Inclusive Agenda

Emma Rossi presents a program offering inclusivity in the broader sense, covering connections, community, and kindness. Launching a new episode every four weeks and repeated each fortnight, this 30-minute program is also available as a podcast.

Find Inclusive Agenda on all major podcasting platforms, including....

Listen to the latest episodes below:


Season 1 Episodes

Program #22 - Andrew Fairbairn

Andrew Fairbairn, president of Physical Disability Australia, an organisation formed to promote the rights of community members with disabilities. The Board are all made up of those with physical disabilities. The organisation formed to fill the gap in representation of people with disabilities by people with disabilities.

Original broadcast date 21.08.2022


Program #21 - Catharine Pruscino

Catharine Pruscino, project manager of Respect.Now.Always at UTS, a program to prevent sexual harrasment and assault on university campuses.

Original broadcast date 24.07.2022


Program #20 - Liz Martin

Interview with Liz Martin the newly appointed CEO of Accessible Arts. Liz is also a working musician, fronting her own band. She discusses her lived experience as an artist with a disability and the unseen costs involved in working in the creative industries.

Original broadcast date 26.06.2022


Program #19 - Laura Milkins

This week, inclusive Agenda talks to Laura Milkins, Executive Director, Inclusion and Wellbeing at NSW Department of Education.

Original broadcast date 29.05.2022


Program #18 - Meagan Lawson and Accessible Housing

This week, inclusive Agenda talks to Meagan Lawson, CEO of the NSW Council on the Ageing. The program focusses on some substantial research commissioned by the Council which reveals more older Australians now think their quality of life is deteriorating than ever before.

Original broadcast date 01.05.2022


Program #17 - Queenie Tran and Accessible Housing

Vivian Schenker speaks with Queenie Tran, who has devoted her career to changing the way we think about our homes. She became known for her role at Summer Housing, a not-for-profit which became Australia's largest specialist disability accommodation (SDA) provider, and recently joined Conscious Investment Management, focusing on securing the funds needed for such housing.

Original broadcast date 03.04.2022


Program #16 - Mary Murphy

Mary Murphy is a Sydney-based facilitator at PALZ, a group which supports professional people with Alzheimer's disease. She speaks with Vivian Schenker about the history of the global organisation, and how they assist with workplace accessibility and social connection.

Learn more or form your own group at palzglobal.org.au

Original broadcast date 06.03.2022


Program #15 - Nicky Sloan

This episode features Nicky Sloan, an experienced advocate for community services in the Illawarra region, and current CEO of the wonderful Community Industry Group. She speaks to Vivian Schenker about how the company assists people with disability, their impact on local government policies, and how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected their work.

Original broadcast date 06.02.2022


Program #14 - Nas Campanella

In this episode we catch up with Nas Campanella, a trail-blazing journalist who has worked with the ABC for over a decade. She speaks of her background, the technicalities of her job, covering the Disability Royal Commission, and challenging expectations of people with disability.

Original broadcast date 09.01.2022


Program #13 - Graham Innes

Inclusive Agenda talks to Graeme Innes, lawyer, company director, activist and former Disability Commissioner about his life, changing attitudes and what he calls the “soft bigotry of low expectations”.

Original broadcast date 12.12.2021


Program #12 - Bev Lange

In this episode we talk to Bev Lange, executive officer of a group called Elder Abuse Australia. She describes the most widespread forms of abuse, signs you should watch for and what you can do if you suspect someone you care about is being mistreated.

Original broadcast date 14.11.2021


Program #11 - Dougie Herd

Dougie Herd is a long-time activist and one of the original architects of the NDIS. In this program, he talks about how the NDIS has been working in practical terms and how proposed changes made such a personal impact on him and other people living with a disability.

Original broadcast date 17.10.2021


Program #10 - Murray Elbourn

As Australia celebrates the success of our Paralympic athletes at the Tokyo Games, Inclusive Agenda talks to Murray Elbourn, CEO of Disability Sports Australia. Himself a former athlete, coach and administrator, Murray talks about the importance of sport for people with a disability at both the elite and the grass roots levels.

Original broadcast date 19.09.2021


Program #9 - Professor Simon Darcy

Professor Simon Darcy from the University of Technology Sydney talks about some of the difficulties faced by people with a disability who want to travel and reveals some of the innovations that have made some tourist destinations more accessible and attractive to a broader spectrum of travellers. He also discusses some of his recent research into entrepreneurship for people with disability.

Original broadcast date 25.07.2021


Program #8

Mary Sayers, CEO of Children and Young People with Disability Australia, CYDA, talks about the many challenges facing young people in education, employment and care. She also discusses the growing disability pride movement and some of the ways young people are finding to tell their stories.

Original broadcast date 27.06.2021


Program #7

The remarkable Greens Senator Jordan Steele-John. The youngest Senator ever and the first person with a disability to sit in the upper house, he talks passionately about growing up in a multigenerational family who supported him all the way, about proposed changes to the NDIS and about disability pride.

Original broadcast date 30.05.2021


Program #6 

This week's guest is Anika Stobart, from the policy think tank, The Grattan Institute. She looks at some of the key recommendations of the recent Royal Commission into Aged Care and talks about what is needed to improve a system in desperate need of an overhaul.

Original broadcast date 27.04.2021


Program #5

Cinda Viranna, Head of Indigenous, Diversity and Inclusion at the ABC talks about the changing face of Australian TV and efforts to improve diversity both onscreen and off.

Original broadcast date: 04.04.21


Program #04 

Councillor Jess Scully, Deputy Lord Mayor of the Sydney City Council talks about some of the council's initiatives relating to disability and diversity.

Original broadcast date 07.03.2021


    Program #03

    Ronald Sackville, Chair of the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of people with a Disability.

    Original broadcast date 07.02.2021


      Program #02

      Dr Ben Gauntlett, Disability Discrimination Commissioner at the Australian Human Rights Commission.

      Original broadcast date 10.01.2021


        Program #01

        Robert Fitzgerald AM, NSW Ageing and Disability Commissioner.

        Original broadcast date 13.12.2021

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