Thread by @EDesmarchelier

Here is my (cut short) #JobsSummit speech. The summit certainly didn’t deliver everything I wanted for people with disability, but as a queer, disabled woman it was an immense honour to be in the room. Here’s a🧵on a few behind the scenes takeaways from my time there. 1/

Firstly, this is in no way the end. I spoke to @billshortenmp Fri night who is keen to speak this week to look at what other outcomes from the #NDIS Jobs & Skills Summit we can immediately progress. Again, I thank him & his team for their support in getting me to the summit. 2/

Following announced Aged Pension changes, allowing older Aussies to work w/o losing their pension, I made a b-line for @JEChalmers & strongly pointed out that the economic benefits also apply to changing the DSP. He heard me & committed to work on it. I will hold him to that. 3/

I got more than my fair share of time talking to Alan Joyce about how inaccessible air travel is for PwD. He was generous w/ his time & also made agreed to meet, show me the work @Qantas is doing on accessibility & look at better ways of working with PwD moving forward. 4/

.@AnnaMBligh rightly pointed out that banks led the way w/ employment plans for PwD, but the biggest challenge is reducing financial exploitation & by the sounds of it they’re working on it w/ PwD & experts in Supported Decision Making. This is really positive. 5/

SA Premier @PMalinauskasMP was incredibly proud to talk about his govt’s world leading commitment to supporting the neurodiverse community, inc. a Min for Autism, but was happy to admit SA (& all states) could do more to increase disability employment in state govt. agencies. 6/

After speaking to @JamilaRizvi & @helenmccabe from @FutureWomen for about 3 mins they were already my carer coaches, agents, publicists and had planned the next 10 yrs of my carer. Their passion for helping women get the most out of their carers is so obvious and infectious. 7/

Finally, I had the honour to meet a hero of mine @Kate_Jenkins_. You can often get often pigeonholed as one thing. I was there to represent PwD, but I’m also a young woman. Kate’s work has & will cont. to keep countless women safe at work & for that I will be forever grateful. 8/

Did PwD get everything we wanted? No. But did we have a seat at the table? Yes. Was business put on notice that they need to do more to employ PwD? Yes. Does govt. know it must to do more? Yes. Holding them accountable means the #DisabilityCommunity must continue to campaign. 9/

We always said #DefendOurNDIS wouldn't fix everything. We must rebuild all systems that discriminate against #PeopleWithDisability, including in the workplace. This is a time of huge opportunity, but it is also when the hard work begins. I’m up for it, are you? #auspol 10/