Partner Advisory Group


As well as having a multi-disciplinary research team, we have an Advisory Group who shape the development of our research outputs. Members are from government and non-government organisations, statutory bodies, peak bodies and consumer representative organisations. They have detailed knowledge of the disability and health sectors and strong relationships with critical decision-makers, including senior bureaucrats and politicians.

The Advisory Group is chaired by Graeme Innes AM, Australia’s former Disability Discrimination Commissioner and Chair of the Attitude Foundation.

Advisory Group Members

Linda Fardell / Suraksha Maharaj, Disability, Ageing, Carers and Mental Health Section, Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)

David Braddock, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW)

Frances Quan Farrant, People With Disabilities Australia (PWDA)

Ben Gauntlett, Disability Discrimination Commissioner, Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)

Leah van Poppel, Women with Disabilities Victoria (WDV)

Belinda Johnson/ Angela Healy, Office of Disability, Victorian Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)

Graeme Innes AM (Chair), Attitude Foundation

Philippa Angley, National Disability Services (NDS)

Paul Hardcastle, Disability Policy Branch, Department of Social Services (DSS)

Previous members

  • Marcia Kingston, Evidence and Coordination, Mainstream Policy Branch, Department of Social Services (until August 2020)
  • Gordon Duff, National Disability Services (until June 2020)
  • Justine Boland, Disability and Carers, Australian Bureau of Statistics
  • Leah van Poppel, Women with Disabilities Victoria (until November 2019)
  • Alastair McEwin, Disability Discrimination Commissioner, Australian Human Rights Commission (until April 2019)
  • Keran Howe, Women with Disabilities Victoria (until Dec 2018)
  • Mark Cooper-Stanbury, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (until March 2019)
  • Ngila Bevan, People with Disabilities Victoria (until Oct 2017)