My name is Uli Cartwright. I am a person with disability, and a disability rights advocate from Melbourne, Victoria.

In 2021, I released a documentary about my life entitled ‘Life is a Battlefield’ that aired on SBS. In my movie, I mentioned my personal experience successfully revoking my Guardianship and Administration order and became aware of clause 37, schedule 1, also known as the ‘Gag Law’. This laws stop people from speaking out about their experiences on Guardianship and Financial Administration orders.

Clause 37, Schedule 1 applies even if:

You don’t have any orders anymore.
VCAT has found that you have capacity to make your own decisions; and
You only want to talk about yourself.

It is important that the media does not breach people’s privacy, but the same restrictions should not apply to a person telling their own story.

The gag law prevents people from being able to speak out against exploitation, abuse, and unjust treatment. The provision means that the general population is shielded from the experiences of people with disability under Guardianship and Administration Orders. This silence and secrecy can lead to the lack of transparency and accountability that can further the abuses against people with disability on these orders.

Being silenced led me to starting a campaign for law reform to make sure that the Clause 37, Schedule 1 aligns with our Australia’s commitments to the united nations on the human rights of people with disability. I am asking Attorney General Symes to change the law and give people with disabilities the same rights to tell their own stories as everyone else.

Stand with me and sign my petition!