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In the lead up to the election, Powerd asked some of our regular opinion writers to share their views, concerns, and thoughts. This entry collects all of the 2025 election related opinion pieces in one place for ease of reading.
Some political stances are detrimental for the disability community.
Laura discusses how Dutton's intention to remove work from home options for public servants had backlash about the negative impact on some groups - but people with a disability weren't included in the discussion.
"I work almost entirely from home by necessity, and I’ve previously written about the importance of that flexibility for myself and other disabled people. In short, some people with energy limiting conditions (the prevalence of which are increasing thanks to Long COVID) are housebound and could not work if it meant commuting to an office every day. And some, like me, live with mental illness or other conditions which are far easier to manage in the familiar, accessible space of our own home. Working from home, for many of us, is not a luxury."
The Federal Election - A US warning.
Adam takes a look at the US elections and what we should learn and take as a warning about how they are now dismantling all kinds of disability supports.
"In Australia there are 6.8 million people aged 18 or over who are living with a disability or long term health condition, which is a staggering 40 percent of the vote in the election, a large percentage of voters which cannot be ignored by any party wanting to even win a seat in parliament, yet alone clawing enough through to form a majority government. The fate of parties are in our control if we band together to make sure we vote for not just what we want, but what we need."
Adults deserve Autism and ADHD diagnosis – Medicare must step up.
Bec shares her experience in being unable to get a diagnosis for her daughter when they were young, and the challenges faced now in trying to access a diagnosis.
"Autism and ADHD diagnoses remain a privilege in Australia when they should be a right. Because of the prevalence of outdated stereotypes that are just now starting to be seen for what they are, lots of people missed their chance at being diagnosed as children and are now faced with paying thousands of dollars out of pocket or just going without. This inability to access diagnoses is actively harming thousands of neurodivergent Australians. Especially when you consider that access to support is reliant on that diagnosis."
Disabled and feeling invisible in the upcoming election? You’re not alone.
Zoe covers the topic many people are feeling - that nearly everything dicussed so far in the 2025 elections has ignored people with a disabilty.
"Do people in parliament really just not think about us? Do they hope that by not mentioning us or supporting us, we’ll just go away? The reality is most of them probably don’t think of us at all—other than, perhaps, a burden contributing to “NDIS budget blow outs” (which is ridiculous in so many ways, but particularly because most disabled people aren’t on the NDIS)."
Empathy during an election campaign.
Liel covers how effective leadership requires empathy, and how that has been missing this election.
"As a disabled migrant, when I heard Peter Dutton’s comments about immigration, I could tell he has not listened to the immigrant and refugee communities. A leader who talks about your priorities but lacks willingness to listen to experiences outside of their own, is unlikely to be an effective leader."
It’s time for a conversation about fascism and disability.
Naomi discuses how fascism is rising in America under Trump, and how this is entwined with disability.
"Disabled people in Australia have long been framed as a financial burden we don’t have the budget for. In an increasingly stressful cost-of-living crisis (about to be exacerbated by the global impact of US tariffs), a fascist leaning politician wouldn’t have to nudge too hard on that rhetoric to take us to some very dangerous places. So, what do we do? Long-term, we continue working to change the narrative. Disabled people are not a financial burden. Short-term, we vote."
Content warning for this post: Discussion of the deaths of disabled people during the Holocaust, including descriptions of some of the methods used.
Jasper shares how the two major parties aren't standing up for families and supporting children
"I’m no rocket surgeon but the equation seems pretty simple to me. Families with young children, particularly those with disability in the mix, are rarely resourced with funds, time or energy to hunt down unclear additional evidence in the bottleneck of the health system. The process of accessing the NDIS is unbelievably complex and outcomes often depend on which way the wind is blowing. Without evidence that quells the system’s thirst for spreadsheet handsomeness, or whatever the hell is going on there, kids are handballed back to that bottleneck. In the meantime a lack of support leads to a pile-on of unnecessary challenges not just for those children, but their families and the broader community."