Our Team
We’re a group of (very) keen contributors who have come together to turn an idea into reality. As you’ll see, we’ve got mixed experiences and interests – probably just like you. Some of us have disability, others don’t, but we’re all passionate advocates for the community and we’d love to have you join us if you want to tell stories about disability too.
Nic Stuart - Editor
Nic is a former ABC Foreign Correspondent who was badly injured in a car-crash in Bangkok. After years spent recovering he became a columnist for the Canberra Times and wrote three books on politics and the Rudd government. Nic is Editor-in-Chief of AbilityNews.
Danielle Kutchel - National Correspondent
Danielle is a passionate newshound who specialises in shining a light on the many invisible issues that surround us so we can see other ways of doing things. She possesses a lived experience of disability and has focused her coverage on explaining the sector through her work for years. Danielle is AbilityNews’ National Correspondent.
Melissa Coade - Political Correspondent
Melissa is a highly experienced legal and political journalist currently working from the Federal Parliamentary Press Gallery as the Political Editor for the Mandarin. She is passionate about disability issues and has worked for legal publications and news organisations both in Australia and overseas for United Nations organisations.
Catherine McGrath - Contributor
Catherine is a highly experienced journalist and broadcaster who is a trainer, speaker and facilitator who brings a long experience of living with a person with a disability to AbilityNews. In addition to working as Political Editor for both the ABC and SBS, Cath was also the ABC’s South East Asia Correspondent.
Mick Barrett - Newsletter Editor
Mick is a specialist in community engagement using cutting-edge digital marketing techniques and Artificial Intelligence. He’s also a former wine-maker, IT manager and surgical researcher, Mick has ‘moved the needle’ for AbilityNews by bringing his high-end technical skills to solve our urgent e-newsletter needs.