Bio

Natalie Wade is a pioneer in advancing disability rights and the Founder of Equality Lawyers. Ms Wade delivered Australia’s inaugural Disability Leadership Oration in 2023 with a brief to “set the national agenda”. Her oration focused on ending the segregation of disabled people in all settings, but especially housing, through disabled leadership. Ms Wade is regarded as one of Australia’s foremost disability human rights lawyers and has been appointed to lead the first reform to the National Disability Insurance Scheme in response to the NDIS Review, through the NDIS Provider and Worker Registration Taskforce. Ms Wade’s contributions span across law reform and human rights campaigns advancing the rights of women and girls with disabilities, migrants with disabilities and leading advocacy for a Human Rights Act in South Australia.

 

Ms Wade authored Disability Rights in Real Life, a disability rights law handbook for people with disabilities and represented Australia at the United Nations Conference of State Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (16th session). Currently, Ms Wade holds several public policy-influencing roles including on the Australian Disability Strategy Advisory Council and the South Australian Premier’s Council for Women. 

Topics for comment:

• Disability rights law

• Law Reform

• Current issues facing people with disabilities and their families

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