Disability advocate Annette Pham was today named South Coast Woman of the Year at the 2019 NSW Women of the Year Awards ceremony.
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"It's enormously humbling and I'm just very grateful to be acknowledged," Ms Pham said.
"It gives you a bit of a lift, it's very inspirational, and it makes you want to do more."
Ms Pham has campaigned for four years to have adult change facilities included in the building code of Australia. It will be part of the code from May 2019. Her work also led to the installation of an adult change facility at Mollymook Beach, as well as at Burrill Lake Lions Park and the Nowra Aquatic Park.
"There's 200,000 people who are profoundly disabled in Australia," she said.
"When they leave their homes, there's nowhere for them to be changed, and it's the biggest barrier to them participating in the community.
"It's a light bulb moment for a lot of people when you explain it to them. Often, people say to use the disabled toilet, and I think what do you want me to do (with my son), put him on the floor?
"He's 16 years old, I don't think I'm going to get him on the baby change table."
It's easier to complain than make change - but Ms Pham was undeterred.
"I can't leave it up to somebody else to do it, it's something that needs to be done," she said.
"I did a change.org petition four years ago, and 48,000 people signed it. Many of them shared their stories, and I thought I have to do it, not just for my son, but for all these other people, togive people back their lives.
"It's something so simple, having access to a toilet."
Creating more inclusive environments - such as accessible toilets and playgrounds - doesn't just benefit those with a disability.
"The research will show that if you put suitable equipment in place for children to access with disabilities, children without disabilities will choose to play with them first - they just need a suitable environment in which to interact," Ms Pham said.
She said she had seen positive changes in both action and attitude over the course of her campaign - and hopes for more to come.
"It's the right time for all these things to happen. There's a lot of work to be done with people having access to housing, work rights, transport.
"I do see big changes in attitude, and it's all for the better."
She credited her family, and the support of local politicians.
"My greatest achievement is my three children and my husband," she said.
I do it for them, so our children have a better life, and they're what inspires me, especially my son Liam.
"Our politicians are doing a great job, they are doing their best to make our communities better places."