Building Inclusion

This episode explores Personal and Community Support for people with disability in Australia, highlighting how the right supports can empower people to lead meaningful, connected, and fulfilling lives.

Sam Drummond speaks with Paralympian and disability advocate Kathleen O’Kelly Kennedy about founding the Red Dust Heelers, a program creating opportunities for First Nations people with disability to participate in sport and community life. He also speaks with rapper and musician Grace Kenny (GK), and Liam McKennie from Back to Back Theatre, who share how a supported theatre company can open pathways to employment, skills development, and cr...

The podcast episode explores safety, rights, and justice for people with disability in Australia, and the urgent need for systems that truly protect and uphold human rights. Sam Drummond speaks with Rosie Putland, an Autistic advocate, who shares her experiences navigating discrimination and the justice system. Rosie reflects on how some supports designed for victim survivors were, at times, more accessible and inclusive for her - highlighting how thoughtful approaches can better serve diverse needs.

Also featured is Kate Eastman SC, human rights lawyer and former Disability Royal Commission Commissioner, who calls for a deeper, rights-based...

The podcast episode explores Inclusive Housing and Communities in Australia, and the real impact that accessible design and policy can have on people’s lives. Sam Drummond spoke with Paul Nunnari, a respected Paralympian and long-time disability advocate, about the power of speaking up for change. Paul shared how he once wrote directly to the NSW Premier to advocate for the Sydney Opera House to become more accessible for people with disability — a reminder that advocacy from individuals can influence some of the country’s most iconic places.

Also featured is Joseph Connellan to speak about w...

In this episode, Sam Drummond travels across the country, amplifying the voices shaping the future of disability inclusion in Australia.

In the Blue Mountains, Andrea Comastri speaks about Hotel Etico, the social enterprise he co-founded and leads as CEO. Hotel Etico supports people with disability to gain training and employment in the hospitality industry. Graduate Quinn Jones shares how the program gave him the confidence and skills to grow his career in hospitality.

Joining the conversation is Tanya Pederick, Program Coordinator at YouthWorX NT in the Northern Territory, alongside Caitlin, a participant in the program...

Building Inclusion: Australia’s Disability Strategy is a powerful new podcast series amplifying the voices shaping the future of disability inclusion in Australia.

Hosted by writer, lawyer and disability advocate Sam Drummond, Building Inclusion brings Australia’s Disability Strategy to life through lived experience.

Each episode dives into the outcome areas at the heart of the Strategy:

Employment and Financial Security; Inclusive Homes and Communities; Safety, Rights and Justice; Personal and Community Support; Education and Learning; Health and Wellbeing; and Community Attitudes.

Honest and solutions-focused, Buildin...