Read what is happening in our world, your world, and the wonderful disability community in general.
Melba response to Virgin Australia refusing wheelchair access – twice
October 1, 2025
Statement from CEO Hayley Dean in response to reports Virgin Australia recently refused to allow two people using wheelchairs to board its aircraft at Melbourne Airport. “Accessibility is not an act of goodwill – it’s a human right,” she says. “Every person deserves to travel without being excluded or humiliated.”
Arthur Creative shines at Australia’s oldest eisteddfod
September 12, 2025
Melba’s Arthur Creative performers left a lasting impression at this year’s Royal South Street Society Ballarat Eisteddfod, earning six awards across a range of categories and highlighting the depth of talent within the group. “We are actively working with government agencies, the NDIA, and sector partners to develop sustainable models,” she says.
Melba response to The Age article on disability housing
September 7, 2025
Melba’s Acting CEO, Melissa Webster, responds to an article published in The Age today about the mooted effects looming changes to government funding will have on people with disability. “We are actively working with government agencies, the NDIA, and sector partners to develop sustainable models,” she says.
The NDIS is at a crossroads – let’s make sure it turns the right way
September 5, 2025
Melba CEO Hayley Dean on why the NDIS funding model is hurting registered providers – and, by extention, the people they support. “The funding model doesn’t cover what it really costs to deliver safe, high-quality services,” she says.
Picture books ‘marginalising’ children with disability
August 29, 2025
Australian children’s picture books are overwhelmingly failing to represent children with disability, new research has found. The report said the absence of disability representation in children’s picture books was “a critical gap that perpetuates harmful stereotypes and marginalises individuals with disabilities”.
Melba’s inclusivity etched in Bronze
August 21, 2025
Melba’s commitment to building a more inclusive and supportive environment for our LGBTQIA+ community has been recognised with a Bronze badge in the annual Pride in Health + Wellbeing Awards.
Able Meet
| Join us at the Melton Able Meet on 18 September 2025. Melba can also support you to attend using your individual support arrangement (ISA). Get in touch with us today to discuss your support needs to attend this expo. |
Arthur Creative Art Exhibitions
Join us for some upcoming Arthur Creative art exhibitions and end of year performances. Melba can also support you to attend using your individual support arrangement (ISA). Get in touch with us today to discuss your support needs to attend these events.
Community forum
We are holding a community forum to talk about a possible new location for a Community Connections day program in Bacchus Marsh. This forum will be an opportunity to share ideas, hear wider community perspectives, and discuss the potential benefits and considerations of establishing Community Connections in the area. If you know someone who might like to find out more, please encourage them to attend.
Everything Disability Expo
| Join us at the Everything Disability Expo from 18-19 July 2025. Melba can also support you to attend using your individual support arrangement (ISA). Get in touch with us today to discuss your support needs to attend this expo. |
Games for All – Online
Join our next online social event. Hosted online by Melba Support Services, this is a great chance to meet other people with disability, make new connections, build community, and have fun while enjoying a few games.
Local Disability Expo
Come along to the 2025 Local Disability Expo at Langwarrin Park Primary School, Northgateway, Langwarrin on 11 October 2025, 11am to 3pm.
Mates and Dates Focus Groups
We want to hear from you! Are you living with a disability in Victoria? Join our online focus groups to tell us what you want from our next Mates & Dates events. Our Mates & Dates events cover a range of in person events that we run across Victoria to help people with disability make new connections, whether that be meeting new friends, socialising or dating. Ahead of launching our 2025 event season we’d love to hear from you about what you want these events to look like.
Melbourne Disability Connection Expo
Join us at the Melbourne Disability Connection Expo on Friday 3 to Saturday 4 October, 10am to 4pm. Melba can also support you to attend using your individual support arrangement (ISA). Get in touch with us today to discuss your support needs to attend this conference.
Open House
Join us at an upcoming open house event showcasing Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) that Melba offers Supported Independent Living (SIL) in.
Parents, Friends and Families Workshop
Talking with your loved ones about friendships, relationships and intimacy can be tricky. As parents, family and friends, we often worry that talking about it can be risky.
This workshop will help you feel more confident to have these conversations. It will give you ideas about the best topics to cover, tips for talking and opportunities to practice so you can support your loved one to develop knowledge and skills that give them power and control to keep themselves safe, while also having a fulfilling life. The four modules we’ll cover are:- Introduction and Setting The Stage
- Human Sexual Development
- Tips For Talking and Teachable Moments
- Responding to Behaviours
Parents, Friends and Families Workshop – Melba family and friends
This event is open to Melba parents, friends and family only. Talking with your loved ones about friendships, relationships and intimacy can be tricky. As parents, family and friends, we often worry that talking about it can be risky. This workshop will help you feel more confident to have these conversations. It will give you ideas about the best topics to cover, tips for talking and opportunities to practice so you can support your loved one to develop knowledge and skills that give them power and control to keep themselves safe, while also having a fulfilling life. The four modules we’ll cover are:
- Introduction and Setting The Stage
- Human Sexual Development
- Tips For Talking and Teachable Moments
- Responding to Behaviours
Source Kids Disability Expo
Join us at the Source Kids Disability Expo from 11-12 April 2025. Melba can also support you to attend using your individual support arrangement (ISA). Get in touch with us today to discuss your support needs to attend this conference.
The Disability Events Community
Come meet us at the Melbourne East Community Disability Expo. Melba can also support you to attend using your individual support arrangement (ISA). Get in touch with us today to discuss your support needs to attend this expo.
The Misfit Project
VALID Having a Say Conference
We’re very excited to be the returning sponsor for VALID’s annual Having a Say Conference. Join us for this exciting event from 28-30 January 2025. Melba can also support you to attend using your individual support arrangement (ISA). Get in touch with us today to discuss your support needs to attend this conference.
March 2025
March 21, 2025
Summer 2024
November 28, 2024
Can you believe it’s December? As we near the end of 2024, I hope you all take a moment tomorrow to recognise International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD). IDPwD has come a long way since it began as International Day of Disabled Persons in 1992. It has grown into a globally recognised and…
Spring 2024
September 30, 2024
Welcome to the first edition of Melba Community News, our new quarterly newsletter. We are excited to share what’s happening at Melba Support Services with you. Yesterday, NDIS Minister Bill Shorten made an important announcement, revealing changes to what the NDIS will and won’t fund. Tho…
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Melba Support Services acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognises First Peoples’ continuing connection to lands, waters, and community. We pay our respects to Elders past and present who carry the memories, traditions, cultures, and aspirations of First Peoples, and who forge the path ahead for future leaders.