You Gonna Be the One that Pays Me?

I wrote you a song.

It's for all you 'token people'. Not just people with disability, but anyone who has ever been asked to 'be part of a working group/focus group/committee' to provide 'a voice for your people'.

That's us. The guys sitting around the table, day after day, passionately advocating on behalf of our fellow disabled people, indigenous people, people from CALD backgrounds, LGBTI communities. Our presence is valued, they assure us, and we are always profusely thanked for our passionate words and lived experience and valuable input.

Then why do they insist on trying to pay us with movie tickets and taxi vouchers and left over food?

You sit around the table with a bunch of people who are being paid by the hour. The service providers and the executives and the junior who just started last week and who is really keen to learn. And you spend the next three hours talking about the legislation and the service standards and giving your recommendations and advice which you have garnered from years and years of experience. Then they offer you the stale sandwiches and floppy fruit platter as you walk out the door.

So I wrote you a song, with apologies to Liam and Noel, and with thanks to the fabulous Kelly Cox, who inspired me to write it.

Crank up the volume, friends. And next time, ask them if you can change the meeting date to a Saturday.

You Going To Be The One Who Pays Me?

(to the tune of 'Wonderwall)

Today is gonna be the day

That the meeting at that place is on

By now I should’ve somehow

Realised getting paid aint on

I can get all those taxi vouchers

For my work today but no cash now

Back beat, the word is on the street

That disabled people have a voice

I’m sure you’ve heard it all before

That it’s all about control and choice

I don’t believe that anybody likes

To just be paid in taxi vouchers

And all the working groups and all the meetings

You go for free but it’s okay, you’re eating

And at the end of the day

Some guy he says to you

You can take the leftovers…

Because maybe

You’re going to be the one that pays me

For my point of view

Who is paying you?

Today was gonna be the day

And I’m gonna throw it back to you

By now I should've somehow

Realized what I’m going to do

I’m going to call a meeting, baby

On a Saturday

Will you come now?

And all the stale sandwiches and the fruit platters

I need to pay my bills not just get fatter

How hard is it to understand that we need payment too?

For our expertise…

I said maybe

You’re going to be the one that pays me

For my point of view

Who is paying you?

I said maybe

You’re going to be the one that pays me

For my point of view

Who is paying you?

I said maybe

You’re going to be the one that pays me

You’re going to be the one that pays me

You’re going to be the one that pays me

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