Disability Arts History Australia

Items

• “Australia Council - Disability Action Plan 2017–19”
  The website reads “Our current Disability Action Plan 2017–19 sets out actions in detail, building on the achievements of our previous DAP and stretching us further across our three goals of accessibility, leadership and arts practice.”
• "Australia Council - Annual Reports 2010-2022"
  Australia Council - Annual Reports 2010-2023
• "Australia Council - Annual Report 2015-16"
  Australia Council - Annual Report 2015-16 - discusses year in review, strategy, funding, and key facts, including "18% identified as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander 6% identified as experiencing disability", and running Sync Leadership Program for artists with disability
• "Sprung!! Integrated Dance Theatre - About Us, captured 2019"
  Webpage reads, in part "Sprung Integrated Dance Theatre Inc is a not for profit community organisation providing dance and theatre training and workshops for people with a disability. We use a collaborative and disability-led process to develop inspiring dance theatre works that explore the human condition and promote a more inclusive society."
• "Sprung!! Integrated Dance Theatre - Website, captured 2019"
  Sprung!! Integrated Dance Theatre Website, captured 2019 - About, Projects, Programs, Community
• "Sprung!! Integrated Dance Theatre - Open Doors Clowning, Tintenbar 2019"
  Sprung!! Open Doors Clowning, Tintenbar 2019 - Sprung!! describes Open Doors Dance as a program for anyone who enjoys movement and music
• "Sprung!! Integrated Dance Theatre - Open Doors Dance, Tintenbar 2019"
  Sprung!! Open Doors Dance, Tintenbar 2019 - Sprung!! describes Open Doors Dance as a program for anyone who enjoys movement and music
• "Sprung!! Integrated Dance Theatre - Lismore Open Doors 2019"
  Sprung!! Open Doors Lismore 2019 - Sprung!! describes Open Doors Dance as a program for anyone who enjoys movement and music
• "Sprung!! Integrated Dance Theatre - Website, captured 2023"
  Sprung!! Integrated Dance Theatre Website, captured 2023 - About Us, Studios, Sprung!! Performances, Ensemble Auditions, Ensemble Dance Program, Workshops, Community Performances, Sprung!! Online, Auslan Choir, Healthy Living Program
• "Blue Roo Theatre Company - You Tube - My Life, My Story Creative Development (2020)"
  Blue Roo Theatre Company - You Tube - creative development of first digital production My Life, My Story (2020) - reads, in part "My Life, My Story is a timely, poignant and uplifting narrative highlighting the personal journeys of four inclusive artists, from community isolation to public recognition for their creative abilities, determination and joyfulness."
• "Access2Arts Access Resources Audio Description"
  Access2Arts Access Resources Audio Description - includes video example of audio described performance, and information about services and training - reads, in part "Access2Arts has a pool of highly trained and experienced Audio Describers. Our service operates on a fee-for-service basis. We are happy to provide custom quotes for any job, large or small, in any medium and artform. Information about audio describer training can be found on our training page."
• "Quippings presents Risky Business"
  Reads, in part "Risky Business is the Quippings crew daredevils taking over the Melba Spiegeltent with our cabaret wordfest game show extravaganza!"
• "The report Shut Out: The Experience of People with Disabilities and their Families in Australia is published in 2009"
  In 2009, Shut Out: The Experience of People with Disabilities and their Families in Australia was published. This report was commissioned by the Australian Government as part of the National Disability Strategy. It was prepared by the National People with Disabilities and Carer Council.
• "Royal Commission on Human Relationships"
  In 1977, the Royal Commission on Human Relationships noted the legal and human rights of handicapped children and adults.
• "Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons adopted in 1975"
  The 1960s and 1970s saw major changes in people’s attitudes towards disability. Stemming from the growth of the human rights movement and the introduction of normalisation theory internationally, Australia signed key human rights declarations of people with disabilities, the Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons (adopted in 1975). The Declaration argued that disabled people deserve to live lives “as normal and full as possible”.
• "Disability activist Geoff Bell leads significant advocacy”
  In the 1970s, Geoff Bell was a disability activist who, after a diving accident left him quadriplegic at age 21, was placed in a nursing home. Not accepting nursing homes as appropriate residences for young people, he wrote to the then Minister for Social Security Bill Hayden. The letter was presented to parliament. In April 1978, Geoff Bell led ten members of the Disabled People’s Action Forum as they blockaded the entrance to a Medibank claims office for an hour. The protest was held outside Medibank to raise awareness of the architectural barriers to conducting personal business when Medibank was supposed to be of service. Signs held by the members read “We don’t need a stairway to paradise, We want ramps to independence".
• “100 disabled people protest outside Parliament House against moves to tax their government allowances”
  On 29 September 1978, 100 people with disability protested outside Parliament House against moves to tax their government allowances. Following the protest, Treasurer John Howard was forced to rescind the decision.
• "The first known disability-led activism occurred in 1971 when John Roarty formed a committee among the residents of Weemala nursing home."
  John Roarty, who had cerebral palsy, was a resident of Weemala nursing home for 35 years. In what would become known as the first known disability-led activism, John formed a residents committee to fight against maltreatment and to fight for control and choice over their daily lives.
• “The Commonwealth Disability Services Act of 1986 replace the Handicapped Persons Assistance Act of 1974”
  In 1983, The Hawke Labour Government evaluated the initiatives created under the Handicapped Persons Assistance Act of 1974. The HPAA was replaced in 1986 by the Commonwealth Disability Services Act of 1986. Among other changes, this Act represents the shift in nomenclature from 'handicap' to ‘disability’.
• “Lesley Hall leads a protest of the Miss Victoria Quest beauty contest”
  In 1981, Lesley Hall and a group of disability activists protested at the Miss Victoria Beauty Quest (a beauty pagent that was a fundraiser for the Spastic Society in Victoria). The focus on physical perfections was seen “as the norm all must attain if they are to be fully accepted into society”. The protests raised much media attention and marked the beginning of a shift in thinking about the place in Australian society of people with disabilities.
• "Kevin Byrne AM leads protest outside Parliament House"
  The activist Kevin Byrne AM led a protest outside Parliament House. This coupled with the release of the Richmond Report led to the Hawke Government’s Handicapped Programs Review, which in turn led ‘New Directions: Report of the Handicapped Programs Review’.
• “1993 welfare report includes people with disability as one of four foci”
  ‘Australia's Welfare 1993: Services and Assistance’ was the first biennial report to include information on Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Statistics on people with disability was one of four main areas. https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/aa045df7-78e3-465e-b4b5-079b6ae6ace8/aw93.pdf?v=20230605150811&inline=true
• “Advocates fight for accessible public transport”
  In 1994, Maurice Corcoran (a wheelchair user) lodged a complaint about the South Australian government ordering 50 new buses that were not accessible. The Australian Human Rights Commission successfully negotiated for all new buses to be fitted with ramps. Then, in 1999, a protest about the lack of public transport options for people with disability saw Citizens for Accessible Public Transport block traffic in Sydney’s city centre.
• “Australia signs the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disability”
  In 2007, Australia signed the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disability. The CRPD seeks to “promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities”. The Convention came into effect in Australia on 16 August 2008.
• “80 wheelchair users and allies halt Melbourne trams, demanding better access to public transportation”
  In a 2000 demonstration organised by the Catch a Tram group, 80 wheelchair users and their allies halted city trams in Melbourne during lunch hours, demanding better access to public transportation.