Tag: brisbane

Parting is such sweet sorrow; my final Dog Blog

Hi Friends and goodbye

Arrow lying on her back — I’m kicking back!

By the time you read this I’ll be living in Brisbane. The boss is taking me up there so this is my last chance to get on his computer and write.

He doesn’t think I know. It’s amazing how humans under-rate our sense about these things. If I hadn’t understood him talking to other people about it, I would have picked it up from the extra cuddles and pats he has been giving me for the past few months since the decision was made. I can read him like a book.

I’m sad about going

I really enjoy working as a guide dog. I love working with the boss. I get to be a superior dog, going to lots of places where other dogs are just not allowed to go. I get to travel to new places all around Australia. And most importantly I get to meet all of you, and give you a quick sniff (and even the occasional lick when the boss is not paying attention).

Arrow's taxi to the airport — Only the best taxi to the airport

But I am finding it tougher these days. I’m 10.5 years old now, that’s 75 in human years. The arthritis is painful when I’m in cold places, and my wheat allergy means that my ears are sore much of the time. I think I should take it a little bit easier.

Where I’m going will be great. It’s Brisbane so it’s warm. I will be with people who I have visited for Christmas for the last five or six years. There are two other dogs there who I really like. And humans who visit call it dog heaven — it’s a totally dog-friendly house, we get to go for walks every day, and it’s close to parks and the beach.

I visited there with Maureen and the boss last year, and really enjoyed the weekend. I’m going to be pretty happy there, and I’m sure that the boss will come to visit me regularly.

I’ve met the dog whose taking over my job

I tried to pass on some of the things I have learned. But she’s a typical teenager, and it seemed to me that much of it went over her puppy head. We’ll see how much she took in during the years to come, I guess.

She’s a golden Labrador, and she has been training with the boss for about four weeks. It’s hard work for both of them at present, but in time I think she’ll be almost as good a guide dog as I have been.

I don’t think her writing skills will match mine, but you wouldn’t be surprised by that. I did explain to her how she could access the boss’s computer at night when he wasn’t paying attention, but she just looked at me dismissively. She told me that computers were very “old school” and all the hip pooches are using “smart” devices. She tells me not to bother myself about techno stuff; she’s cool with all of that. We’ll see.

Think of me kicking back in Brissie

Arrow the guide dog get some well-earned rest on a bed wrapped in Rachel's baby blanket — Here I am in Brisbane. My bed is made with Rachel’s old baby blanket

I’m sorry I won’t see you at the book launches. But just remember that he didn’t write it all — you have my permission to quietly remind him of that if he gets above himself.

So, to quote the great dog of the universe: “May the sun shine warmly where you lie, may the breeze bring you pleasant smells, and may you catch all those rabbits that you chase in your dreams.”

Arrow, the retiring guide dog

P.S. You are seeing some of my pictures from Facebook. I will try and update my old mate Jordie’s FB page (she was MY predecessor, may she rest in peace), so you can see what I’m up to.

Image credit: Top and centre, Tracey Markos. Bottom: Julie Tait. Featured image: Kim Welinski.

DOG BLOG – week 4

Thursday 3 December

It’s another early start. Pick up at 6 30 for a 7 AM gig at the Museum of Australian Democracy at Eureka. Good quality crumbs from the breakfast, though.

The boss is comparing women in Claire Wright’s book The Forgotten Rebels of Eureka with the way women with disabilities are also forgotten. Claire Wright’s book is a great read – he thought I was asleep while he was reading it, but I stayed awake to listen. It’s annoying, though, when he listens to sections with his headphones on in a plane and a car, so I miss a few important chunks. I wonder if I could get his computer to play it to me again.

Anyway, we’re back in the hire car and off to the ANZ headquarters in Melbourne. Our second International Day function. It’s the Star Awards – I didn’t get an award, but managed a few appearances in photos, and grabbed a few more crumbs.

And we’re off again. Back to the airport and heading to Tweed Heads. Umm Jetstar Boss, could be a challenge.

Yes, I was right, the flight is delayed. Thank goodness Queensland is an hour behind us – means we are not too late to the dinner awards function for the Tweed City Council.

Nice and warm up here – Ballarat was cold, even in December. The Boss made another speech and lots of people got awards. Wow I’m tired though – too busy a life for an old dog. Oh, so is he.

He’s sneaking out a little early – that’s not like the boss, but thank goodness. Back to the hotel, some nice carpet to sleep and an open balcony.

Friday 4 December

We’re flying again. Home this time I think. I might get a weekend at home for a change.

Yes, the taxi is dropping us off here. Thank goodness – a bit of time out of the harness.

Not for long though. The boss has unpacked, and sat at his desk for a while, and we’re off again. He’s speaking at a Cricket Australia conference in Artarmon for the International Day. And they like him – I get the sense that most of them in this room are cricket tragics themselves, just like the boss. Not sure what they see it in myself. Games go on for a long time, and the commentators seem to chat about a lot of things not related to cricket – I guess they have to work out a way to fill in the boring bits. Don’t tell him I said that though.

Now we’re off to the city for an Attitude Foundation board meeting and then the Australian Network on Disability drinks. That should be good. Lots of my friends there, and the crumbs are always good in a crowd.

Saturday 5 December

There’s the doorbell. And they’re calling me. I’m in the lift by myself. This means its bath day.

Sandra meets me on the ground floor – I don’t know how they open the door for her – this technology tricks me sometimes. And off I go to the trailer for a wash. It’s a warm day so I won’t get too cold. And I do like coming back with a clean shiny coat, and smelling so nice. I get very excited when I return to the apartment.

The Boss and Maureen are going out to dinner tonight which is great – I get time for a long sleep, and with any luck Rachel’s boyfriend will come over. He always gives me lots of pats.

Sunday 6 December

Another quiet day. Everyone in the family is taking it easy.

Oh no, the suit case is out again. How many meals has he made up this time, and where are we going now?

In a taxi and off to the airport. Adelaide this time. Ok.

Wow it’s hot here. 40 degrees. How do they live in this? Dinner with friends tonight, and we must be doing a gig tomorrow.

Well the boss made a good call and did not leave the hotel window open. He and I usually like that, but the heat is amazing here.

And now we’re off to the University for a “Conversation with Graeme Innes” primarily aimed at people with disabilities. Wow, the footpaths are burning my little feet and its only 9 o’clock in the morning.

Lots of interesting talk, and then lunch and back to the airport. There are some lovely people here, but I couldn’t live in this heat. Phew, Sydney is a bit cooler.

Tuesday 8 December

Two more International Day speeches today, but at least they are in Sydney. So we’re on the train. I like the train, and the Boss is much happier now that stations are announced. It’s funny you know, some people think it’s me who knows what station we have to get off. It’s really the Boss who works it out, but I’m happy to take the credit for it if people want to give that to me.

Our first speech is to the Department of Planning. Did I say our first speech? Well the Boss makes them, but I deserve a lot of the credit – it’s me who gets him there, and lots of the stories are about me – at least the good stories are about me.

That one’s done and we’re off to Sun Studios for a photo shoot. What – I’m not included in the photos. What are they thinking – these pics will sink without trace.

Now we’re back for another speech to the Office of the Environment and Heritage. This day is just Go Go Go.

And there is an evening function as well. The Boss is facilitating a Life without Barriers roundtable for the disability sector – called Ideas without Barriers – clever name boss. This one is about Choice and Control. Interesting discussion, and the crumbs at Spark Helmore are certainly better than average. I’m glad it’s Christmas soon – not sure how much longer I can keep up this pace.

Wednesday 9 December

At last, a quiet day. The Boss is appearing on The Drum this afternoon, so he’s doing his research. But he’ll go by taxi, so with any luck I’ll get to stay at home for a long snooze. He usually leaves some nice music on for me – he’s quite thoughtful really.

He’s come back happy, so The Drum must have gone well. That’s good.

Thursday 10 December

Another speech today. The Boss is giving the Occasional Address at a Sydney University Graduation where he is an Adjunct Professor. He’s going to wear that gown and squishy hat again.

Not sure I’m keen on that look, but it seems to get some positive feedback. No hat for me I notice.

He gave a good speech though. Told a story from his book which is coming out next year – you should read it, there will be some great guide dog stories.

Friday 11 December

We did a video shoot this morning for a Sydney University promotion – at least the Boss did the shoot and I snoozed in the corner. They didn’t want me in the shot again. When will people learn that dogs draw eyeballs?

Then off to the Boss’s Uncle’s funeral – I thought the Boss was quite sad today.

Maureen and the Boss are out to dinner tonight so I’ll get a quiet one.

Saturday 12 December

Flying again. And Maureen’s coming. This is different.

We’ve gone to Brisbane, and someone is picking us up. YES, it’s Sharon and Julie. I have gone to their place for Christmas for the past four or five years. They must have moved to Brisbane.

This Is Exciting!

I get to hang out with their two dogs, Bully and Maddie. I also get the run of this house. Their jokey nickname for the place is “the kennel” because it is so dog friendly. And both Sharon and Julie are just lovely to me. I could stay here for a long time.

The Boss and Maureen had a lovely weekend here – going out and sight-seeing, and just catching up with good friends. I just hung out – it was awesome.

I reckon I could retire here – nice warm weather, two doggie friends to play with, the lovely Sharon and Julie and a house for us all. I can’t think of much more I could want.

One last word

It’s been a pretty hard few weeks while I’ve been blogging, and another big year for the Boss and me. I turned 10 in September, so I’m starting to feel the years a bit more. And the injury to my foot on that SydneyTrains escalator earlier in the year was certainly a set-back for me.

I love working with the Boss. We go to some fascinating places, and I reckon I fly more than any other dog in Australia. But I guess all good things must come to an end.

I think I’m going to stop blogging now. It’s been lots of fun giving you my perspective on the Boss’s life. But it’s hard to find the time to write when he’s not on the computer.

So you all have a good Christmas – I hope Santa brings you lots of bones and doggie treats, and you get plenty of time stretched out on the balcony with the occasional tummy rub. That’s my plan.

By the way, make sure you get your share of the Christmas ham – it’s the best!

DOG BLOG … or FINDING A WAY: Hey! That’s My job

I love travelling with the boss. I get to go for a walk with him each morning – he usually goes with Maureen. So many good smells here in Adelaide, but quite dry and hot.

He spoke to the Disability Justice Plan Symposium this morning. They are doing some great work here. And I got to sniff the leg of the Deputy Premier – I suppose that is an honour.

Then off to the airport again. People keep wanting to grab the boss’s arm and push him around. Makes it really hard for me when he can’t give me harness directions. I really don’t get why people do that – they wouldn’t like it if someone pushed them around like a piece of furniture.

Wow, we’re flying to Brisbane and then to Cairns today. That’s another 2150 km, making a total of 3520 km for the week.

At Brisbane airport they have a dog toileting room. Great idea, but they’ve put fake grass in here. Don’t they know my nose works 500 times better than theirs. I’m not toileting on that. What’s wrong with a big tray of sand or dirt. Some humans just don’t get it.

Cairns, warm. Great. Much better for the old arthritic hips. Hope we stay a while.

Friday 20 November

Nice walk again early this morning, except that I kept getting swooped by a noisy minor – well the boss thought he was being swooped, but it’s not all about him. I don’t get birds – can’t they work out that I do not have the capacity to fly, even if I wanted to. So there is no way I am touching their nests. Oh well…

Life Without Barriers board meeting today. They’re a nice bunch, and it’s a long meeting, so I get to catch some more Z’s. I think they laugh at me a bit when I snore – they should hear the boss.

They’re handing out Christmas presents now. The boss gets a nice tie and a stubby holder – well done, he needs some new ties, I’m getting a bit bored with the old ones. And look, they’ve given me a bone – how good is that. What a thoughtful mob – recognising how much work I do getting the boss from place to place. You should stay on this board boss.

Oh, this is different. We’re catching a shuttle bus now. A bit tight between the seats when I’ve still got my harness on Boss. And these metal floors – what’s wrong with a bit of carpet.

We’ve arrived at . Nice! And the apartment here is lovely – ground floor so the boss can just let me outside when – you know…. Don’t worry boss, there’s no side fences to this yard, but I’m not going anywhere. As long as you keep feeding me I’m staying around.

Saturday 21 November

We must be staying here for a while. He installed the Apple TV this morning. Maureen probably told him to.

Oh well, the music he plays certainly beats his own tuneless rendition of Summertime, and the livin’ is easy

Or “cricket on the radio.” If I here that one just once more I’m into some serious shoe chewing. That would get him worked up.

Now I shouldn’t be nasty to him – he’s just let me out the back and given me my bone to chew. Back in a while folks – got to get your priorities right.

Mmmm that bone really hit the spot – thanks LWB. He only gives me dry food so it’s nice to break out occasionally. And because of my wheat allergy I have to watch what I eat or my ears get really sore. Still, if he takes me to the beach I might get some salt water in them – that seems to help. I wish Rachel were here – she takes me to the beach and the park much more than the boss does.

Anyway, full tummy, time for a sleep while he writes. Always writing – I never get a chance to use the computer and keep my blog up to date.

Woops, I’ve been caught. He’s discovered my blog on his blog site. He doesn’t seem too concerned though. He won’t like it if my blog gets more comments than his – ummmm, I’ll have to watch that.

Sunday 22 November

Yep we’re definitely staying. He’s got the boardies on this morning. Wonder what we’ll do up here.

Looks like another quiet day for me. He’s writing again. I’m getting the feeling that there are a lot of speeches coming up for the international day. Should be good – people always drop nice crumbs at those type of events.

YIPPEEEE Maureen and Rachel arrived this afternoon, and Rachel has a friend with her. Two teenagers – I feel runs on the beach coming up. Only problem is they went off to the restaurant for dinner and didn’t take me – that happens a bit when the boss is with the family.

Monday 23 November

We went out today. Caught the shuttle into Port Douglas and did more shopping. Maureen and Rachel are much better shoppers than the boss. Although when he’s in the super-market by himself I can get away with more sniffs at the meat fridges if they’re down at my level. Oh well.

It’s pretty hot up here for a dog with as much hair as mine. Being black doesn’t help. And I can’t stand still on the hot bitumen – it burns my feet. OUCH.

Back to the apartment and air-con. Thank goodness. The air-con in Maureen and Graeme’s bedroom is activated by a movement sensor. They haven’t caught me yet, but if I run in there quickly while they’re not in the apartment I can turn it on. Then I lie just outside the door on the cool tiles and I’m pretty chilled. I could get to like this lifestyle.

They went for a swim in the pool after lunch but didn’t take me. I’m sure the boss could argue he needs his guide dog to show him the way in that pool. Sometimes he just doesn’t try hard enough on my behalf.

And then, when it cooled down later in the afternoon, that beach walk I’ve been waiting for. And off the harness. EXCELLENT.

Rachel and her friend kept chasing me out of the water. They keep mentioning something about stingers, but I reckon with all my hair I’d be ok. Any how, they’re not having it. A couple of rolls in the sand were nice though. There are some great new scents down here which I checked out, and I managed to eat something on the beach before they could stop me. Pretty good all round.

Tuesday 24 November

Rained last night. They have serious rain up here. No sprinkles or light showers. It just drops in buckets. Noise woke me up in the night, and it takes a lot to do that.

Another quiet day. I’m enjoying it.

They went to the Wildlife sanctuary today and had Lunch with the Lorrikeets. The boss said I couldn’t go. The two places I am not allowed are zoos and the surgical wards of hospitals. It’s something to do with cross-infection, and possibly upsetting the other animals. I’m getting a bit bored with being left in this apartment by myself. And then they went in the pool again without me.

Still, Maureen and the boss took me for a walk on the beach at night. That was fun. And on the way to the beach, because the path is quite dark, I got to show both of them the way. Pretty awesome.

The moonlight on the beach tonight was beautiful. I kept out of the water – may be there is something in this stingers story. But just running along was fun. And in the dark I can run just far enough away so that Maureen can’t see me – like to test the boundaries a bit sometimes.

Wednesday 25 November

They went out without me again this morning. I know, it was only to pick up a rental car. But they could have taken me. Anyway, I’ve given them a little reminder that the “home alone” scenario does not always play out well – I tipped over the garbage bin and went through the contents. Some quite tasty things to lick in there.

The boss and Maureen were appalled when they got back. But I had a nice time, and chewed most of the packets to get what was left inside. Rachel came in and pretended to be angry as well, but I know that really she thought it was quite funny. Oh well, they’ll think twice about leaving me alone again.

We drove to Mossman Gorge today. Not far from where we are staying, and once you get up into the gorge it is beautifully cool. It’s a national park, so I have to stay in harness. But Rachel persuaded the boss that it would be ok to take me down to the water and let me have a walk in it and a long drink. That has got to be some of the freshes water I have ever enjoyed.

There are a lot of ants and insects up there which bothered me a bit, but apart from that I really liked it. A few tourists had dropped some crumbs amongst the rocks, so I helped by cleaning them up. Don’t want the wild life up here getting used to the wrong types of food do we.

They left me in the apartment again this afternoon, but after being out in the heat of the day I didn’t mind too much. Just popped into the bedroom and turned on the air con and it was beautiful. Anyway, the boss is talking about going sailing, and I’m not keen on boats. Then something about watching cane toads race – I think I can skip that.

Thursday 26 November

Quiet day inside today. The boss is writing again. I feel a lot of moving around coming up next week, so I’d better get my strength up. I might have a look at his calendar when I go on the website to post this blog to see what we will be doing.

Ending the Blind Curfew

Last week Brisbane City Council advised that all audible traffic signals would operate 24 hours a day seven days a week, ending the curfew for people who are blind or have low vision in Brisbane which has applied for more than fifteen years. Previously, many signals were turned off at 9:30 at night, and back on at 6:30 in the morning.

I concgratulate Brisbane City Council for this decision. It is a triumph of committed people over bad policy.

I visited Brisbane to attend a conference several months ago. I was planning where I should have dinner, and someone commented that I would need to start dinner early, as I would have to be home by 9:30 at night. Being unused to having a curfew, I questioned this. It’s because the audible traffic signals are turned off at that time, I was told. I could not believe it!

As it happened, I was unusually well behaved at dinner that night, and I was home before 9:30. But the next morning I took my guide dog out for an early walk- prior to 6 AM. And as advised, there were no audible traffic signals to let me know when I could cross the road. I was a prisoner of the Brisbane City Council policy.

I did some research, and found that this policy had been in place for more than fifteen years. This was due to a councillor who had once been kept awake by similar signals in New Zealand. I knew, however, that the volume of such signals was controlled by a monitoring microphone, so that when traffic and other noise was quiet, as it often is in the middle of the night, the signals are quiet as well. So this equipment had not been working in New Zealand all of those years ago, or he had only had a small travel budget, and managed it by sleeping on the footpath next to the light pole.

I was so outraged that people who were blind or had low vision in Brisbane could be so disadvantaged by the ill-informed whim of a policy maker with insomnia that I talked to a journalist about it. She thought it would make an excellent story, and the rest – as they say – is history.

The media ran with the story, and I did interviews across the country. The policy was made to look silly, and – after further consultation by council with relevant disability organisations- it was changed.

This story made me think about the language I had used. What seemed to concern council most was that I had referred to the policy as a “blind curfew”. I did so because that is how I had regarded it. But the reaction this received demonstrated the importance of the language which we use.

The Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities seeks to shift the mind-set about us from objects of pity to subjects with rights, and from our disability being the barrier to the environment in which we live being the barrier. Thus, it was not that I could not see which prevented me from crossing the road, it was that there was no audible traffic signal to give me the same information which people who see received.

I was once counselled by a colleague for whom I have great respect not to refer to the policy – applied by most airlines in Australia – of only carrying two passengers who use wheelchairs as “wheelchair apartheid”. She was shocked by the use of apartheid in that way, because of its origin. Apartheid is the system of segregation or discrimination on grounds of race in force in South Africa from 1948-ia. It comes from the Afrikaans, and literally means separateness.

I thought very carefully about this advice, because I valued my colleague’s judgement highly. But I decided to continue to use the expression, because treating people with disabilities separately and differently is exactly what the “two wheelchair” policy does. This process confirmed the importance of describing such policies by their impact, and effectively “calling out” the policy-makers for what they had done to people with disabilities.

Perhaps it was the use of the term “blind curfew” which swayed the policy-makers, or caught their attention. I don’t know. But there is no doubt that good advocacy, and implementation of the disability convention, requires clarity on the barriers in our environment, and their effect.

What do you think? Should we describe such policies in this emotive way? Should we call a spade a spade?

The Sin Of Spin

Clarke and Dawes last Thursday synthesised the last few weeks of my life. If you value language and truth its worth meeting Mr Lars Torders. It’s on ABC iView. http//:::iview.abc.net.au/program/clarke

As a cricket tragic I never thought I’d describe spin as a sin. It’s not in the cricket world. But in the world where I work-
Australian human rights, politics and the media, the sin of spin has reached a new high for me.

Last week the Daily Telegraph (no link provided as I do not want to encourage you to read it) ranted. Surprise surprise you might say- isn’t this a daily event. This rant, which was actually a re-run from 2011 (originality runs out everywhere eventually) was about the huge increase in the number of people receiving the Disability Support Pension.

Rational analysis, however, shows that – when taken as a proportion of the Australian population – DSP numbers have not increased in the last decade, and dropped one percentage point in the last twelve months. Of course, as our population increases, the numbers on the DSP will increase- just as the number of tax-payers, employees, voters, or for that matter Daily Telegraph readers- will increase.

The Tele – in this same re-run rant – contrasted the so-called sins of these DSP recipients against the bravery of Australian soldiers, by use of the absolutely irrelevant fact that more Australians receive the DSP than had been wounded in wars. In the process, they slurred DSP recipients, and insulted many of our soldiers, who – as a result of their service- are currently in receipt of the DSP. But to not misrepresent the figures, and to take the feelings of those people into consideration would be to spoil a “good yarn.”

The Tele then went on to talk about how these DSP recipients lived in beach-side suburbs on the far north coast of NSW, trying to suggest enjoyment of “the good life”. If you can have a good life when you have a disability, and live on less than $20000 a year. They chose to ignore the fact that these places are some of the lowest socio-economic regions of NSW. And given that 45% of Australians with disabilities live in poverty according to OECD figures, its not surprising that they would live in areas where the costs of living are less.

But my favourite in the “let’s support our point with absolutely meaningless statistics” stakes was that NSW has the biggest number of DSP recipients. Well Hullo. NSW has the biggest population.

But life wouldn’t be too bad if the sin of spin confined itself to the pages of the Tele- everyone expects it there. But I have encountered it in a number of other places, which is far more concerning.

First, the Brisbane City Council. They impose a curfew on blind people by turning off the audio traffic signals at 9:30 at night, and back on at 6:30 in the morning. They don’t turn off the visual traffic information- just the audio. So anyone in Brisbane who is blind risks their safety if they venture out two and a half hours before Cinderella’s transport does a pumpkin imitation. They say that the noise of the signals disturbs the sleep of the good burghers of Brisbane. But in truth, if the noise-limiting controls are properly maintained on the audible traffic signals, they can’t be heard more than 2 or 3 meters away. Not too many of those good burghers hunker down for the night within a spit of the traffic light pole.

Then we had the Queensland judge who decided that a Deaf woman could not serve on a jury because she sought to use an Auslan interpreter. He said that not being able to hear, she would “only” receive the evidence through lip-reading or Auslan. This wouldn’t be good enough, and any way there was a problem with having a “thirteenth person” break the sanctity of the jury room. This could some how “corrupt” the jury process. In fact, studies done both at Macquarie University in Sydney, and Gallaudet university in the US, have found that Deaf people- using lip-reading and Auslan – have a better understanding of the evidence in criminal trials than do hearing jurors. So more spin to suit the negative assumptions made about people with disabilities.

But what pushed my credulity meter way into zone red were the explanations given in Senate Estimates this week of the governments decision to make a $400.000 annual saving by having one less Commissioner at the Australian Human Rights Commission when my term ends on 4 July. Firstly it was asserted that this decision was not targeting the Disability Discrimination Commission position- even though it was known to government which position would become vacant first. Secondly, the position was not being abolished (technically correct, as this would require an amendment to the Disability Discrimination Act- although let’s start carefully monitoring all consequential amendment bills. Thirdly, the position was not being down-graded- it was going to be filled by one of the other Commissioners on a part-time basis, as well as doing their primary job.

The position is now full-time, filled by a person with lived experience of disability, and a detailed knowledge of the disability sector. In July it will become part-time, filled by a person without lived experience of disability, and who – whilst very knowledgeable in their own sector – will have little knowledge of the disability sector.

Check your dictionary of choice, and tell me that is not a down-grade. And while you’re doing that, keep one eye open for aeronautical Peppa.

All this spin, and who is disadvantaged. The four million Australians with disabilities, 45% of whom live in poverty, who are employed at a rate 30 % less than the general population, who have half the general pass rate at year 12, who disproportionately appear in the justice system as victims and offenders. Added to all of that, we experience the sin of being viewed in a negative and limiting way- we’re not even good enough to sit on a jury and judge our peers. And the spin exacerbates the sin.

So of course we don’t need a full-time Disability Discrimination Commissioner with lived experience of disability. I’ll just go back and watch more Clarke and Dawes on iView.