Join us on 2025 International Day of People with Disability

A Voice of Our Own conference – designed by and for people with disability to mark International Day of People with Disability, our way

Monday 24 November 2025

This International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD), we invite you to join us for a national online conference designed by and for people with disability.

The program includes an exciting line-up of disability advocates and activists who are leading the way in creating change.

A Voice of Our Own is more than an event, it is a chance for our community to come together, connect, celebrate achievements and discuss our future. 

Speakers

Event details

When: Wednesday 3 December 2023

Time:

• 1:00pm – 2:30pm (AEDT – NSW, VIC, TAS and ACT)
• 12:30pm – 2:00pm (ACDT – SA)
• 12:00pm – 1:30pm (AEST – QLD)
• 11:30am – 1:00pm (ACST– NT)
• 10:00am – 11:30am (AWST – WA)

Where: Online via Zoom

Head to our events page to add the event to your calendar.

Speaker bios

Tim Harte

Tim is an Independent Director at the Australian Federation of Disability Organisations (AFDO) and a nationally recognised advocate for disability rights, governance reform, and inclusive policy. Tim is the youngest Chair of a government disability advisory committee in Australia, leading the Surf Coast Shire All Abilities Advisory Committee, and previously served as Australia’s youngest President of an Australian Disabled People’s Organisation at the time of election as President of Physical Disability Australia.

A materials chemistry PhD candidate with Deakin University and CSIRO, Tim’s research focuses on sustainable energy materials. Internationally, Tim is the Pacific Regional Representative for the Global Network of Young Persons with Disabilities and as a former Co-Chair of the Commonwealth Children and Youth Disability Network has authored influential policy works including the Commonwealth Youth Code of Practice and submissions to the UK Parliament on global sexual and reproductive health rights.

Across all roles, Tim works to advance systemic inclusion, elevate young disabled leadership, and strengthen rights-based advocacy in Australia and beyond.

Ricki Spencer

Ricki Spencer (Her) M.Ed. BSW. BA B.Ed. is a qualified teacher and social worker. They are a public advocate for people living with a disability, gender diverse, and forced adoptions who are important identities lived. Ricki speaks openly about living with Mental Health Issues and thriving.
Ricki writes in areas of health, education, Queer Intersectionality, and the values of recycling waste in urban areas. Ricki identifies as a transgender nonbinary person with lived experiences of disability.
They are enthusiastic about local planning issues in relation to access to health and services for marginalised groups in Victoria. They have qualifications in social work, Community Planning and Education. Ricki has also presented her findings to the Royal Commission for Disability Safety in trans and gender diverse reformation in health education and relationships for queer students with disabilities in Victorian Schools.

Zoe Simmons

Zoe Simmons is an award-winning journalist, copywriter, speaker, author, and fierce disability advocate, who uses the raw power of storytelling to smash stigma and create change. Zoe has been published hundreds of times around the globe, and candidly shares her experiences as a queer chronically-ill disabled autistic.
Working as an advisor with disability and health organisations, Zoe delivers trauma-informed, neuro-affirming and disability-inclusive views to senior leadership. She’s also an ambassador for the Australian Human Rights Commission, and works as a lived experience advocate for Women With Disabilities Victoria, and as a Commmunications and Engagement Coordinator with Disability Rights and Culture.
Zoe also advocates for disability in the media, having recently co-hosted two TV shows, All In and Lanway. As an author, she’s contributed to ten books. Currently, she’s working on her first book about surviving the Black Summer Bushfires as a disabled journalist.

Alexander Tofler

Alexander Tofler is a law student and disability advocate focused on translating lived experience into policy and practice. He attended the United Nations CRPD Conference of States Parties (COSP18) and serves on the United States International Council on Disabilities (USICD) Youth Committee. In Australia, Alexander has contributed to submissions to the government regarding the Disability Discrimination Act (Cth) and its practical enforcement for postgraduate students. As Disability and Equity Officer at the Graduate Student Association, he co-designed a paid student disability advocacy forum to secure policy updates mandating Universal Design for Learning across university systems and to advance a proactive accessibility approach. Alexander speaks on the importance of co-design, Universal Design, embedding guidelines to grasp intersectionality, and the need for cultural and attitudinal change in leadership.

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