In Plain Sight

This week, Simon reprises his chats with Kerrie Duff, a Paralympian bronze medalist, and Rayna Lamb, a dynamic disability advocate and passionate dancer

Kerrie is a disability advocate who currently works for Team Lab and has her own consulting business. She and Simon discuss mentoring, leadership, and equality.

kerrieduffconsulting.com 

teamlab.com.au 

To connect with the WA Spina Bifida community, you can go to the Facebook page: facebook.com/groups/SpinaBifidaWA  

Rayna shares her stories and experiences, from forming Women With Disabilities WA to performing in a groundbreaking production of The Little Mermaid. If you can move your arm or your hand, or express yourself no matter how minimally: you can dance.

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This week, Simon revisits the discussions he had earlier this year with Dr Rita Kleinfeld-Fowell, Deborah Kazich and Linni Oliver.

Legally Deaf and blind, Rita has faced - and overcome - immense challenges. Through resilience, strength and determination, she has transformed adversity into advocacy, using her lived experience to support and uplift others.

Now Head of Disability Law Practice at Sussex Street Community Legal Centre, Rita is passionate about empowering people with disability through knowledge, rights and representation.

For more information about Rita's work and the legal services available at Sussex Street Community Law Service, go to their website: sscls.asn.au

Deborah Kazich is a Deafblind advocate sharing her vibrant, active life, and Linni Oliver is a dedicated Communication Guide.

Deb has many interests including public speaking training with Toast Masters, and she never misses an opportunity to share her passion for her community and to help bring awareness of people living with Deafblindness.

More information about Deafblind West Australians can be found on their website.

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This week Simon catches up with Louisa Norman, Engagement and Regional Manager at Perth Festival.

Perth Festival will light up Perth city for a massive summer of art and culture from 6 February to 1 March (with the Lotterywest Films program already underway). The Festival will activate the city and your imagination across a dazzling array of art forms, with numerous venue locations, there's something for everyone no matter your interest, ability or access needs.

The Perth Festival team has gone to a lot of effort to ensure that many of the program and events are as accessible and inclusive as possible, which is clear through Simon and Louisa's conversation. The Festival website has been designed to make finding shows and places that are suitable for different accessibility needs easy to find, with lots of detailed information.

Find out more about the Perth Festival program on their website. The accessibility widget can be found in the bottom left hand corner of the screen.

You can read more about the Festival's commitment to accessibility here on their website.

And replay their recent Access Information Evening session on YouTube here. 

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This week, Tayla Taseff, disability content creator, returns to the program for a positive, interesting chat with Simon. We first heard from this dynamic advocate back in November 2024, and she made such an impact we had to have her in again and find out what she's been up to.

We discover that sharing important information about accessibility can be delivered with a smile, from a star. Tayla is not your typical 'influencer', but something much more. 

Active on social media and in person by attending an array of events and participating in different activities, Tayla dedicates a great deal of her time to trying to educate and inform people about the benefits of accessibility and inclusion. 

Tayla is diving into the Super Swim this February to raise vital funds for the Starlight Children's Foundation.

Did you know that every minute of every day, a child in Australia is admitted to hospital? For many of them, it's a scary and isolating experience – but with your support, we can help bring joy, laughter, and comfort to sick kids when they need it most.

Tayla will be swimming two kilometres to brighten the lives of children in hospital – and needs your help to reach her fundraising goal. Find out more and donate here.

Find Tayla on Instagram: 'accessibility_with_tayla - Tayla Taseff'.

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From a young age Nihal Iscel has been assisting others and acting as an advocate. This week, Simon had a fascinating conversation with this passionate and strong woman with a vast knowledge gained from a variety of life experiences.

International Day of People with Disability is recognised each year on 3 December. Nihal suggests that this year's theme, 'Fostering disability inclusive societies for advancing social progress’, could perhaps be considered a proper 'celebration' when we have reached full and meaningful inclusion for all.

Learn what this means and so much more from someone who has worked hard to create change to benefit others since she was a child, both in her country of birth Türkiye, and Australia.

We are all part of one community and we all have an equal role to play within that community.

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This week on In Plain Sight join Simon as he chats to the ever enthusiastic Tara Le Flohic, a creative film maker using the medium to shine a light on homelessness, especially in women. Tara is now living her best life but it hasn't always been that way. She uses her creative skills and film making to explore and illustrate important and neglected aspects of society. She uses her experience of homelessness to share emotion and stories that are marginalised or unheard. 

Tara's film project "Just Three Things" discusses the phenomena of what happens to people experiencing homelessness, focusing on female perspectives. It delves into keepsakes or possessions that are held on to and keep one going through hard times.

What things could you not bear to live without?

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This week, Simon speaks with ICONYX, who hails from the East Kimberley from the Kukatja and Pintupi mobs and now lives in Boorloo (Perth) on Whadjuk Noongar Boodja. She is a passionate songwriter, has perfect pitch, plays piano and guitar, loves to sing, and is blind.

ICONYX started producing her own music under the mentorship of Boss Arts Creative. Enjoying all music, especially hip hop and pop, she has also covered Archie Roach's Mulyawongk and Gurrumul's Baru. ICONYX won the 2025 WAM Song of the Year in both the Indigenous and Act, Belong, Commit categories for her original Black On Trak.

On ICONYX's Linktree, accessible here, you can find articles about her as well as links to streaming services to hear her music.

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Gemma jumps into the producer chair this week while Andrew is away. She and Simon kick off the show acknowledging a huge milestone for Vision Australia Radio Perth: 10 years of service! Find out more about our programs on the VAR website, and get in touch anytime: [email protected] or call 6246 4500.

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This week, Andrew and Simon speak to Kate Champion, Artistic Director at Black Swan State Theatre Company in Perth, Western Australia, about their 2026 program. Black Swan is committed to inclusion and accessibility in the arts, and Kate shares their accessibility initiatives with us, which include audio description, tactile tours and Auslan interpretation.

A season of bold voices and fresh perspectives, Black Swan's 2026 program showcases iconic reinventions, daring new commissions, and stories that speak directly to the world we live in today. Find out more about the 2026 program on their website.

Vision Australia Radio is a proud accessibility partner of Black Swan State Theatre Company.

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This week, Simon revisits his conversations with three staff members from DADAA, a West Australian arts organisation finding creative ways to reduce disadvantage in the arts for people with disability.

DADAA stands for Disability in the Arts, Disadvantage in the Arts, Australia.

DADAA aspires to be a voice of ambition, daring, and innovation, providing opportunities for creative expression and development for people with all abilities.

To challenge preconceptions and perceptions, think differently and freely, and create great art – art that changes people’s lives.

You can find out more about DADAA on their website: dadaa.org.au

Many thanks to Dennis Collins for his assistance in producing this week's episode.

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Join Simon and Andrew on a journey of discovery as they travel with Ben Yew from the hustle and bustle of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to the sleepy seaside town of Bunbury, Western Australia.

While Ben was looking for a spark to inspire him as he recovered from cancer, he was motivated to try to inspire others who might be going through a similar situation. Ben is a renowned award winning brilliant photographer and visual storyteller. He began his creative journey as a destination wedding photographer, and has now focused his talents on highlighting everyday people sharing important and often vulnerable moments.

Ben's One Bunbury Project celebrates 100 remarkable individuals from Bunbury, and is also a book of the same name. Find out more here on Ben's website: onebunbury.com.au

This project is more than just a book. It’s the beginning of a movement, with proceeds supporting the launch of an Inspirational Scholarship program for young creatives and the expansion of One [City] projects nationally and globally.

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