Michael Mayne

Member
Voices for Change

Michael Mayne was a self-described ‘career criminal’, beginning his brushes with the criminal justice system at age 13 when he was picked up for riding motorbikes without a helmet. Michael spent decades in and out of Victoria’s penitentiaries, including the notorious, Pentridge Prison, which he says just made his crimes get worse. He taught himself to read and write in prison. In the last number of years, Michael has been diagnosed with cancer. He is now in remission. During this period, Michael learned that he had an acquired brain injury, possibly due to his brain tumors or repeated drug overdoses over the course of his life. Michael is now a passionate founding member of Voices for Change, a self-advocacy group of peers with acquired brain injury and contact with the criminal justice system. The group is routinely invited to engage with the broader justice, disability and health sector to share their lived experience expertise to make systems better for their peers.