What would you do if your car broke down on the side of the road and there were no available options for transport assistance to get you somewhere safe? To get you home?
This year, Sarah-Jane (SJ) Staszak was stranded on the side of the M4 in New South Wales for four hours after her car broke down, because there wasn’t an alternative option for her to be transported safely in her wheelchair when the tow truck arrived.
It just so happened that she knew someone who had a trailer to transport her power wheelchair – but what if she didn’t?
Also on the episode is Tony Jones, SCIA’s Disability Inclusion and Insights Advisor, who worked with SJ on this case.
Both share their insights on what it’s like to live with a disability and heavily rely on accessible taxis for their primary form of transportation, as well as discussing the problem with accessible public transport when living in a region, rural and even remote area in Australia.
Information in this episode
- Advocacy & Your Rights https://scia.org.au/living-with-a-disability/advocacy-your-rights/
- Navigating Life with a Disability https://scia.org.au/living-with-a-disability/navigating-life-with-a-disability/
- Anti-Discrimination NSW https://antidiscrimination.nsw.gov.au/
- Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) https://humanrights.gov.au/
- Justice and Equity Centre https://jec.org.au/
- Parliament of Australia – Contacting Senators and Members https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Contacting_Senators_and_Members
- Find Your Local Representative – Find My Electorate https://electorate.aec.gov.au/
Credits
This episode has been written, produced and edited by Susan Wood. Logo art by Cobie Ann Moore.
