Minister for Disability Services, Kristina Keneally, and Sport and Recreation Minister Graham West have challenged six of their colleagues to a game of wheelchair basketball.
The challenge match will involve two teams of five – each with four MPs and a wheelchair basketball player at the Sydney Uni Sports and Aquatic Centre today.
“While it might look easy from the grandstand, I think we will find out just how hard it is to manoeuvre a wheelchair around a basketball court,” Ms Keneally said.
“This is part of the NSW Government’s two month long Don’t DIS my ABILITY campaign which highlights the many achievements of the 1.3 million people in NSW who have a disability.”
The MPs who will learn all about rolling a wheelchair at speed, stopping and turning quickly while trying to retain control of the basketball include:
• Geoff Corrigan, the Member for Camden;
• Phil Costa, the Member Wollondilly;
• Verity Firth, the Member for Balmain;
• Lylea McMahon, the Member for Shellharbour;
• Karyn Paluzzano, the Member for Penrith; and
• Lynda Voltz, Member of the Legislative Council.
Mr West said the team of MPs will be joined on court by Paralympic athlete, Paul Nunnari and Illawarra Roller Hawks star player Eino Okkonen.
“Today is about promoting awareness and acknowledging the valuable contributions people with a disability make in their local communities everyday,” Mr West said.
“Being an active part of the community greatly improves the quality of life for people with a disability.
“Today we are aiming to promote further understanding in the community and showcase the technical and physical abilities of wheelchair athletes.
“The sport of wheelchair basketball showcases these skills as well as being fully inclusive to all members of the community.”
In a further bid to raise awareness and challenge perceptions of disability, the NSW Government launched three Don’t DIS my ABILITY videos last month which are available on YouTube.
The short clips feature a woman abseiling a cliff face in her wheelchair, a motorcyclist with paraplegia on a superbike and a ballroom dancer who is a wheelchair user moving gracefully with his partner.
Please visit www.internationaldayofpeoplewithadisability.com.au for further details of Don’t DIS my ABILITY.