In July 2024, Ron Hooton resigned from the position of Chief Executive Officer of Vision Australia, Australia’s largest Disability Service Provider which provides services directly to Blind and Vision Impaired Australians. In spite of Ron’s resignation serving as an excellent opportunity for the organisation to open up the position to Blind and Vision Impaired leaders, The Board of Vision Australia announced their intention to appoint its next CEO through an internal, expression of interest process.

United Blind and Vision Impaired people from across Australia, and internationally, wrote to the Vision Australia Board expressing their dismay about the decision, arguing that leadership of organisations which provide services to Blind people, should be led by Blind people.

United Blind Leaders also wrote an open letter to Vision Australia expressing this view and inviting signatures and comment from members of the public who believe in a fair, open and transparent recruitment process and that Blind people have an inalienable right to lead organisations which are about them.

What do we want?

United Blind Leaders is calling on Vision Australia to commit to an open and transparent, external recruitment process. This process must be accessible to, and promote applications from, Blind and Vision Impaired Australians.

This campaign centres around the opportunity for the Board of Vision Australia to appoint the organisation’s first ever Blind or Vision Impaired Chief Executive Officer. Such a leader would ensure the intrenchment of Lived Experience into the culture and operations of Vision Australia, allowing it to improve service delivery and raise its profile within the Blind community.

Check back regularly for updates on this campaign.