Decision details

Memorandum by the Chief Executive Officer

To Council:

Background

The Inclusion (Disability) Advisory Panel was established in November 2012 to provide expert advice to the City regarding inclusion and access for people with disability.

The aim of the Inclusion (Disability) Advisory Panel is to provide strategic, expert and impartial advice on how we develop, implement, monitor and review our policies, strategies and plans to advance the inclusion of people with disability.

The current Panel is comprised of 12 members, four members that have served a six-year term (2017-2023) and eight members that have served a two year term (2021-2023).

Under the current Terms of Reference, revised and endorsed by Council in 2021, Panel members cannot serve longer than a six-year term. Therefore, four Panel members: Nidhi Shekaran, Max Burt, Tara Elliffe and Sabrina Houssami, will stand down in December 2023.

In 2024, the Panel will be comprised of eight reappointed members and four new members selected through a recruitment process to replace the outgoing members. These new panel members are now to be ratified by Council.

Reappointment and recruitment of Panel members

In accordance with the Panel Terms of Reference, the terms of four Panel members will end in December 2023. The recruitment of new Panel members and reappointment of existing Panel members ensures the continuity of feedback on ongoing projects, while bringing new perspectives on key issues impacting people with disability.

To replace the outgoing panel members, recruitment from shortlisted applicants from the 2021 panel recruitment was undertaken in October 2023. Applicants were interviewed by a suitably qualified panel of City staff and the Panel Chair against the Panel selection criteria. Recommended new Panel members are as follows:

·            George Saliba;

·            Sharon Xabregas;

·            Annemaree Watharow; and

·            Dwayne Fernandes.

New panellists are recommended based on the skills and experience brought by each person, and the value their expertise adds to the Panel. Appointments are recommended to ensure that, as far as possible, the overall membership of the Panel reflects the diversity of lived experience in the disability community.

All four recommended applicants live, work or study in the City of Sydney local government area. Each has experience of living with or caring for a person with disability and/or demonstrate knowledge, skills or experience in providing independent and strategic advice on disability access and inclusion issues.  All are prepared to join the Panel.

The recommended panel for 2024 comprises 12 people, all with diverse lived experience of disability and/or mental health conditions. The recommended Panel includes people from various age groups, including a young person, people of diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, an Aboriginal person and people of diverse genders and sexualities.

In accordance with the requirements of the Terms of Reference, all members are appointed in an individual capacity and more than 50 per cent of the members are people with a direct experience of disability, either personally or developed through a caring and support role.

MONICA BARONE

Chief Executive Officer

Moved by the Chair (the Lord Mayor), seconded by Councillor Kok –

It is resolved that Council:

(A)       ratify the reappointment of eight existing Inclusion (Disability) Advisory Panel members being: Stephen Adei (Chair), Charles Hung, Giancarlo de Vera, Matthew Hall, Max Burt, Mim Smith, Nanushka TamTam and Paul Nunnari for a further one-year term, until December 2024; with an option to extend for an additional three years; and

(B)       ratify the appointment of four new Inclusion (Disability) Advisory Panel members being: George Saliba, Sharon Xabregas, Annemaree Watharow and Dwayne Fernandes for an initial three-year term, with an option to extend for an additional three years.

Carried unanimously.

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