The Australian Government has announced seven new appointments to Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021-2031 Advisory Council.
The mix of disability and health professionals, policy experts, advocates, and community members brings a wealth of lived experience and knowledge to the Council. This is essential to ensuring meaningful change is achieved.
Created in 2021, the Advisory Council has been instrumental to the Strategy’s implementation, providing independent advice to the Disability Reform Ministerial Council on progress.
The Council also offers input on priority policy areas, including education and learning, inclusive homes and communities, and safety, rights and justice.
Chaired by Jane Spring AM, the Council consists of five core members, who are all people with disability, and four state and territory disability council representatives, appointed on a rolling basis.
The new core members are:
- Ebe Ganon
- Sara Shams
The new state and territory representatives are:
- Kelly Brown (ACT)
- Rachel Watson (QLD)
- Chris Symonds (TAS)
- Ellie Moir (WA).
The appointment of new state and territory representatives to the Council is vital to the inclusion of the grass-roots voices of people working closely with, and in, state and territory disability communities across Australia.
Dr Nicholas Hartland PSM has also been appointed to the Council as a special advisor and brings with him decades of experience working in government.
The Advisory Council is scheduled to hold its first meeting of 2026 on 17 March.
NDIS Minister, Senator Jenny McAllister: “Australia’s Disability Strategy Advisory Council brings the voices and perspectives of people with disability to the table.
“Ensuring their voices are heard is essential for Governments to understand and act on the issues that matter most to the community.
“We know that, while significant progress has been made over the last few years, there is still work to do, to break down the barriers Australians with disability currently face.
“I look forward to working with our new appointees and would like to thank our outgoing members for their contributions.”
