Ken Haley

Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Author, Journalist

Ken Haley explores the cultural quirks of life in the lands he travels through in his wheelchair while paying due heed to those dark nights of the soul that landed him there. The lingering impression Ken will leave with your group of listeners is that life as a disabled person can be not just a pale imitation of other lives, but every bit as full as that of an able-bodied individual. Ask Ken to share his perceptions with you and your group: it’s an invitation you will not regret.

Where were you born?

I was born in St Kilda.

What themes are recurring in your work?

Curiosity, pretentiousness, insecurity, stamina, the ridiculous of self-importance and the importance of self-ridicule.

What have been the highlights of your career?

Sub-editing on The Times foreign desk in 1989-1990; winning a Walkley Award for headline writing; addressing the American Copy Editors' Society in Long Beach, California; completing a 50-hour piano marathon.

What are you passionate about?

Football, grammar, music and travel.

Where have your works been published?

I am a former journalist for The Age, and have also written for The Big Issue and the UK Guardian and The Times among others. My book Emails from the Edge charts my travels through Central Asia, the Middle East and Europe – all whilst bound to my wheelchair.

Haven’t I seen you before?

If you’re a compulsive viewer of New Zealand breakfast television, quite probably. Or if you were a regular passenger on the number 69 tram through Malvern in the mid-1970s. Otherwise, no, I think you’re mistaking me for George Clooney.