Legally Blind Mayor Shows Disability Is A Strength

Tony Clark asked everyone at the botanical garden opening to close their eyes and really listen to the wind, the birds, the rustling trees. It's the kind of perspective only someone who's been legally blind for 36 years could bring to leadership, and it's exactly what Hepburn Shire Council needed.

In November 2025, Clark became the first person with a disability to serve as mayor in Hepburn Shire, Australia. At 56, he's spent most of his life navigating a world not designed for him, and now he's using that experience to make his community better for everyone.

"I'm sure there are some people out there wondering how you can do the job of mayor when you're blind," Clark said honestly. But he's proving that the question itself misses the point entirely.

Clark uses adaptive technology called JAWS that reads documents aloud at 450 words per minute. That's faster than most people can speed read. His guide dog Timmy joins him at council meetings, and staff have learned to present information in accessible formats.

Council CEO Bradley Thomas admits they haven't perfected everything yet, but the changes have been surprisingly straightforward. More importantly, Clark's presence has transformed how the entire organization thinks about inclusion.

"Tony has brought a really great focus on us as an organization around some of our inclusive behaviors," Thomas said. The adjustments they've made for Clark have improved processes for everyone, not just people with disabilities.

Why This Inspires

Clark's message goes far beyond his own story. He wants young people with disabilities to see him and imagine their own futures in leadership roles they might never have considered possible.

"That lived experience brings immense value," Clark said. "It shouldn't be looked at as a negative, it's actually a strength."

His philosophy centers on what people can do, not what they can't. By making government services accessible, Clark believes the entire community benefits with better quality of life for all residents.

The mayor who asks people to close their eyes and truly experience the world around them is opening eyes to what inclusive leadership looks like.