland and Close Captioned.
Dr Rita Kleinefeld-Fowell
Disability Discrimination in Action
Rita is an experienced disability discrimination lawyer. Rita holds two Master's Research Law Degrees and her PhD in Law on the definition of discrimination. Rita works with people with disability to address neglect, abuse, mistreatment, discrimination, and poor service. Rita is Chairperson of DeafBlind West Australia and has lived experience with deaf and blind. You can watch Rita's presentation on Day 2 of the Conference Youtube channel at the 7:25:10 mark.