Australia's Wheelaroos are aiming for a breakthrough at the wheelchair rugby league World Cup, which begins on Friday in Wollongong. The tournament will be broadcast free-to-air in prime-time slots. The Wheelaroos, ranked fourth in the world, have never won a world title. Captain Bayley McKenna, who is non-disabled, says the sport's inclusive rules help attract players at every level. Coach Brett Clark says the team is ready to show the sport at its top level.
The City of Ballarat has opened a public exhibition period for its draft LGBTIQA+ Inclusion Plan 2027-2030. The plan aims to strengthen inclusion, promote participation, and support the wellbeing of LGBTIQA+ people. Community feedback is being sought before the plan is presented to council for consideration. The draft plan is available on the City of Ballarat's MySay platform until 22 November.
A new community space in Moolap will open next week, offering people of all abilities a place to belong. Shed 4 All Abilities will hold its free Grand Opening on Wednesday 28 October, from 4pm to 6pm, at 57-69 Greenside Grove. Program supervisor Clinton Berends said the shed aims to support people who are isolated, particularly because of disability, and help them build friendships. Secretary Donna Witnish said the venue is for people of all ages, genders and abilities to join shared activities and projects. Open Days will also run on 4, 5, 10 and 11 November.
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Geelong athlete Jonathan Walker has returned from the 2026 Australian Transplant Games in Launceston with two gold medals and a bronze. He says the camaraderie and inspiring community will stay with him more than the results. Walker, attending his seventh Games, also competed with the fourth-placed Victorian basketball team. More than 600 athletes, including transplant recipients, donors and donor family members, took part in the 18th edition. Walker said the event focuses on inclusivity, care and having a go, regardless of ability.
Western Australia has allocated $100,000 to fund 87 events celebrating International Day of People with Disability in 2026. The grants will support 85 organisations and local councils in hosting activities that highlight the achievements and foster inclusion of people with disabilities. Events range from film screenings and art exhibitions to inclusive sports and community open days. The state's theme, 'Valued. Included. Leading.', emphasises recognising strengths and leadership opportunities. Minister Hannah Beazley encouraged public participation in these events to promote awareness and inclusion.
Charles Darwin University is highlighting LGBTQIA+ histories and inclusion initiatives during LGBTQIA+ History Month. In September, the CDU Student Council ran Sexual and Gender Diversity Training covering histories, pronouns and allyship. Students are encouraged to connect with the CDU Queer Network through the council. They can also request free Pride pins, badges and flags through the council's Minus18 Action Pride Pack, with collection available at the Danala, Casuarina or Sydney campuses. The university says everyone should feel welcome, respected and connected at university.
Three Canberrans have shared their experiences of invisible disabilities during Invisible Disability Awareness Week. Melissa Hammond, James Dunn and Jenny Edwards describe the barriers they face and the pressure to mask their conditions. Dunn said a stranger challenged him for using a disabled parking spot, and he showed his permit to resolve it. All three called for trust, patience and kindness rather than judgement based on appearance. They said they want a Canberra where people can take part in daily life without having to explain or defend their needs.
Northern Beaches Libraries is running six free creative workshops across Forestville, Mona Vale and Warringah Mall libraries in October and November. The workshops mark International Day of People with Disability and are run with Studio A, a Sydney studio that supports artists with disability. Adults with and without disability can take part alongside professional artists. Artwork will be shown in a community exhibition at Mona Vale Library from 3 December 2026 to 31 January 2027. Mayor Sue Heins said the program promotes inclusion and connection.
Tenpin bowler Charlotte Bailey, who lives with Down syndrome, will represent the ACT at the Special Olympics Australia 2026 National Games. Bailey, 25, began competitive bowling about five years ago and says she is looking forward to competing. More than 850 athletes will take part in 13 sports at the Albert Park sporting precinct in Melbourne, with events running until October 23. Bailey, who has addressed the United Nations on disability rights in the workplace, says she hopes to show people with disabilities that they can dream big.
Invisible Disabilities Week, running from 18 to 24 October, aims to show that many disabilities are not immediately visible. Banyule is marking the week by sharing the story of Alison, one of its Disability Champions. Alison has cerebral palsy, a lifelong movement condition that stiffens and weakens her legs. She says people with visible disabilities want to be treated like everyone else, not as special or inspirational. She adds that they want to take part fully in their local communities.
Reema El Qassem is one of the most promising players in the Women's National Wheelchair Basketball League. She is the first non-verbal player in the league and the first to wear a hijab on the court. She plays for the Sydney Uni Lions, who reached the national play-offs in 2025 and 2026. She acquired Functional Neurological Disorder in 2023, and sport helped her rebuild her life. Her disability does not fit the current classification rules, which blocks her from international competition.
Sunshine Coast tattoo artist Mady Peters has designed the Gold Coast Suns' Pride Round guernsey for their AFLW side. The design includes a rainbow football boot, a carabiner and a dolphin holding a non-binary flag. Players Lily Mithen and Katie Lynch worked with Peters on the design, which they said reflects their playful personalities. AFL Players Association head Julia Chiera said more work was needed to improve inclusion in the men's game. The Suns will wear the guernsey for a final time against Adelaide on Saturday.
Special Olympics table tennis players in Albury have moved their weekly sessions to the larger court space at PCYC Albury. The group outgrew its earlier venue at a Salvation Army hall in Lavington. PCYC Albury manager Tim McLaren said the club wanted to support community sport and offer space where it was needed. Player Erina is set to compete at the Special Olympics National Games in Melbourne, starting on 19 October. Table tennis makes its competitive debut at the Games in 2026.
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has described diversity as weakness and disunity, setting him apart from other party leaders. A 2023 McKinsey report found companies that promote diversity have better financial returns, and other studies have linked diversity to innovation. The author cites New Zealand examples in sport and government, and notes that the country's population is becoming more diverse. Evidence suggests diversity can aid social cohesion, though poor management of it could lead to disunity.
Nambucca Valley residents have until 5pm on Friday, 23 October to comment on a draft disability inclusion plan for 2027 to 2031. Nambucca Valley Council says the plan sets out practical actions to make council services, facilities and programs more accessible. Census data counts 1813 people with disability in the valley, about 9.6 per cent of the population. A 2018 Australian Bureau of Statistics estimate puts the figure at 25 per cent. Submissions can be sent to the council's general manager.
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Police officers and Special Olympics athletes will take part in a torch run through Geelong on Saturday 17 October. The Law Enforcement Torch Run will host the Final Leg for Special Olympics event. The route starts at the Buoys Sculpture at Steam Packet Gardens and follows the water's edge to Pavilion Geelong. Torch runners from across Australia and New Zealand will take part. The run comes ahead of the Special Olympics Australia National Games in Melbourne from 19 to 23 October.
Twenty Northern Beaches athletes will compete at this year's Special Olympics National Games in Melbourne in October. They will take part in swimming, basketball, tennis, tenpin bowling and golf. The event marks 50 years since the Special Olympics first held an event in Australia. Rex Langthorne, chair of Special Olympics Sydney Northern Beaches, says the program gives athletes with intellectual disability a chance to show what they can do. Fundraising, including a polar plunge at Dee Why Rock Pool, helps cover uniforms and travel costs.
Surf Coast residents with disability and carers are being asked what they need from the council to make community life more accessible and inclusive. Feedback will shape the Surf Coast Shire's four-year disability action plan, with a public survey and six community workshops running this month. Workshops run from 12 October in Lorne, with dedicated sessions for carers and adults with disability aged under 65. Committee members say the plan will turn the council's commitment to inclusion into practical action.
Around 50 students from Bass Coast Specialist School and South Gippsland Specialist School took part in their third annual joint swimming carnival on Tuesday, October 13. The event was held at the Bass Coast Aquatic and Leisure Centre. Students swam using modified strokes, took part in a two-person relay, and finished the day with a teacher-versus-student race. Staff said the event aimed to be inclusive and give every student a sense of achievement, regardless of ability. After the carnival, both groups were due to attend a barbecue at Bass Coast Specialist School.
MidCoast residents are invited to comment on a draft Community Wellbeing and Inclusion Action Plan 2026–2036, which covers the next ten years. The plan merges the Aboriginal Action Plan, Youth Strategic Plan, Disability Inclusion Action Plan and Ageing Strategy, and includes actions from the Cultural Plan. MidCoast Council says the consolidation reduces duplication and gives a clearer pathway for delivery. Residents, community groups and organisations can make submissions until Monday, 16 November 2026. Feedback will inform the final plan before Council considers its adoption.
