A Truly Great Activist

Guest Author Uncategorized

Today’s Guest Post is from Puffy – a moving tribute to the late, great, and way too young to die Stella Young. Thank you, Puffy, and thank you for your forbearance with the delayed publication.

(Image Credit: Stella Young)

As we join Bill Shorten in paying our respects to a truly great activist for an inclusive accessible and FAIR society, we recognise that Stella Young, who has left us at the young age of 32, did not only advocate for a better deal for people with disabilities, she was pursuing a vision of a better deal for all of us. A society where everyone can access physical spaces, digital spaces, the world of ideas and the world of art, recreation, career and family regardless of ability is a better place for everyone.

As her friend Clementine Ford wrote:

Stella Young was not a brave, inspirational warrior sent here to teach us a lesson about Appreciating What We Have. She was a writer, activist, lover, daughter, sister, fighter, drinker, dancer, woman, and human being.

I never met this interesting woman, which is my regret. However, I know her work from reading Ramp Up, the online portal provided by the ABC, of which Stella Young was the editor.

Stella Young had a vision – some might have thought it was an impossible vision – except it isn’t. In a country where numerous ‘able-bod’ government ministers, while being paid so many times the average income of people with disabilities, have no vision and no concept of a society where people get a fair go, Ms Young’s example is a lesson to us all.

She was not ‘brave’ – Stella Young on what society should expect from disabled people:

I want to live in a world where we don’t have such low expectations of disabled people that we are congratulated for getting out of bed and remembering our own names in the morning. I want to live in a world where we value genuine achievement for disabled people.

She was not ‘inspirational’ – (discussing a poster):

These images – there are lots of them out there – they are what we call inspiration porn. And I use the term porn deliberately because they objectify one group of people for the benefit of another group of people.

Stella Young on how ‘inspiration porn’ gets it wrong:

That quote, ‘the only disability in life is a bad attitude’, the reason that’s bullshit is … No amount of smiling at a flight of stairs has ever made it turn into a ramp. No amount of standing in the middle of a bookshelf and radiating a positive attitude is going to turn all those books into braille.

But she had vision. Stella Young outlines why the NDIS matters – because one day you might need it:

The National Disability Insurance Scheme is an investment in all Australians. It’s not about people like me who currently live with disabilities, it’s about all of those who might in the future.

The NDIS is the culmination of thirty years of advocacy by the disability movement. and this scheme is overdue. The NDIS must not be starved of funds or left to the vagaries of political interest. so the advocacy work is not finished and everyone needs to insist that this be above political shenanigans.

One thing is for certain: Australia is a better place for Ms Young’s thirty-two years in it. Just one of her successes, ABC Ramp Up, has left a legacy of information and creative content. I only hope funding is restored to this progressive initiative.

From the ABC website, this is her announcement of its closure of Ramp Up (but the content remains online):

After much speculation about the future of Ramp Up since the Federal Budget announcement, we have some news to share.

As many of you are aware, in 2010 the ABC received funding to establish an online destination to discuss disability in Australia. The funding came from the Department of Families and Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, which is now the Department of Social Services. Our current contract with DSS finishes on 30 June this year and has not been renewed.

The publication of ABC Ramp Up will cease on 30 June, however the website will remain online as a resource for the disability community. Current comments will remain while new comments on articles will be closed.

Over the last three and a half years, Ramp Up has published over 500 pieces of original content, facilitated discussion on a broad range of disability issues, developed a strong social media presence and, perhaps most importantly, published stories and perspectives that put forward a strong case for the establishment of the NDIS. We’ve also had the honour of publishing great work from many talented, emerging writers with disability.

Stella Young writes a letter to her 80-year-old self:

I’ve never thought I was going to die young. But I’m aware, sometimes painfully so, that there are people who do.

For the young people here practicality is a good thing. There are times where compromise is necessary. That’s part of wisdom. But it’s also important to hang on to what you believe, to know what you believe and then be willing to stand up for it. And what’s true for individuals is also true for countries.

Vale and thank you, Stella Young.

442 thoughts on “A Truly Great Activist”

  1. More likely those trendy right-wing types from Liberal electorates who have time and money to waste on frivolities.

    From Bolt’s perspective, they are chai latte sipping leftists.

  5. I’ve been very interested in this US-Cuba development, very significant for the Americas as a whole. The first two links give you the guts of it.

    http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/18/world/americas/us-cuba-relations.html

    http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/dec/18/us-cuba-deal-a-marriage-18-months-in-the-making-blessed-by-pope-francis

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/centralamericaandthecaribbean/cuba/11300273/Barack-Obama-and-Raul-Castro-announce-a-new-era-in-US-Cuba-relations.html

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/the-pope/11300391/Pope-Francis-brokered-US-Cuba-deal-at-secret-Vatican-meetings.html

    http://qz.com/314424/heres-the-giant-loser-from-todays-us-cuba-deal/ Venezuela loses out

    http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2014/12/obamas-had-helluva-good-month-midterms
    This move is part of a bit of a bounce back for the president

    http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/12/did-obama-just-lose-florida.html
    Electoral consequences, or maybe not?

    http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/18/sports/baseball/for-baseball-cuba-is-front-and-center.html
    Cubans love their baseball, and they have a lot of great players

    http://adst.org/2014/12/re-establishing-ties-with-cuba-1977/
    The last one gives some historical context. Jimmy Carter tried to to a similar thing but backed away.

  8. leroy,

    A big bonus for the Democrats come the next presidential and general election. Only the rabids, already rabid, don’t like it.

    I surmise that the Republicans will be short of half a leg to stand on in both houses.

  10. I know most people think Mike Baird is a dead certainty to win the NSW election in March, but I’d like to think that there’s one chance of that certainty not happening, and that is if there’s a federal Liberal leadership spill in February or March next year. And it’s looking more likely, what with this latest “I was hungover” admission. It’s a weak response and shows the lack of personal discipline required for the job, which undoubtedly would invoke disgust in more than a few wavering Liberal backbenchers having to put up with Credlin’s micromanagement.

    The Labor spill in 2012 arguably helped cause Labor to be smashed to pieces in Queensland and the one in 2013 caused a terrible defeat in WA. So if there’s one in 2015, then the Liberal governments in NSW and Queensland might cop enough federal fallout to be toxic to the electorate and become oppositions again.

  11. Gotta give it to this pope. The previous ones must be turning in their graves. Not to mention the many cardinals now going to an early grave.

  12. https://newmatilda.com/2014/12/18/final-chapters-professor-barry-spurr-scandal-are-yet-be-written

    https://newmatilda.com/2014/12/15/freya-newman-breaks-silence-thank-supporters

  13. Kirsdarke,

    It will be a major miracle if the Lib backbench doesn’t explode. Put the wolf of the nationals house of straw to a tiny puff and they will go higgledy-piggledy.

  14. NotSold in stasis for two weeks to be replaced by Sabra bloody Lane.

    Sarah, come back!

  15. More bastardry – Merry Christmas Australia, from Tony and Peter.

    Patients face $45 gap fee to see a doctor as Senate cannot block $1 billion freeze on Medicare indexation rebates

    EXCLUSIVE: Patients will face a $45 gap fee to see a doctor within three years and there is nothing the Senate can do to stop it.

    Health Minister Peter Dutton has found a way of bypassing the parliament to implement one of the biggest of his planned cuts to Medicare.

    The freeze on the indexation of the Medicare rebate is estimated to save the government $1 billion of the $3.5 billion it wants to save from Medicare by 2017-18.

    Unlike the other measures the government has outlined — the $5 cut to the Medicare rebate and the requirement of a doctor see the patient for at least 10 minutes — indexation needs no regulation or legislation.

    This means there is no way the Senate can block the move and the savings are locked in for the government.

    http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/patients-face-45-gap-fee-to-see-a-doctor-as-senate-cannot-block-1-billion-freeze-on-medicare-indexation-rebates/story-fneuz9ev-1227159737291

    There is one way to stop this – vote the bastards out in 2016 – or before.

  16. SBS is suggesting that the Sydney whatsit is the Princess Diana death of Australia.

    Shouldn’t be too long before it’s our Pearl Harbour.

  17. Aguirre,

    2001: 9/11

    1997: Princess Diana’s death

    Surely the Bay of Pigs takes priority over Pearl Harbor!

  20. 2gravel – 🙂

    I once came across a mother fox sleeping in the sun with several cubs (kits?) at Panboola wetlands (Pambula, NSW): http://panboola.com/

    I tried to get a photo, but I don’t remember if I was successful or not… Mum woke up and barked an order, and they were gone.

  23. Pity about the photo, but you at least got to see it.

    Absolutely. I tut-tutted there being foxes in a nature refuge, but had a big smile on my face that afternoon.

  25. Jaeger,

    I had an almost white night last night, so heard a fair bit of radio.

    Somewhere – don’t ask when or which broadcaster – there were a few clips from the “assassination comedy” – which sounded neither comedic nor entertaining.

  29. Prime Minister Tony Abbott to spend weekend pondering frontbench reshuffle

    How much of that weekend is “What’s a reshuffle?”

  31. Jaeger,

    How much of that weekend is “What’s a reshuffle?”

    The remaining 5% is almost entirely panic, followed by the stupidest of decisions.

    * * * * * * * * *

    Well, actually, no. My preferred scenario is that Our Fearless Leader will stare it out (head possibly wobbling) and refuse to do anything.

    Because I really REALLY want him to be “PM” at the next Federal election.

    Because I really REALLY REALLY want him to experience deep – and deeply personal – humiliation.

    It will be very good for his soul . . .

  33. Just received this news.

    No Nativity Scene in Canberra, Australia this Year
    The Supreme Court has ruled that there cannot be a Nativity Scene in the nation’s Capital this Christmas season.

    This isn’t for any religious reason.

    They simply have not been able to find Three Wise Men in Canberra ..

    The search for a Virgin continues…..

    There was no problem, however, finding enough donkeys to fill the stable.

  37. Watching Sunrise having breakie.
    Kochie getting stuck into the Who Editor about Bishops photo shoot. Talking about double standards re. What bishop said when Julia Gillard did it. Also she wearing expensive designer clothes and shoes while the govt is sticking it too the poor and how come she has the time to do a photo-shoot for a glossy magazine but can,t find the time to attended something in the pacific. Editor not happy,I think she wasn’t expecting these questions.
    Quite like Kochie . I always thought he was a lib supporter,but he wasn’t happy about bishop Being a glorified clothes horse.

  40. joe6pack

    When you said you were watching sun rise whilst having brekky, I thought, you have a very interesting sun rise up in Qld. Thanks for passing that on, interesting….how many more are turning.

  41. Good morning Dawn Patrollers.

    Laura Tingle – An exhausted government is searching for alibis. An excellent article.
    http://www.afr.com/p/opinion/exhausted_government_is_searching_MRy4IY8AkPbDF3PpiC2rvI
    A last weekend of barnacle scraping for Abbott as he ponders a Ministerial reshuffle.
    http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/prime-minister-tony-abbott-to-spend-weekend-pondering-frontbench-reshuffle-20141218-12a760.html
    Abbott needs a Christmas star with regards to this endeavour.
    http://www.canberratimes.com.au/comment/christmas-will-see-prime-minister-tony-abbott-pondering-survival-20141218-1292a2.html
    Mark Kenny has a very critical look at the whole siege and security issue.
    http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-opinion/martin-place-siege-acknowledge-errors-to-prepare-for-the-future-20141218-129j5s.html
    A missing seven minutes in the siege conclusion.
    http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/sydney-siege-aftermath-seven-minutes-two-bangs-and-when-the-waiting-game-became-a-tactical-assault-20141218-129o5w.html
    The AFP introduces a new term, “non-definitive”, to assuage its stuff up in wrongly advising Abbott that Monis had a gun licence. Stand by for this term to quickly enter the Australian political lexicon.
    http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2014/dec/18/afp-admits-non-definitive-database–brief-pm-monis-gun-licence
    And demand increases for a transparent and open inquiry into the siege as opposed to what has been announced.
    http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/sydney-siege-aftermath-inquiry-signals-split-in-bipartisan-support-for-national-security-20141218-129uh6.html
    The New Matilda – The only terrorist involved in the Martin Place siege was the Murdoch press empire.
    https://newmatilda.com/2014/12/18/only-terrorist-organisation-involved-sydney-siege-murdoch-press-empire
    The NewsCorp spear carriers are rattled by the public response to the siege. They appear to not understand their readers. Miranda Devine comes in for a lot of attention here.
    http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/dec/18/illridewithyou-do-australias-rightwingers-hate-it-because-they-dont-know-their-own-readers
    UberX is getting under the government’s guard by the looks of it.
    http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/uberxs-rapid-rise-ipart-proposes-freezing-taxi-fares-20141218-129lgt.html

  42. Section 2 . . .

    The axe will fall hard on mining jobs.
    http://www.businessspectator.com.au/article/2014/12/18/australian-news/axe-will-fall-hard-mining-jobs
    The 12 Australians we admired most in 2014.
    http://thenewdaily.com.au/news/2014/12/18/12-australians-admired-2014/
    Judith Ireland – Mr Grecian 2000′s relationship vouchers are still looking for love.
    http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/sydney-siege-aftermath-seven-minutes-two-bangs-and-when-the-waiting-game-became-a-tactical-assault-20141218-129o5w.html
    Without revenue Australians can only have half a budget debate.
    https://theconversation.com/without-revenue-australia-can-only-have-half-a-budget-debate-35537
    The Department of Social Services has a crazy culture of command and control says Labor.
    http://www.canberratimes.com.au/national/public-service/department-of-human-services-has-crazy-culture-of-commandandcontrol-says-labor-20141218-129ued.html
    Ben Eltham’s year in review. He covers many topics.
    https://newmatilda.com/2014/12/18/year-review-turns-out-we-were-listening-wrong-politician
    The three worst things the Liberals did yesterday.
    http://www.ellistabletalk.com/2014/12/18/the-three-worst-things-the-liberals-did-yesterday-141-2/
    Charities warn the Abbott government that welfare recipients face a bleak Christmas.
    http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2014/dec/18/welfare-recipients-face-bleak-christmas-charities-warn-abbott-government
    The Auditor-General releases a scathing report on the WestConnex project.
    http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/damning-report-into-westconnex-motorway-released-by-nsw-auditorgeneral-20141218-129r7t.html
    The Great Southern class action calls into question the issue of lawyers’ fees.
    https://theconversation.com/great-southern-class-action-calls-for-debate-on-lawyers-fees-32266

  43. Kochie got his start as a finance journalist. I don’t like the man, but when it comes to finance, investments and small business he knows his stuff. He could be just a bit angry with this government’s idiotic management of the economy. Sunrise has a huge audiene of older, right-wing Australians who take notice of what Kochie favours or dislikes. If Kochie is now asking questions of the government instead of giving Abbott an easy ride, as he did for years, and being critical of hypocritical ministers then Abbott should be worried.

    Apart from the blatant hypocrisy of her photo shoot, with everyone now being reminded of what she said about Julia Gillard’s similar peice in the Womens Weekly, that photo shoot was Bishop’s Marie Antoinette moment, her ‘they can bloody well buy their clothes at Vinnies’ statement. Dolling herself up in an ouitfit that cost a few months worth of age pension – not a good idea.

  44. Section 3 . . .

    Abbott’s “mean and tricky” Australia has turned us into an international pariah.
    https://independentaustralia.net/environment/environment-display/mean-and-tricky-at-lima,7202
    Stephen Koukoulas – The Abbott government’s crazy spending spree.
    http://thekouk.com/blog/the-abbott-government-s-crazy-spending-spree.html
    Abbott’s shock jock boosters seem to be losing faith in him.
    http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/ray-hadley-attacks-tony-abbotts-response-to-martin-place-siege-during-interview-20141218-129kfr.html
    Walking, living caricature George Christensen just can’t help himself.
    http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/president-obama-praises-illridewithyou-to-tony-abbott-as-liberal-mp-slams-hating-whitey-campaign-20141218-129icc.html
    Julia Gillard will join the board of Beyond Blue.
    http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/dec/18/julia-gillard-to-join-beyondblue-board
    Peter Wicks reviews the Craig Thompson sentencing and suggests that Kathy Jackson should be shitting herself.
    http://wixxyleaks.com/free-to-run-no-jail-for-craig-thomson/
    Woolworths continue to play hardball with its suppliers and potentially riles the ACCC.
    http://www.smh.com.au/business/retail/woolies-christmas-threat-to-suppliers-20141218-12a16o.html
    The NSW Mental Health Commissioner writes on the grieving response to the siege.
    http://www.smh.com.au/comment/sydney-siege-its-time-to-reach-out-to-the-grieving-20141218-129pol.html
    View from the Street. A big day for ridiculous comments from public figures.
    http://www.smh.com.au/comment/view-from-the-street/view-from-the-street-elected-representatives-say-the-darndest-things-20141218-12a2fa.html
    Doctors warn of a Medicare “wrecking ball”.
    http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/doctors-warn-of-medicare-wrecking-ball-20141218-129b79.html

  45. Section 4 . . .

    And there is the spectre of a “nuclear option” that would scrap all Medicare rebates.
    http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/national/patients-may-get-no-medicare-rebates-when-they-visit-a-doctor/story-fni6ulvf-1227161104460
    Another actor goes down on child sex charges.
    http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/brighton-man-jeremy-kewley-faces-103-child-sex-abuse-charges-20141218-129nvo.html
    Alan Moir suggests Hockey’s in a bit of fiscal trouble.

    Ron Tandberg on what profit sharing is.
    http://www.smh.com.au/photogallery/federal-politics/cartoons/ron-tandberg-20090910-fixc.html
    Andrew Dyson with the evolution of the three wise men of the Middle East.
    http://www.smh.com.au/photogallery/federal-politics/cartoons/andrew-dyson-20090819-epqv.html
    Great work by David Pope as Leyonhjelm attempts to revive the gun ownership debate.
    http://www.smh.com.au/photogallery/federal-politics/cartoons/david-pope-20141123-1t3j0.html
    John Spooner – think about it!
    http://www.smh.com.au/photogallery/federal-politics/cartoons/spooner-gallery-20090716-dmsv.html
    Merry Christmas from David Rowe.
    http://www.afr.com/p/national/cartoon_gallery_david_rowe_1g8WHy9urgOIQrWQ0IrkdO

  47. I’m at a complete loss to understand what Bishop thinks she’s doing. Politically speaking, it’s an incredible miscalculation; and, counter to what a lot of the MSM seem to think, it would have to be damaging her chances of landing the top job.

    Even by the Liberals’ own rhetoric, it’s clear that what Australians are looking for more than anything else right now is a fixer, someone to come in and take control of an ailing economy. A serious person, someone who, whether or not they have a firm grasp on the situation, can speak persuasively and sympathetically to the electorate. It’s an instinctive thing that when times are tough strong, sensible, no-frills leadership is what’s looked for. Trust is a key issue here, and creating the illusion of trust is central to that.

    If Bishop, or her PR team, had a modicum of good sense, that’s what they’d be trying to do with her. Take her modest international achievements and scrub them up into the image of a ‘gets-things-done’ woman. HIghlight any and every contact she’s had with anyone of note overseas, and pile on the talk of the ‘importance’ of what she’s doing. I think they’ve had a go at that, but the fluff pieces and the photo shoots destroy any headway they’ve made with it. They make her less substantial (image-wise, that is; at heart she is very insubstantial).

    It’s the same old story with the LIbs. They’re deeply stupid, and have no instinct for politics at all. They’re good at dirt files and gossip, but when it comes to presenting themselves in the best light, they’re just casting about blindly. Keeping the focus on the ALP got them where they are, but from the minute they got there it was all downhill. They’ve destroyed a potentially effective PM in Turnbull by giving him the job of dismantling the NBN, and he completed the job with his Conrovia nonsense, trivialising his whole political career in about six months. Hockey let himself be found out for the fraud he is, and in record time as well. And now Bishop is, gleefully it seems, dumbing herself down into a non-entity. You can do what she’s doing when the country is riding high and wants to do a bit of showmanship. But not in the current conditions.

  50. Bob Ellis has gone off his medication again. I’m enjoying his ‘Three worst things the Liberals did yesterday’ thing very much, not even Bob’s wildest imaginings could make up stuff as bizarre as the truth he writes, but his view on the Lindt siege is way out of line.

    Ellis sees it all as a plot, the police were in some way to blame for the deaths and injuries and there is a conspiracy to keep the details secret. He thinks Abbott was to blame for it all because he would not speak with the gunman. Ellis is trying to portray Abbott as a coward for not agreeing to an on-air interview when, for once, Abbott did exactly the right thing. There are times when rabid hatred of Abbott leads people to say stupid things, this is such a time for Ellis and he would do better to shut up.

    There is no way of knowing whether or not Man Monis would have kept his word and released some hostages if Abbbott spoke with him. He was not someone you’d trust anyway, why believe that promise? It’s likely he would have become angered by the interview and killed everyone. Those handling the siege did everything by the book, despite what the MSM imply they have had plenty of experience dealing with crazed gunmen and sieges. We need to stop the pointless accusations and the conspiracy theories.

    Just imagine what would have come after such an interview. Every day some nutter – and we have plenty of them, ranging from religious fanatics to divorced fathers angry with the Family Court – would have been taking hostages and demanding their on-air interview with the PM. Abbott’s minders were smart enough to work this out. Not that Abbott would have talked anyway, he doesn’t do live debates.
    http://www.ellistabletalk.com/2014/12/18/28882/

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