Extra Ordinary

Independence Australia•www.independenceaustralia.com.au

Extra Ordinary is a podcast where we have an honest chat (and a good laugh!) about what it's like to live with a disability. On the show, we have open conversations about what it's actually like to live with a disability. You'll hear about the unique challenges we encounter, the funny situations we face, and learn what it’s like to be in our shoes. Hosted by stand-up comedian Oliver Hunter.

Last refreshed: August 24th, 2025 at 4:41 AM ⓘ

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Episodes

Why doesn't Disney have a disabled princess?

Hannah Diviney is a leading writer and advocate for disability and women's rights. She's also the Editor in Chief at Missing Perspectives, a publication platform dedicated to addressing the marginalisation of women in news, media, and democracy. Her advocacy work has included petitioning for Disney to create a disabled princess and has been featured in publications across Australia and the world. In today's episode, Hannah shares her personal story and how she became an advocate for women's and ...

Nov 07, 2022•40 min•Ep. 8

Finding possibility in life's darkest moments

Mark Berridge is a Keynote Speaker and Author of 'A Fraction Stronger', a book about Mark's experiences after the life-changing accident that caused his disability and how he found possibilities in life's darkest moments. Mark uses his lived experience with a spinal cord injury to teach others about resilience and belief through his writing and speaking engagements. In today's episode, Mark shares his passion for helping others understand their own journeys and explains the power of good connect...

Oct 10, 2022•41 min•Ep. 7

The power of language

Laura Pettenuzzo is a writer, speaker, and passionate advocate in the mental health and disability spaces, who is currently working with Women with Disabilities Victoria. In this episode, Laura explains why she started working in disability access. She also shares some unique insights into the power of language and describes her work as a Plain and Easy English writer. Oliver and Laura then share an essential discussion on understanding how mental health and physical disabilities can affect one ...

Sep 12, 2022•21 min•Ep. 6

How to confront internalised ableism

Laura Pettenuzzo is a writer, speaker, and powerful advocate for mental health and disability. She currently works as a Disability and Mental Health Advocate at Women with Disabilities Victoria, and in her free time, she enjoys drinking tea and spending time with her cats. In today's episode, Laura shares how her time working with Women with Disabilities Victoria helped her accept her disability and face her internalised ableism. She talks about how comforting it was to be able to accept her dis...

Aug 08, 2022•19 min•Ep. 5

The power of accessible spaces

Perry Cross is the Founder of the Perry Cross Foundation, an organisation working to find a cure for paralysis, and the CEO and Founding Director of Accessible Homes Australia. Just two years after his accident, Perry became Australia's first motivational speaker on life support. Perry is passionate about raising awareness of spinal injuries and has helped countless other people living with disabilities. In today's episode, Perry talks about how his life has changed since sustaining an injury an...

Jul 11, 2022•33 min•Ep. 4

From diversity on screens to accessibility at home

Belinda Aitken has worked professionally as an actor and works in the accessible housing sector as a Lived Experience Facilitator with Housing Hub. She utilises her personal experience to help others through their accessible housing journeys. In today's episode, Belinda shares how she fell in love with acting from the first moment she was on a stage. She talks about how diversity representation on screen has changed over the years and how we still have a long way to go. Belinda also shares her e...

Jun 13, 2022•36 min•Ep. 3

Cooking, travelling, and life admin: The everyday changes that come with a disability

Joel de Munk is a public speaker for SpinChat, a role he found after acquiring a spinal cord injury at 32. Previously, Joel worked as a chef, and whilst he still loves cooking, being in a kitchen is a pretty different experience when you're in a wheelchair. In this episode, Joel shares his experiences as a T6 paraplegic, and how his life has changed as a result of his disability. He details how his love of talking landed him a role as a SpinChat presenter, where he gets the opportunity to teach ...

May 10, 2022•36 min•Ep. 1

Dancing with disabilities: A conversation with a para-dance group founder

Rocca Salcedo is a legal professional from Columbia, who migrated to Australia more than 20 years ago. She acquired a spinal cord injury whilst studying international law, and completed her master's degree following her rehabilitation. Now, she works as the Founder of para-dance group Dance N Roll, a company that aims to encourage people with physical disabilities to dance and stay active. In this episode, Rocca shares an insight into the legal side of medical care when living overseas, and talk...

May 09, 2022•36 min•Ep. 2

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