Blind almost since birth, Ron McCallum is one of Australia's most respected legal scholars, and an activist on behalf of disabled people around the globe.

Why you should listen

Ron McCallum AO is one of Australia's most respected industrial and discrimination lawyers and a prominent human rights advocate. With a long career as a legal academic and teacher, in 1993 he became the first totally blind person appointed to a full professorship at any Australian university when he became Professor in Industrial Law at the University of Sydney. He served as Dean of the University of Sydney Law School for five years and is now an emeritus professor. McCallum is a leading light in the disabled community, working for equality among all Australians. He is also chair of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

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