For the International Day of People with Disability 2025 we're celebrating some inspirational South Australians who have lived or live with disability.
This year we’ve joined with Charter Hall to recognise South Australians across a range of fields including justice services, disability advocates, small business owners and the arts. We take inspiration from these role models who have made contributions to this state and some even on the international stage.
Both AGD and Charter Hall are proud members of WE’RE EQUAL (external site); we embrace and support diversity and equality.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that the International Day of People with Disability 2025 presentation below contains images of deceased persons.
| Dr Lynette Liddle An Aboriginal person from Alice Springs, and Aboriginal Engagement Officer at Victims of Crime South Australia. As a blood cancer survivor, Lynette is a strong advocate for equity in cancer care in regional and remote areas and for accessible community services for all, particularly for people who use mobility aids. Photo source: Instagram |
 | Tjamu (Yami) Lester Yankunytjatjara elder and activist. Blinded as a result of nuclear testing in 1953, Yami campaigned for the restoration of both Emu Field and Maralinga. Yami was also instrumental in negotiations over Aboriginal land claims in SA (APY Land Rights Act) and the NT (Handback of Uluru Kata Tjuta). He worked as a court interpreter and cultural advisor, and also represented SA in blind cricket and has an annual cup named after him for his contribution to the sport. Tjamu is the Yankunytjatjara word for grandfather. Photo credit: Jesse Boylan |
 | Natalie Wade A prominent disability human rights lawyer based in Adelaide. She was appointed Associate Commissioner of the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission in 2024. Photo source: Disability Leadership Institute |
 | Mark Douglas Recipient of the Law Society Justice Award in 2022 for his tireless work to promote equality and diversity in the legal profession and improve access to justice in SA. Mark is a barrister with a significant visual impairment and Chair of the Law Society’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee. Photo source: Murray Chambers |
 | Emma Chaplin Secretariat and Project Officer at AGD, author and advocate for disability, diversity, and inclusion. Due to a side effect from chemotherapy treatment at the age of 8, Emma lives with a physical disability, but she chooses not to let her limitations define her. Photo source: supplied |
 | Kelly Vincent The youngest woman ever elected to an Australian parliament and the first to be elected on a disability rights platform. She was a Member of the South Australian Legislative Council and led the establishment of SA's Disability Justice Plan. Photo source: Squarespace |
 | Patrick Saunders A Teen Parliament participant in 2025, Patrick uses a letter board to communicate because he is non-speaking, but he certainly isn’t without words. He plans on going to university to study disability advocacy and also becoming the world's first autistic non-speaking hiking guide. Photo source: BTN, Australian Broadcasting Corporation |
 | Michelle Howse As an Information Officer at the Office of the Public Advocate, Michelle loves her work providing customer service to the public. Michelle also values time spent with family and friends, including caravan trips with her husband and doting on her three beautiful grandchildren. She is legally blind and enjoys listening to audio books. Photo source: supplied |
 | Matthew Cowdrey OAM MP An accomplished swimmer, winning 23 Paralympic medals. Matt was Young South Australian of the Year in 2009, inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 2019, and has served as a member of the SA parliament since 2018. Photo source: Paralympics Australia |
 | Tim Wise Dedicated to workplace health and safety governance as a Healthy and Safe Workplaces Consultant in the Office of the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment. Tim has a significant hearing impairment and autism, and has enjoyed a successful public sector career spanning more than 20 years. Photo source: supplied |
 | Libby Kosmala A target rifle athlete, she has represented Australia at 12 Paralympics and won 13 medals, 9 of them gold. Photo source: Facebook |
 | Yvie Eglinton Wheelchair user and Coordinator Access for All at the Department for Environment and Water. Yvie is passionate about making national parks and other outdoor spaces more accessible to people living with disability. Photo source: supplied |
 | Quentin Kenihan Author, actor and disability advocate who was a key figure in the establishment of the accessible playground in Adelaide's Rymill Park. Photo source: Facebook |
 | Richard Llewellyn AM Pioneering champion of disability rights and major supporter of social justice for refugees. His body was 95% paralysed due to polio. Richard was Disability Adviser to the Premier of South Australia for 7 years. The Richard Llewellyn Deaf and Disability Grants administered by the Department of the Premier and Cabinet are named in his honour. Photo source: Richard Llewellyn AM website |
 | Rachael Leahcar Singer/songwriter and winner of the People’s Choice Pop Award in the South Australian Music Awards in 2017. Rachael also won a Danny Award in 2024 recognising her outstanding musical achievements as a legally blind singer. Photo source: Instagram |
 | Gill Hicks After surviving the July 2005 London bombings in which she lost both legs at the knees, she dedicated her life to becoming an advocate for peace, setting up the London-based not-for-profit organisation M.A.D. for Peace. She was the South Australian of the Year in 2015. Photo: source: National Museum of Australia |
 | Barry Priori OAM His own hearing impairment led Barry to dedicate a lifetime of work to the deaf community, as the former President of Deaf Australia, co-founder of Sign Language Australia and South Australian Association of the Deaf committee member. Photo source: Sign Language Australia |
 | Isaac McInness Year 11 student, and accomplished athlete, competing in blind golf, tandem cycling, athletics, and air rifle shooting, earning medals at state and national levels. Isaac is the inaugural winner of the Blind Australian of the Year - Youth Award. Photo source: Blind Australian of the Year |
 | Helen Flinter-Leach A performer, writer and entrepreneur who lived with complex disabilities. She founded No Strings Attached, an Adelaide-based professional theatre company that works exclusively with performers who identify as living with disability. Photo source: Eventalaide |
 | Nick Schumi A disability advocate and youth mentor with cerebral palsy, Nick is the South Australian Director of Physical Disability Australia and the founder of the Enabled Youth Disability Network. Photo source: Disability Inclusion Training |
 | Charles Brice Journalist and quadriplegic with a passion for handcycling, winning 6 national championships. Charles is a spinal cord injury ambassador. Photo source: Instagram |
 | Annette Holden Annette shares her experiences with vision loss through her advocacy and volunteer work. As a champion for a fairer, more inclusive society, she guided Adelaide Zoo through a guide dog inclusion strategy. Photo source: Freedom2live |
 | Ian Cummins OAM Disability advocate and Chairperson of Our Voice SA. Ian is passionate about self-advocacy and received a Medal of the Order of Australia in 2022 for his work. Photo source: As supplied to The Advertiser |
 | Susan Hobbs Inspirational para-athlete and wheelchair basketball player. Sue was the first woman to captain the Australian women's wheelchair basketball team and was inducted into Basketball Australia's Hall of Fame in 2013. Photo source: Adelaide A-Z |
 | Tricia Spargo Disability policy advisor and strategist who advocates for equality and justice for people living with a disability as chairperson of the JFA Purple Orange board. Photo source: LinkedIn |
 | Jed Altschwager OAM A 2024 Paralympic games gold medallist and 2023 World Para-Rowing Champion and world record holder. Jed received a Medal of the Order of Australia in 2025 for his achievements and contributions to the para-rowing community. Photo source: Facebook |
 | Tony Doyle Musician, artist, poet and business owner who uses the arts as a vehicle for building creative and inclusive communities. Tony is totally blind. He received the Ros Bower Award from the Australia Council in 2014 for his long-time work in disability arts advocacy. Photo source: Instagram |
 | Grace Bowman After becoming paralysed from the hips down in a horse-riding accident at the age of 12, Grace went on to compete in equestrian at the 2008 and 2012 Paralympic Games. Photo source: Purple Orange |
 | Hugo ‘Rock Star’ Taheny An elite athlete living with Down syndrome, Hugo won gold in both shot-put and discus at the Virtus Global Games. Hugo is also legally blind and has a hearing impairment. Hugo advocates for better inclusion for people with disability and is a health ambassador for Down syndrome Australia. Photo source: As supplied by Louise Taheny to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation |
 | Chloe Noble An upcoming artist who creates expressionist portraiture and impressionist landscapes that draw on their experiences living with a disability. Photo source: Access2Arts |