A lifetime of advocacy: Jane Wardlaw’s contribution to disability rights recognised

When Jane Wardlaw learned she had won the Motor Accidents Insurance Board (MAIB) Disability Achievement Award at the 2025 Community Achievement Awards, she was shocked, flattered and thrilled.  

“I felt the field of nominees was incredibly strong and admit I have never been very good at acknowledging my own achievements,” Jane said.  

“But the moment made me pause and reflect on just how much I have contributed to disability rights, policy and community life across Tasmania and Australia.” 

Jane, who lives in Launceston and has Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy, has built her career on a blend of professional expertise and lived experience.  

Growing up at Chain of Lagoons on the East Coast, where her parents managed the property and had a small business selling crayfish, she learned early the importance of community buy-in and shared responsibility. If a need came from the community itself, she believed, you were always on the right track. 

Before returning to Tasmania in 2006, Jane spent years working in regional development in remote parts of Western Australia, helping at-risk rural communities become more self-determining.  

Jane said this work sharpened her skills in networking, identifying needs and advocating for policy settings that would help communities bring their own ideas to life. 

“After moving home, I was stunned by how local systems treated people with disability.  

“As my own physical function changed, I encountered more barriers and each time I thought, ‘if I’m experiencing this, others must be too.’ That realisation pushed me toward formal advocacy,” Jane said. 

In 2010, Jane founded the Tasmania Disability Lobby, becoming an early voice supporting what would eventually become the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). A career highlight was being present when Tasmania became the fourth state to sign up to the full rollout of the NDIS. It's significance to change lives still resonates with Jane today. 

Jane later co-founded a support coordination service, driven by a belief in genuine choice and control.  

“I also worked closely with the MAIB, supporting people with complex needs. The MAIB one of Tasmania’s “jewels,” providing critical certainty for those who rely on daily care,” Jane said. 

Jane’s policy influence has been significant, having served on the Premier’s Disability Advisory Council, the Minister’s Disability Consultative Group and was appointed to the NDIS Independent Advisory Council for 2025.  

Jane also helped shape Tasmania’s Disability Inclusion and Safeguarding Bill 2024, including the establishment of a Disability Commissioner.  

Alongside this, Jane is completing a PhD at UTAS on how to support coordinators foster self-determination. She continues to consult, teach, lead the #OurSayMatters campaign, and mentor emerging advocates to help build a future where people with disability can flourish and fully participate in their communities.