Setting the wheels of change in motion

We’re shining a light on another influencer with disability this edition, Green’s Senator, Jordon Steele-John. Senator Steele-John’s influence reaches well beyond social media – as a politician, he’s got the influence to change laws in Australia through his lobbying, advocacy and vote.

The Perth native, who says he loves to bust open expectations, is the Senate’s youngest member and the first senator to use a wheelchair in parliament.

His Instagram (complete with verified blue tick!) shares snippets of his parliamentary speeches, the access, peace and climate rights he advocates for, and a window into the world of Parliament House in Canberra.

When the bells go for a vote in the Senate, and all senators have four minutes to make it, you can see first-person footage of one of Senator Steele-John’s staff rushing to him to help get him there in his manual wheelchair (traversing Parliament House’s very soft carpets).

True to his message around accessibility, Senator Steele-John’s biography and information are available to all Australians in Easy Read format.