Rockin’ for Rights 2 is an event organised by Australian disability action group “It’s no joke”, which aims to promote the need for changes to the Disability Discrimination Act (1992). Nearly 20 per cent of Australians have a disability of some kind, and it is currently legal for them to be subjected to public ridicule, bigotry and general ignorance, which is unacceptable. People are protected from vilification about race, religion, gender and sexuality, yet people with disabilities have no such protections other than in Tasmania. “It’s no joke” originated from facebook group “A fair go for kids with special needs” founded by Livian Jones following an incident by a television presenter on a commercial network making a series of inappropriate comments about children with special needs. The legislative gap in outlawing vilification of people with disabilities is contrary to Article 16 of the UN Convention on the Rights of People with disabilities, which is designed to protect people with disabilities from abuse.
