Disability Champions
Opening graphics
Logo – Australian Government
Logo – As One – working together to transform the APS workforce
As One, the Australian Public Service Disability Employment Strategy, aims to support the
employment of people with disability in our large and diverse workforce.
In this video, senior leaders share their experiences of creating inclusive and confident
workplaces for people with disability.
Question on screen: What does 100% commitment mean for APS
leaders?
Dr Ian Watt AO, Secretary (retired), Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
100 % looks like someone who not just talks the talk but walks the talks as well. Someone who
encourages people with disability in the workplace, someone who goes out of their way to make them
welcome, someone who says this is not a problem, this is an opportunity and makes sure that it is an
opportunity.
Question on screen: Why is it important for leaders to be engaged
in disability issues?
Michelle Cornish, Group Manager, Department of Education, Diversity Champion
I think it is so important for agencies to have senior disability champions. SES have so much power to
do good things and it is so important to have those role models in the workplace so that people feel
this is an environment where it’s safe, for example, to disclose that you have disability and it’s also an
environment where you will get the reasonable adjustment that you require in order to stay employed.
Mark Sweeney, Assistant Secretary, Department of Immigration and Border Protection
Branch Manager- Operations People and Culture National Disability Insurance Agency
Senior leaders have a role in changing the culture in the organisation. If senior leaders have an
understanding and a commitment and also can promote wellbeing in an organisation, overall the
organisation will be better for it. Doesn’t mean to say that every leader at every level does not have a
role, in fact, they do. The most senior leaders have a role in promotion of this type of activity though.
Carmel McGregor, Deputy Secretary (retired), Department of Defence
Leadership’s fundamental in shaping and changing a workforce, changing attitudes. People look to
the leader to set the tone, expect them to be good role models, and actually pave the way, get the
settings, the policies right and practice what they preach. So there couldn’t be anything more
important than having visible leadership around this issue.
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David Parker AM, Deputy Secretary, Department of the Environment, Disability Champion
I think in any organisation creating the environment, the right environment, the right culture, has to
start at the top. We had a mental health week here a little while ago, we had myself and the Secretary
and the Minister come and talk at an event open to all staff about mental health issues. We talked in a
very open way, and when you can create that open environment then people feel that they have the
freedom to talk about these things.
Michelle Cornish, Group Manager, Department of Education, Diversity Champion
When I was in Centrelink I had the honour of being the disability champion, which was a wonderful
role as part of my People role. As SES, the Senior Executive Service has such a lot of power to make
a difference in the decisions we make every day, in the way that we interact with our people and
people in other teams.
Phillip Glyde, Deputy Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Disability Champion
I think in our experience it’s someone who is at the senior level in the organisation who can help make
things happen. It indicates, I think, that the department or the Australian Public Service is taking
disability seriously.
Question on screen: How can leaders build an inclusive culture?
Mark Sweeney, Assistant Secretary, Department of Immigration and Border Protection
Branch Manager- Operations People and Culture National Disability Insurance Agency
I think the manager has the unique place in the workplace, because the manager can actually
influence the workforce by acceptance, by openness. If the manager does those things then the
workforce is likely to be the same way. If you’re positive, people will be positive with you. If you’re
negative, their negativity will grow. It’s about how you can bring that positivity back into the workforce.
Michelle Cornish, Group Manager, Department of Education, Diversity Champion
When I became a disability champion in Centrelink one of the first things I did was attend a Disability
Confidence program, one-day program, and it was fantastic because it gave me confidence to talk
with people in my workplace who had disability without feeling I was going to put my foot in it or I was
going to embarrass them or myself, or that it was awkward. It helped a lot.
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Question on screen: What is the role of a Disability Champion in
the workplace?
Michael Pini, Senior Tax Counsel, Australian Taxation Office, Disability Champion
I think it’s vitally important to have visibility from people to champion these needs and that’s why in my
case I hook into workplace diversity needs to ensure that these things are being championed. To use
a cliché, I’ve been there, done that. In 27 years I’ve managed to reach a fairly senior position in the
ATO. And I think if someone like me can be visible and champion these things it can only help
encourage other managers to champion the workplace diversity.
Carmel McGregor, Deputy Secretary (retired), Department of Defence
Well, they need to lead. They need to have empathy and understanding. Keep abreast of things that
are – new policies, new ideas. See what’s worked elsewhere and ensure that the people who are
working with the champion or in the, sort of, line area are really energetic and focused on making a
difference. Keep apprised of success and how that’s translating to increased uptake of employees
with disability, understanding where impediments are occurring and striving to get rid of them. So it’s
a sort of multifaceted role, but important that the champion really pursues the agenda as vigorously as
they possibly can.
Samantha Palmer, First Assistant Secretary, Department of Health
I think it’s important for champions to have a good relationship with the HR area and to also have a
good relationship with the executive and the senior staff member of your organisation, whether that’s
a CEO or an agency head. And if you have that good relationship, both with your senior executive and
with your HR area, you’ve actually got an enormous amount of support and assistance that’s available
to you. But as a champion, you also need to find your own energy and make your own momentum.
No-one’s going to do that for you, so what you can achieve as a champion is very much up to what
you want to put in.
Closing graphics
Logo – As One – working together to transform the APS workforce
Logo – Australian Government
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