“Am I nervous? Hell yeah!” Here’s how Elly Desmarchelier prepared for the Q&A panel

Disability rights activist Elly Desmarchelier will join Bill Shorten, Jordon Steele-John, Stuart Robert and Amy Auster on Q&A’s panel tonight, where the conversation will focus on Australia’s National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

Tonight I’m a panellist on ABC TV’s Q&A, a weekly show where a panel of guests - usually a mix of politicians and policy experts - debate what’s making the news. Then they focus in on a specific topic that could be anything from defence spending to childcare policy. By taking you behind the scenes of my preparation process, I hope you might also learn a few tips and tricks for how to be prepared no matter what life throws at you. 

So, how do you even get to be on Q&A? For me, the opportunity arose in late October. I had just missed my flight home. Exhausted, I sat in the back of a taxi feeling defeated when my phone rang. The woman on the other end explained she was a producer at Q&A and they were looking to do a show focusing on the NDIS.

“Would you be interested in being one of our live panellists?”, she asked. 

I responded with an enthusiastic “yes” before I truly had time to digest what I was agreeing to. I’ve been a fan of Q&A since I was a teenager. The show wasn’t until the 24th of November, she explained. Over a month away. 

My fellow panellists would predominantly be a bunch of politicians - people who do things like Q&A professionally. In fact, a large part of their day job is spent interjecting and hijacking conversations to suit their interests. And then there’s little ol’ me, Elly from Brissie. Someone who has strong opinions but spends most of her days moving between Zoom meetings and doctors appointments. 

National debates aren’t a common occurrence in my day-to-day life. So if I was going to beat the politicians at their own game, I was going to have to skill up - and fast. That’s how “Operation Q&A Prep” was launched. 

Even though we were weeks from take-off, I immediately started to think about my key messages. If viewers only remember one thing I say, what would I want it to be? For example, on the topic of the NDIS, I want people to take away that, post-budget, we’ve heard a lot about dollars, not a lot about people. People are at the heart of the NDIS. And the heart and foundations of this scheme are strong.

Operation Q&A Prep is a team effort. So I made a list of my dream team - the people I wanted to get advice from before I went on the show. They’ve helped me brainstorm what the topics might be and talk through how I’d best respond. The NDIS review, the Robodebt Royal Commission, the Victorian State Election, employment for people with disability, the Disability Royal Commission. All of these issues are relevant, so what was I going to say about them? 

This is where the hard work really kicks in. If you’re going to succeed on Q&A, you better know your facts! Often that means some good old fashioned googling but, as always, being careful with sources. I only get my information from trusted places - like news organisations and disability advocacy organisations. I’ll then find someone who knows a lot more about the issue than I do to run my ideas past and check I’ve got my facts straight. It’s a lot of work, but worth it not to look silly on national TV.

Armed with a list of potential topics, triple-checked facts and very strong opinions, Operation Q&A Prep was ready for lift-off, awaiting instructions for the final countdown.

I’ve practised answers repeatedly in my head while sitting in the car or lying in the bath. I’ve read as much news as I can, so I know what’s going on in the world, and I’ve completed my final check-in with my dream team members. Well, at least the ones that aren’t sick of talking about Q&A yet.

The day has arrived, I’ve done all the research I can, practiced all the lines I want remembered and my outfit is steamed and ready to go. All that’s left to do is binge watch VEEP to help pass the hours until I’m needed in studio for hair and makeup.

Am I nervous? Hell yeah! But I think it’d be a bit odd if I wasn’t. A little bit of adrenaline is always good before a big performance. But because I’ve also put in the work and prepared the best I can, I’m also excited. 

I’ve done what I can do to prepare and now it’s time to answer some questions. Deep breaths everyone. Time for take-off.