An open letter to Ticketek and the promoters of the U2/Jay-Z concert being held at Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland in November:

Dear Sir/Madam,

I recently rang Ticketek to purchase tickets to the U2 show in Auckland on November 25th, which I’m really excited about. I heard prices of $40 being advertised on the news which was great, and I would’ve happily stumped up $100 for a ticket. So imagine my disappointment when I was told that the minimum cost of a ticket, for a disabled person using a wheelchair, was $179!! Given that I have to bring a support person with me most places I go, and when you add on the booking fee, that brings the total cost of admission to almost $380.

Honestly, I find that borderline offensive. Having recently spent time in Europe, LiveNation and other promoters often subsidise a disabled person’s entry fee to concerts, or that of their support person’s, because they appreciate this exact quandry. I understand you can’t have designated disabled seating in every price bracket, but it’d be great if this was acknowledged by reduced admission like they consistently do overseas!

Why should regular able-bodied folk be able to choose to buy cheap tickets, but people with disabilities are asked to pay through the nose?

I’d appreciate your thoughts on this, as I’m sure the media would, and any changes to this pricing structure would be gratefully received.

Kind regards,

Red Nicholson

This is just so exciting. A group of young people from the UK are organising a beauty pageant for people with disabilities called “Disabled and Sexy”, and I’m not gonna lie – these girls look hot! The pageant is supporting a great cause too, the Jennifer Trust for Spinal Muscular Atrophy.

I find it so so frustrating that disabled people are often seen as asexual beings, thanks in part to the media’s tragic portrayal of us the eternal sufferer. So I’m raising my glass to this lot – I’d love to do something similar down under!

Check out their website for more information.

Apologies for not posting this sooner – some of you may have liked to be involved? Hopefully you are anyway. For updates on the Hikoi’s progress, check out The NZ Herald or search Twitter. CCS Disability Action Northern Region will join the hikoi/march on Monday 25 May in support of IHI Action Group (Iwi Have Influence). This action group is leading the opposition to the establishment of Auckland Super City without reserved Maori seats as proposed by the Royal Commission

So I’m on my way to University in the rain this morning, and I’m thinking, “Oh great, I’ll park right outside the AUT tower so I won’t get too wet”. Well, bugger me when I see four disabled/mobility parks cordoned off, emblazoned with massive Telecom NZ logos, in preparation for their big XT brand launch this evening. That’s right – and check out the picture on the right if you don’t believe me, Telecom had effectively roped off four of

Your questions answered!

My good mate Philip Patston is performing as part of the NZ International Comedy Festival going down in May, and you could see him for free! I’m going to post up a video interview with Philip soon, and I’d like you to be a part of it by asking some questions! Simply post a comment below with your question to Philip, and everyone who does goes into the draw for a double pass to his show, between May 2-9th. Find

The ‘Show Your Ability’ equipment expo is back for another year! This is NZ’s premier disability and care equipment expo, and it’s visiting 5 cities during March. This is a unique opportunity to see and experience a massive range of specialised equipment from over 40 suppliers. Best of all, entry is free! Download the flyer here (PDF).

Do you or a family member have a disability? Do you want to help shape the disability support services that the Ministry of Health funds? The Disability Support Services Group of the Ministry of Health are visiting towns and cities around the country to get feedback from disabled people and their families to help us plan and fund the disability support services that you need. We want to hear about how services work for you and what things are most

I’ve already posted a wee bit on my thoughts around the Big Day Out festival’s “disabled platform“, but check out my latest video blog below to hear what I really think

I’ve been to many Big Day Outs. I’ve never been able to see much, as might be obvious to many of you. I have nonetheless persisted, taking solace in the fact that I’m not only enjoying (albeit sans visuals) world-class music, but also socialising in confined, sweaty spaces with my peers – very important in youth culture, you see. But this year – oh boy, this year – the BDO organisers had erected a platform in front of the main