Helping our customers be heard in the Federal Election

​The Federal Election is expected to be called for late May 2022. Aruma Human Rights Ambassador James McCoy has been helping our staff support customers to exercise their political rights. In the lead-up to this year’s election, James has been asking our staff to actively make sure customers know they may need to register to vote – and might only get a week to do so.

As a passionate political and disability advocate, James has provided us with the below video to help support workers think about their customers’ rights and responsibilities with the upcoming election.

It’s important our Support Workers don’t provide political advice, but do support people with a disability where they need it, so they are given a platform to elect a person who represents them. By helping a customer register to vote if they need it, our staff allow them to be part of democracy and have their rights prioritised. As James mentions in his video, Here are some Easy Read Guides and accessibility information from the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC).

I believe that the upcoming election is an opportunity for our customers who haven’t had experience of voting to enrol and vote for people they believe will make decisions in their best interest, said James.

I would love to see more of our customers voting and I would also really love to hear what our support workers have to say about this.

James is working on Easy Read guides for Aruma customers to explain the different political platforms of candidates in the upcoming election. We love James’ passion and commitment to this worthy initiative and we plan to keep helping him to spread the word! Watch his video below.