Host of the 2024 Paris Paralympics Dylan Alcott talks about the amazing yet limiting TV set he will be presenting the games to millions of Australians back home. In this episode you'll hear: Curt McGrath talk about the incredible first words he said after losing his legs to a roadside bomb while serving fro the Army. Madison De Rozario is competing in her 5th Paralympic games and is looking to go back to back Gold Medals in the marathon after a successful Tokyo campaign. We ask her what...

Ahead of the 2024 Paris Paralympics Opening Ceremony Thursday Morning (Australian time) the ListenABLE Podcast has 2 special episodes speaking with our past and competing Australian Paralympians. In this episode you'll hear: Jarryd Clifford is set to compete in the 1500m and 5000m events and speaks about the hilarious reason why he doesn't use a guide even though he is legally blind Paul Harpur is a Paralympian across two different sports! Goalball and athletics. He speaks about setting a...

This Australian comedian and actress is on the pursuit to change the landscape of the Australian TV Industry and it's inclusion of creators with disability. But how do you break into an industry when you're considered a "distraction"? "I realised that if I want to be a part of change I also need to be creating content". Born with Ectrodactyly, Loz describes her lim difference as "Three fingers on my right hand and kind of four and a half, let's call it four and a half fingers on the other...

James Chapman Pseudoachondroplasia Dwarfism has taken him around the world, representing Australia in sport, attracting plenty of attention and interesting ways to get around in style, some suitcases are double his size! His adventures don’t stop internationally as he shreds local surf breaks and skates like Tony Hawk thanks to his lower centre of gravity, at 3 ft 7 inches. And for someone who's belief system are rooted Christianity how does ‘god’s perfect image’ shape a relationship for...

"The telephone, invented by Alexander Graham Bell, whose wife and mother were Deaf, and could not use the phone. It's Ironic!" Chief Internet Evangelist for Google Vint Cerf is widely recognised and applauded for being a pioneer in the invention of the internet, redefining not only connecting software and people on incredible scale but also accessibility and access worldwide.Vint, who is Hard of Hearing, speaks about how technology has transformed his and wife Sigrid's lives from...

"I've been in really hot cars where like if a person could get out, they would. It's sometimes a dangerous situation". With only 5 minutes notice, any time, any place - Tayla Richardson could be trapped in her own body and there's no way to stop it." After developing her disability in adulthood, Tayla was diagnosed with Congenital Myasthenic Syndrome, leaving her muscles to be weaker after they're used, sometimes resulting her to enter periodic paralysis for 2-3 hours at a time. Having a...

There's complexity to Knox Gibson's story. At age 3, his grandfather ran over Knox on the family property with his lawn mower, causing the amputation of his arm. Had that accident not occurred, would Knox now be spending months overseas filming for The Hunger Games? Would he be trailing for his first ever Paralympics, hopeful for a ticket to Paris?  Actor, Athlete, Endorsements and still in school! BUT  What would life have looked like had the accident never happened?  Dylan Alcott and...

THE DAY OF APRIL 6TH, 2018 CHANGED THE LIVES OF 29 FAMILIES FOREVER. This episode of ListenABLE we speak with Ryan Straschnitzki who's Hockey team was involved in a head on collision with a semi truck killing fifteen and injuring everyone from coaches, team staff and players like Ryan.  "My first instinct was just to get up. That's all I could repeat in my head was 'just get up'. Bt I'm not moving. I look at my legs and they're not moving and there's nothing on top of them" Today Ryan...

“As a first movie as well, the adrenaline was just insane! Like Seeing Chris (Hemsworth), seeing everyone, it was just amazing” - Sean Millis on ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’. You've probably seen Sean on your social feed before! Whether it's Australian television's ‘The Voice’ where Sean describes the gravity of the blind audition as being “scared and a bit anxious” to the journey of now playing a character in one of Hollywood’s biggest franchises, can Dylan Alcott and Angus O'Loughlin get an...

In age of dating in Australia, dating apps aren’t cutting it anymore, especially when you have disability. When Jack Day was given the chance to join the new cast of "Never Have I Ever" Season 2, finding love was merely a bonus. When it comes to modern dating and making lasting connections, Jack's charisma and endearing storytelling style will have you smiling as he discusses his own preferences for love and more importantly why individuals with disabilities should be taken more seriously...

"When I fly I am a very different person, I am my true self" Ask yourself this question: Would you be comfortable with the pilot of your plane being Autistic? With his passion for promoting real inclusion for people on the Spectrum, Hayden McDonald (22) is Australia's first "Unofficial" Pilot who is Autistic to fly solo across Australia. "Don't want to take that risk and doesn't want to be Neurodiverse Friendly" is when Hayden speaks with Angus and Dylan on the significance of dismantling...

“I’ve always been talking about my disability through the lens of fashion” With over 120k followers on social media, April Lockhart's limb difference has now become her "greatest accessory"  as she educates the public about her disability. April's ability to tell stories through her outfits on social media is one of passion and authenticity as she chats to ListenABLE on how fashion comes first over function every single time. In addition, April shares her "mixed relationship with Fashion...

"If I'm with ten friends and all of us can't get into a space all ten of us will go elsewhere" Sociability is working towards having a FREE platform to check the accessibility of pubs, bars, cafés - you name it and question all of your requirements at the press of a button. Imagine as a hospitality business having a FREE platform that provides a resource for customers that brings in customers simply by might already exist! Tech Entrepreneur and Innovator Matt Pierri stumbled upon the idea...

WARNING: This episode contains detailed description of the attack, injuries and graphic nature of the events of the day. In 2015 Chris and his two mates went surfing off a notoriously Great White Shark hot spot in Rural South Australia.  They knew the risks, as all surfers do, but the reward of uncrowded line ups and good conditions had them pull on their wetsuits that morning. Chris is a brilliant storyteller and as Angus describes has you sitting on the edge of your seat as Chris is...

At the age of 9 Ben McIntosh's life changed when his sister Grace was born into the world with Down Syndrome. Their incredibly close relationship and sense of humour spawned a career in Support Work for Ben and an Instagram and TikTok account to chronicle their jump scares, dancing and connection. Then entered Zac Carley the Elvis obsessed, eyebrow shuffling accidental star who's resistance to wearing goggles while swimming and stunning new haircuts grew Ben's socials to over 1 million...

Welcome to our first ListenABLE moment starring: Prue Stevenson April 30th, 2020 We are replaying for new listeners some of our most listened to, clicked on, shared or referenced episodes we have released over the past 3 years. In this 5 minute episode we talk with Prue about: Identity first language Her sensory pathways Why she as an autistic person she uses the accessible toilets because of Dyson Hand Dryers  Watch the full episode here on our YouTube Listen to the full episodes...

Starting with small practices of advocacy at a very young age, Breanna Medcalfe, 21, is setting out on a journey to educate others and be a young voice for people with disability. Already making waves in medical alum by being a Health Consumer Disability Representative Advocate we were very lucky to have this time with her before her stratospheric launch into high profile advocacy! Moving from New Zealand to Australia after having a misdiagnosis. Breanna speaks to the support she’s been...

"It makes it much easier jamming a crutch in the front door of a CEO office" - Ross Chaplin At the age of two after being at the hospital at “the wrong place wrong time” Ross Chaplin obtained a "bug" called Guillian-Barré Syndrome leaving him Hemiplegic, no use of his right leg and minimal use of his left arm, and therefore a full and vibrant life on crutches. Ross is a strong advocate for equality, inclusive design, accessibility as well as the language around disability. Creating property...

"I want opportunities created for the 9% of our student population with disability. That's 1.6 million students in Australia. That's 144,000 students with some form of disability, which is bigger than 3-4 of the big Universities." - Paul Harpur.When Paul Harpur was hit by a train he lost his eyesight. Already feeling that "teenage boys don't wanna stand out for the wrong reason", sport not only became a community for Paul but lead him to representing Australia in Goalball in the Sydney 2000...

"I spent a lot of my life scared of is it my... mortality? I was scared a lot that I can't do things like everybody else, that I had to go hard or go home, 'die before you're 30 plan'. And then now I'm 28 and I'm like, 'Oh my God, I now need to save and do the big adult things.'" - Michaela Broderick. Welcome back to ListenABLE for 2024 where our first guest Michaela Broderick doesn’t waste time to not only do the things she wants to do but her passionate and simple acts of advocacy that...

“And I do understand why it is an issue in the disability community. I shouldn't be speaking for people with disability. I need to speak for my son because he's non speaking and I am his advocate, but I I quickly learned the tension that exists here and I'm now a lot more respectful of it” What does it mean to be a voice for someone with disability? Due to Quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy, seven year old Arlo is nonverbal. Mum Melanie talks to how Arlo communicates with AAC, which makes him the...

With over 20 years of experience at Apple, senior director of Global Accessibility Sarah Herrlinger joins us in studio for a conversation about how the disability community has advanced technology which has benefited everyone and if you're using an iPhone especially you! Think 'Siri' The forerunner for text-to-speech software was developed by a Silicon Valley inventor in association with the National Federation of the Blind to help the blind with some of their tasks and even text messages...

Believing she had Gastro, 23 year old Jade Harrington was reluctant to go to hospital, but as her symptoms got worse she was directed through to Emergency and placed in an induced coma for 9 days from Septic shock. Jade decided to have her feet amputated below the knee after realising she was watching them slowly "die" in front of her. Jade takes the title of "Newest guest to the disability community" coming on our show & recording just over a month after her amputations. Jade talks...

After attending the Sydney 2000 Paralympics there was no turning back for Sarah Rose, she had found her passion in swimming, a place that created an even playing field in a world that didn’t present her with the same opportunities as everyone else. Sarah, who is four foot two, describes how swimming gave her a sense of purpose at a time when she didn't think she should be "proud" of her disability. After 23 years, Sarah has represented her nation both as an athlete and as a current member of...