Where are all the disabled authors?

Crip Culture is hosted by Rosie Putland and Fiona Murphy, our producer is Honor Marino. In this episode we talk about how we made an accessible podcast and the story behind our name. Our guests are Laura Pettenuzzo and Dr Scott Avery. Laura shares what crip time looks for a freelance writer. Dr Scott talks about when he unexpectedly discovered that he had written a book. We ask both of them about representation and whether the publishing industry is accessible. 

Transcript

This podcast is proudly supported by Arts Tasmania and Print Radio Tasmania. Follow us on Instagram @CripCulturePodcast

Guest bios:

Laura Pettenuzzo is a disabled writer, speaker, authenticity reader and accessible communications professional. Her writing has appeared in places such as Griffith Review, Meanjin, Archer Magazine, Women's Agenda, ABC Lifestyle and The Age. She runs a business called All for Access, which supports individuals and organisations with plain language and Easy Read. Laura is also a co-editor and contributor to Crip Stories, an anthology of disabled writing to be published by NewSouth in 2026. You can usually find her trying to read or drink a cup of tea while being distracted by her cat.

Dr Scott Avery is a professor of Indigenous disability health and wellbeing in the School of Public Health, University of Technology Sydney. He is an Aboriginal man descendant from the Worimi people and is profoundly deaf. Dr Scott is a recognised educator, researcher and policy adviser on Indigenous cultural approaches for the inclusion of people with disability. He has extensive experience in conducting community-based research and policy in Indigenous and disability organisations, and is the ‘Professor in Residence’ at the First Peoples Disability Network, an Indigenous Disabled Peoples Organisation. His publication 'Culture is Inclusion: A narrative of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with disability'  has influenced national policy across Closing the Gap, Australia’s Disability Strategy, and the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability. He has been appointed as an expert advisor to numerous Government bodies, and has advocated on Indigenous and disability rights at the United Nations. He was appointed by the Australian Government as an Ambassador for the International Day of People with Disability in 2023.

Links and resources:

• No Place Like Home by Laura Pettenuzzo

• Nothing about us Without us by Laura Pettenuzzo, 

• Laura Pettenuzzo, LinkedIn

• Laura Pettenuzzo, Instagram: @thisgirl_writes

• Culture is Inclusion: A narrative of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with disability by Scott Avery

• Cover art by Judy Kuo, Instagram:  @judyk__ 

• Judy Kuo, artist website

• Rosie Putland, Modality Co

• Fiona Murphy

• Honor Marino, audio producer

Cover art: Judy Kuo, Instagram: @judyk__ 

Music credits: 

-Moments Like These — Simon Folwar (Uppbeat)
License: BEB32FWJ6WULT877
-My Tiny Love — Soundroll (Uppbeat)
License: VPFSMMM3K2C71ONF