30 June 2019, The Star Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Thank you everyone. I actually thought I had no chance of winning because when I got here, I only saw stairs and there was no ramp.
I'm like, "I can't win."
There's a ramp out the back baby!
I want to congratulate all the other nominees in this category. You're going to have an incredible career
To the ABC for Invictus Games and the set. Thank you so much for the opportunity to my cohost Lehmo, Chris Barth and Linda Mariano. Thank you for carrying me, because I was absolutely no good.
I want to thank my team, Mark Jones and Georgie Saigus, my family, my beautiful partner, Chantelle, is here with me tonight.
But, this award means a lot to me because I used to absolutely hate having a disability. I've been in a wheelchair my whole life and I hated it. And one of the reasons I did hate it is when I turned on the TV, I never saw anybody like me. And when I did see someone like me, it was a road safety ad where someone, drink, drives, has a car accident and the next scene is someone like me whose life's over.
And I was like, that's not my life. I want to get a job on TV. Because I love sharing stories. But also to show that people with a disability can be talented, funny, humorous, just normal people enjoying their lives.
I've been lucky to go on a lot of networks and to every single person that gave me an opportunity, thank you so bloody much. And there are four and a half million people like me with a disability. So whether it's an education, employment, going on a date, whatever it is, please give them an opportunity too.
Because there are a lot of bloody talented people out there and I promise you, they won't disappoint. So thanks guys, have a great night.