Making a change from within I River Night - Developing Australian Communities

In this powerful episode of Innovate for Impact, host Tania Gomez sits down with River Knight, founder of Developing Australian Communities and a disability advocate, to discuss how to reshape the disability sector. River shares insights from over 30 years of experience, reflecting on the systemic challenges in NDIS, the urgent need for holistic case management, and his push for political change to better serve people with disabilities.

They also discuss the failures of co-design in NDIS reforms, the erosion of choice and control for participants, and the essential role of collaboration across government departments. With an election on the horizon, River’s call to action is clear: It’s time for intelligent voting and accountability in disability services.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction to the episode

02:10 – Meet River Knight: 30+ years in the disability sector

06:30 – The story behind Developing Australian Communities

11:15 – Pivoting to politics: Why River wants to represent Blair

18:00 – Failures of co-design in NDIS and rapid policy changes

25:40 – The erosion of choice and control for NDIS participants

30:15 – Why collaboration between government departments is essential

37:50 – How to address systemic failures in NDIS case management

45:20 – Holding policymakers accountable and the power of advocacy

50:00 – River’s vision for a reformed NDIS and holistic disability support

55:30 – Why voters in Blair need to demand representation that matters

01:00:00 – Final takeaway: Advocating for a united voice in disability services

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