Assumption Is…
#1 blog of 2025 Lessons Learned.
Last week I began my next adventure as a member of the Future Shapers Community Leadership program 2025.
We spent 2 days in Melbourne hearing from local Ballarat leaders who explored issues and opportunities within the community that affect the liveability, sustainability and economic growth of our regions. From vital impact signs, agribusiness, renewable energy and more.
Then off to parliament we went to meet with the three local members, Martha Haylett MP, Juliana Addison MP and Michaela Settle MP and the Premier of Victoria, Jacinta Allan MP. A tour of Parliament House, thanks to Juliana and observing question time all included.
In finding the lessons amongst these experiences, I have gathered more questions as I made the assumption that accessibility is something at the forefront of everyone’s mind when they speak of inclusion. It’s definitely not.
The dynamo that is Heidi Biggin and her exceptional Guide Dog Freya took us all along for an interesting insight into the life of a Guide Dog. A guide dog is ‘welcome’ at hotels and yet there are no relieving stations for the Guide Dog’s within the premises. No spot for a highly trained service dog to do their business at a certain time like they are trained to do. The cohort worked with Heidi to safely assist herself and Freya to a suitable location for relieving some 800m away from the function venue. Now during the day that’s ok. But imagine a blind woman having to go down onto the street away from their accommodation venue in the middle of the night and very early in the morning on their own, to relieve their dog in Melbourne. That’s not just inaccessible, it’s dangerous.
And then there is the complete lack of relieving stations AT the stations as we waited for hours with train delays. The stress this causes the dog but also their owner in navigating the change and finding a solution was felt by others around them. Why hasn’t this been addressed already? We are supposed to be the major sporting capital of the country so is it not reasonable to assume, the adjustments for disabilities would have already been done?
Whilst in parliament house we met Pakenham MP Emma Vulin who was diagnosed with MND over a year ago. With this diagnosis and the decline in her condition in the last year, Victorian State Parliament have made accessibility adjustments based her Emma’s condition throughout the 170 year old parliament building, along with the new connecting offices. Changing the weight of doors so Emma can push them open and get through in her chair, creating space that allows the MP to lift herself into her allocated seat in the chamber but begin to find alternatives as her condition deteriorates and even accessible doors to the disabled bathroom.
Now I get that adjustments would need to be made in a building that is 170 years old. But the offices at the back of parliament were built in 2018. The next question that came to me was why aren’t these offices already accessible if they’re new? Why are they needing to be retro-fitted to increase accessibility when they’re only 7 years old? Why wasn’t accessible a key feature of the build with the beautifully sustainable architecture? I would have assumed, with such a new build, it would have been legislation to make them accessible for all disabilities.
The retreat was a success as it raised so many questions that require exploration and answers. I am in the right program to ask curious questions, be affected and motivated for change in many areas of our community and have 21 other eager and willing Future Shapers to explore it all with over the next three months.
If you’re a Bruce Willis fan you would know the rest of the phrase “Assumption is the mother of….”.
