2023-09-04
Plenty of opportunities to get out and about in public in recent days, and coming up. Also immersed in senate inquiries into dental services and ADHD at hearings in Perth.
By Senator Jordon Steele-John
Hello! It’s so great to be provided another update on the work that myself and the team have been up to.
The last couple of months have given me the opportunity to get out and about across Perth. I was delighted to make it along to the Curtin O’Day, and it has been fabulous to host street chats and pop up offices around town including in Rockingham and across parks in Perth. I’d like to thank the Greens (WA) team for hosting a successful quiz night and give a big congratulations to our Rockingham by-election team for their efforts; with particular thanks to our Greens candidate Madeleine De Jong and Brand Greens organiser James Mumme.
In addition to these community events, and in my role of Chair of the Senate Select Committee into Dental Services in Australia, it was a privilege to bring a Senate Inquiry hearing to Perth. At the hearing we heard from Derbarl Yerrigan Health Service, Kimberley Dental Team, the University of WA Dental School and Western Australia Department of Health. We also held site visits to Casuarina Prison and the free dental clinic in St Pat’s down in Freo. This work gave us a deep understanding of the challenges people across WA are experiencing because they can not afford access to oral healthcare; I will continue to champion the urgent need for reform and chart a pathway to universal access to dental care across the country.
Our work on the Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) senate inquiry has continued, with hearings in Perth. The establishment of the inquiry has been a massive win for people with ADHD, by people with ADHD and it was great to host an online community event in August to report back on how the inquiry is progressing and get feedback ahead of the inquiry hosting its final hearing in Melbourne and making recommendations to the Senate.
We’re back in parliament for a couple of weeks, and as soon as I’m back in WA I am hosting another community barbeque, this time it’ll be at Hyde Park in Perth. If you’d like to join us for a sausage sizzle and a soft drink (vegan + gluten free options available) come along to Hyde Park on Sunday 17th September. Community BBQs are a great way for us to connect with each other, and I expect we’ll be having some great conversations about the importance of voting for the voice, participating in the upcoming local government elections and the Greens position on housing.
On a final note, one highlight of August was hosting Annabelle Crabb for dinner at my place; something I never thought I’d get the opportunity to do! We had a great day, and a fabulous conversation about progressing disability rights and justice across the country. If you’d like to watch along, the episode of Kitchen Cabinet will be on the ABC on the 19th September 2023.
Thanks so much for your continued support of our movement, and if you’d like to get in touch please reach out anytime.
Header photo: With the door knocking team for local council elections in the City of Vincent