Julia Phillips

With a deep commitment to social inclusion and justice, I have spent the past nine years driving meaningful change in the disability and inclusion space. At Inner West Council, I have led stakeholder engagement, developed access policies like the Disability Inclusion Action Plan, and designed programs that foster economic, cultural, and creative participation for people with disability.

I created the Access Assist Program—a disability-led initiative featuring staff and community education, an information guide, and an equipment library. As a result, major Council festivals now feature Auslan interpretation and sensory spaces, while murals are being audio-described. The program has also supported Sydney Fringe Festival artists.

More recently, in the People and Culture team, I have focused on building more inclusive and accessible employment strategies, improving the workplace experience for staff with disability. I am passionate about creating lasting, systemic change in access and inclusion.