Victorian Convention and Event Trust (VCET), operators of the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) and soon-to-open Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre, have taken a significant step towards inclusivity by appointing four individuals living with disabilities to its Accessibility Advisory committee.
VCET is the first convention centre operator in Australia to appoint a permanent external advisory committee dedicated to creating accessible, inclusive experiences for customers, visitors and employees.
Following an open expression of interest process, Briar Harte, Nikhil Bora, Jess Price and Alex Stratikis were appointed to the committee.
Each committee member brings a unique expertise to the table:
- Briar Harte is a specialist in inclusive design and a former winner of the Disability Inclusion Changemaker of the Year award.
- Nikhil Bora is an experience designer and co-founder of SignHow, a start-up that developed the first community-driven sign language dictionary.
- Jess Price is the founder and Chief Vision Officer of Paradigm Makers, a business consultancy that designs solutions that respond to systemic workplace challenges.
- Alex Stratikis is a tourism consultant, writer, and founder of Autism Adventures Abroad, providing content and travel advice for autistic adults.
Chief Executive Natalie O’Brien AM was delighted to join the committee members for their inaugural meeting earlier this month.
“At MCEC and Nyaal Banyul, we aim to create spaces where people of all abilities can connect, discover and enjoy. By actively engaging people with lived experience, we hope to ensure our facilities and services are truly inclusive and welcoming to all.”
“The Accessibility Advisory Committee members bring a wealth of knowledge, personal and professional experience to the table and I look forward to the progress we can make together.”
The establishment of the Accessibility Advisory Committee aligns with VCET’s commitments to improving services and facilities at MCEC and Nyaal Banyul, as outlined in the Accessibility Action Plan launched last year. The committee will play a crucial role in monitoring progress and holding the organisation accountable to its commitments.
Significant advancements have already been made at MCEC, including the opening of a Changing Place facility earlier this year and achieving Limited Mobility Accessible Tourism Accreditation.
MCEC’s Customer Service team have also undertaken Hidden Disabilities Sunflower training, which recognises over 900 non-visible disabilities, chronic illnesses and health conditions, to better support visitors with diverse needs.
Looking ahead at Nyaal Banyul, which is set to open in mid-2026, Universal Design Principles have been embedded to ensure accessibility and inclusivity from the moment the doors open. The new venue will feature a Changing Place Facility, sensory rooms, fully accessible seating, augmented hearing assistance and high-contrast wayfinding.
VCET is committed to setting a positive example for the event industry, listening to lived experience and taking proactive steps to improve accessibility and inclusivity across two world-class venues.
Two committee members had this to say about their appointment:
“My goal is to help shift accessibility from something people have to ask for into something they can expect by design,” Jess Price.
“I’m looking forward to sharing my knowledge as a disability inclusion advocate and experience as a Mum with a disability. Too often I avoid events for fear of accessibility barriers, I look forward to helping make Melbourne events more and more accessible for families like ours,” Briar Harte.
