“The right of family carers to advocate for their disabled children ceases, in Australia, once the child is 18 years of age. Yet, their care and advocacy requirements increase with the need for their lifetime care.”

~ Mary Walsh, Co-Founder of Our Voice Australia

About Our Voice Australia

We are a systemic advocacy organisation, unifying and amplifying the voice of people living with intellectual disability and their family advocates and carers.

We believe Australia needs a disability services sector as diverse as the people it supports, with mainstream and specialist employment, education and community settings for people to choose from. That’s at the heart of everything we do — ensuring the services and practices that affect your life, are for your life.

We are run by the parents and siblings of our members with intellectual disability. Together, we ensure those facing barriers to self-advocacy are not left out of Government conversations or decisions which affect their life and livelihood.

Our History

Through both self and supported advocacy, people with intellectual disability can have a say in the decisions which affect their lives and livelihood. That’s the reason Our Voice Australia formed, and that’s why our mission continues today.

Our Voice Australia began three decades ago when people with intellectual disability lacked appropriate opportunities to contribute to government decision-making on issues and reform that impacted them. These barriers continue today.

At the same time, Australia’s consultation framework failed to recognise family carers as ‘a voice’ for people with more significant and complex intellectual disability.

As a result, decision-making methods of Government and non-government agencies excluded these families with loved ones who could not self-advocate. The experience left them disempowered, disenfranchised and voiceless.

That gap continues today. The lived experience of our members has been missing from the Disability Royal Commission, the National Disability Insurance Scheme, and Australia’s broader disability policy and reform agenda. 

Our Voice Australia works with you and your family to bridge this gap.

Our Key Values

  • Commitment

    Loyal to our mission, vision and values.

  • Dignity

    For both people living with an intellectual disability and complex needs, and their families.

  • Compassion

    Welcoming and serving all with understanding and without judgement.

  • Respect

    We understand we come from many different backgrounds but value each person’s unique perspective and contribution.

  • Integrity

    Promoting, maintaining and adhering to our combined mission, vision and values.

  • Empathy

    Establishing relationships based on respect, trust, friendship and perception.

  • Courage

    Welcoming innovation and giving hope for the future.

  • Advocacy

    Working to transform the feelings of hopelessness and challenging the causes of human injustice.