Tricia Malowney OAM

Tricia Malowney OAM is a proud woman with disabilities and strong advocate for other women with disabilities. She brings her life experience with polio and post-polio syndrome to all facets of her work.

Health issues forced Tricia's retirement from the Victoria Police at the age of 46. Then she forged a new career as an advocate for marginalised people.

She has championed citizenship rights for women with disabilities. She engages with women to identify their issues and provides support. Then she explores options for resolution of systemic issues that are standing in their way. Tricia takes every opportunity to speak to women with disabilities about their lives, and uses their stories to inform her work.

Tricia is Chief Accessibility Advocate at the Department of Transport and Planning. She is a member of the National Disability Insurance Scheme Independent Advisory Council. At the Council she works to ensure equitable access for women and girls and non binary people with disabilities.

Tricia runs a consultancy with diverse projects such as:

• the elimination of cervical cancer with the University of New South Wales
• inclusive screening for cancers so that people with disabilities are not missed.

Her roles include:

• Victorian Community Advisory Committee member
• Chair of the Social Services Regulator Community Reference Group
• Director of the Urgent Action Fund Asia Pacific, which supports women and non-binary human rights defenders in the Asia Pacific Region.

Tricia is an accomplished public speaker and passionate about the compounding nature of disadvantage. She is determined that the mainstream community includes women and girls and non-binary people with disabilities who are:

• First Nations
• Culturally and Linguistically Diverse
• Culturally and Racially Marginalised
• from LGBTQIA+ communities.

In 2017 Tricia was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia, 'for service to people with a disability through advocacy roles'.

She was awarded a Churchill Fellowship and travelled to 6 countries to research End to End Journeys for People with Disabilities. Tricia is a foundation member of the Disability Leadership Institute and a member of the Global Leadership Exchange.

Tricia uses a walker indoors and a motorised wheelchair for independent travel. She travels extensively in Australia and overseas for her work.