Disability advocate Marcus Dadd: ‘I hope I can inspire people to chase their dreams’

Marcus Dadd’s love of agriculture and Australia’s natural landscapes was cultivated by his childhood. 

The disability advocate would spend weekends and school holidays at his family’s small farm in Mudgee.  

Despite being around agriculture for a majority of his life, the breaking of the droughts that ravaged parts of New South Wales helped Dadd realise that a career in agriculture was part of his destiny.  

“Agriculture is such a vibrant industry to be a part of. In farming, no day is the same and no season is the same,” Dadd says.  

“There’s a different challenge that approaches you at each turn, and that’s really stimulating.” 

Dadd, a recent Environmental Science and Agriculture graduate from The Australian National University (ANU), has been appointed as an ambassador for International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD). 

He was born with Waardenburg syndrome – a rare neurological condition that affects the production of myelin, an insulator that coats the nerves. Living with this syndrome has affected his mobility, particularly his legs.  

He was also born profoundly deaf, receiving bilateral cochlear implants at 18 months old.  

“I’ve always been the only person within my family and at my school to have a physical disability, and have always compared myself to everyone else,” he explains.  

“I think sometimes people can judge a book by its cover. But each person is full of surprises that you don’t see until you get to know them better.” 

“Despite this, I have continued to look at what I can do as opposed to what I can’t. I am always focused on how I can achieve something, whether it might need a slight alteration or adaptation.

“Always with the end goal of achieving what I want to achieve and not letting the disability get in the way of what I want to achieve in life.” 

Dadd credits his success to the support he has received from family, friends and the wider community.

“I’m incredibly lucky to have so many supportive people around me that believe in me,” he says.  

“My family’s been an incredible supporting act my entire life. I’ve always been determined, and my parents and younger sister have always been there for me every step of the way, supporting me in chasing my dreams.” 

With his passion for sustainability and inclusivity guiding him, Dadd is exploring opportunities for people with disability in agri-business.   

“Agriculture as an industry needs a real diversity of skills. That too also opens the doors for people with disabilities,” he says. 

“I do encourage people with disabilities to think about agriculture as a career because it is so rewarding.” 

Although he is based in Mudgee, Dadd spends time at properties around Australia.  

He has been on rotation with a large agricultural company – where he recently worked as a ringer in a stock camp – since graduating from university last year.

“I think agriculture as a whole is a very inherently demanding industry and work environment,” he says.  

“When farmers and primary producers see me again around doing the job, I think they’re genuinely impressed by what I can do because they know in the back of their minds the challenges that there are, even when you are fully physically fit.” 

IDPwD spotlights the contributions that individuals with disability make to Australia’s local and national communities.  

The theme observed for 2024 is ‘amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities for an inclusive and sustainable future’.  

“It’s a huge honour to be selected as an Ambassador for International Day of People with Disability this year,” Dadd says.  

“In my role as an ambassador, I hope I can inspire people to chase their dreams, no matter what their situation is.

“I also want to help break down some of these stigmas around what really is possible for people with disabilities.” 

Dadd’s advice for Australians wanting to be more inclusive of people with disabilities is simple. 

“The best way is just by being genuinely inquisitive about people with disabilities,” he says. 

“We don’t mind if you ask a question, or if you are wondering what our disability is. That’s a great way to start a conversation.

“You just never know where those conversations can lead.”