TAD Australia (also known as Technical Aid to the Disabled) is an Australian federation of state not-for-profit organisations which provide personalized equipment, technology, and services to disabled persons, including children.
TAD was first established in New South Wales in 1975 by George Winston, who was awarded the Member of the Order of Australia for this work.
TAD work is done by volunteers, many of whom have special skills and backgrounds in fields including engineering, architecture, and trades. Most of them are retired, and looking for constructive ways to continue using their skills. The client is asked to pay the cost of the materials used, but there is no charge for the labour. [1]
When new designs are created, they are shared across the state organizations. [1]
Freedom Wheels is a national program where skilled staff and volunteers work closely with children, families, and therapists to create customized bicycles.
The cost of a Freedom Wheels bicycle can be covered by Australia's National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS): it will be itemised by the NDIS as "Assistive Equipment for Recreation" as part of the core supports budget. [2] [3]
Awards presented to the organization and to its members in recognition of their service to TAD include:
Radio 1RPH 1125 kHz Canberra is a volunteer-staffed AM band radio broadcast station in the Australian Capital Territory serving all of the ACT and surrounding areas of NSW including Queanbeyan, Yass and Michelago, with FM repeaters at Wagga and Junee, and a streaming media on its web site.
Kurt Harry Fearnley, is an Australian wheelchair racer, who has won gold medals at the Paralympic Games and crawled the Kokoda Track without a wheelchair. He has a congenital disorder called sacral agenesis which prevented fetal development of certain parts of his lower spine and all of his sacrum. In Paralympic events he is classified in the T54 classification. He focuses on long and middle-distance wheelchair races, and has also won medals in sprint relays. He participated in the 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016 Summer Paralympic Games, finishing his Paralympic Games career with thirteen medals. He won a gold and silver medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and was the Australian flag bearer at the closing ceremony.
Human rights in Australia have largely been developed by the democratically-elected Australian Parliament through laws in specific contexts and safeguarded by such institutions as the independent judiciary and the High Court, which implement common law, the Australian Constitution, and various other laws of Australia and its states and territories. Australia also has an independent statutory human rights body, the Australian Human Rights Commission, which investigates and conciliates complaints, and more generally promotes human rights through education, discussion and reporting.
Mark Coyne is an Australian former rugby league footballer, a state and international representative player and an Insurance Executive. His football club career was with the St George Dragons and the joint-venture of the St George Illawarra Dragons – he captained both sides. He played principally at centre but sometimes as a wing in his notable representative career. He was also the brother of another first grade footballer, Peter Coyne.
John Francis Ryan is a former Australian politician. He was a Liberal Party member of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1991 to 2007. He was the Liberal Deputy Leader in the Legislative Council from 2003 to 2007.
Northcott was established as the New South Wales Society for Crippled Children in 1929 by the Rotary Club of Sydney, in response to the growing number of children left with the effects of illnesses such as polio and tuberculosis.
Nalini Joshi is an Australian mathematician. She is a professor in the School of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Sydney, the first woman in the School to hold this position, and is a past-president of the Australian Mathematical Society. Joshi is a member of the School's Applied Mathematics Research Group. Her research concerns integrable systems. She was awarded the Georgina Sweet Australian Laureate Fellowship in 2012. Joshi is also the Vice-President of the International Mathematical Union, and is the first Australian to hold this position.
Daniel Fitzgibbon, is an Australian Paralympic sailor, who won a silver medal at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing. He won gold medals at the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Paralympics with partner Liesl Tesch in the two person SKUD 18.
Kevin Francis Betts, OAM was a sports administrator known for his work in the Paralympic movement in Australia and his founding work related to wheelchair sports in New South Wales.
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a scheme of the Australian Government that funds costs associated with disability. The scheme was legislated in 2013 and went into full operation in 2020. Its introduction followed the 15 month long 'Make It Real' campaign which involved community forums, visits to MPs, the holding of a National Disability and Carer Congress, 'Disabilitea' gatherings, and rallies involving 20,000 people. The scheme is administered by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) and overseen by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. Bill Shorten provides ministerial oversight as Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sports Awards were first held in 1986 and recognize the sporting achievements of Indigenous and Islander athletes. The Awards were not held between 2004 and 2022.
Justin John Yerbury was an Australian molecular biologist who was spurred to follow a career in biological research when he discovered that his family has the genetic form of motor neurone disease (MND). He held the position of Professor in Neurodegenerative Disease at the University of Wollongong. He was diagnosed with MND himself in 2016, but continued to research until his death from the disease in 2023.
Australian Foundation for Disability (AFFORD) is a not for profit Australian Disability Enterprise (ADE) that supports people living with a disability, with bases in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria.
Jordon Alexander Steele-John is an Australian politician and disability rights advocate. He is a member of the Australian Senate as a representative of Western Australia, and is a member of the Australian Greens.
Windellama is a rural locality in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia in the Goulburn Mulwaree Council. It is northeast of Canberra and southeast of Goulburn. At the 2021 census, it had a population of 417. Windellama is a popular location for people from Sydney to make a "tree change". This has created a change in property sizes in the area, previously mostly large agricultural enterprises, now on a multitude of 50-100 acre hobby farms.
Nan Bosler is an Australian community activist and advocate for young people, the elderly and people with disabilities. She is an author and most notable internationally for her involvement with computer clubs and digital skills for older people. Bosler was associated with Girl Guides for more than 50 years in a variety of roles.
The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, also referred to as the NDIS Commission, is an independent commission that was established to improve the quality and safety of services funded by the National Disability Insurance Scheme. The NDIS Commission regulates NDIS providers, provides national consistency, promotes safety and quality services, resolves problems and identifies areas for improvement. The NDIS Commission commenced operations in New South Wales and South Australia on 1 July 2018, before expanding progressively across the nation where it now acts in all states and territories.
The Commonwealth Rehabilitation Service was an Australian Government body that provided rehabilitation and employment services to Australians with a disability from 1941 until 2015. At this time, the body was abolished and replaced with the more decentralised National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and Disability Employment Services (DES) networks.
Julie Fitzgerald is a veteran Australian netball coach. Between 1997 and 2007, Fitzgerald served as head coach of Sydney Swifts in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy league. She guided Swifts to premierships in 2001, 2004, 2006 and 2007. Between 2008 and 2011, she served as head coach of New South Wales Swifts in the ANZ Championship. In 2008, she guided Swifts to the inaugural ANZ Championship title. Between 2014 and 2016, she guided Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic to the Finals Series every year in the ANZ Championship. Since 2017, Fitzgerald has served as head coach of Giants Netball in Suncorp Super Netball, guiding them to two grand finals and two minor championships. In 2020, Fitzgerald was made a Member of the Order of Australia.
The Special Honours Lists for Australia are announced by the Sovereign and Governor-General at any time.
AM QB 85. FOR SERVICE TO WELFARE OF THOSE WITH DISABILITIES, PARTICULARLY AS THE FOUNDER OF TECHNICAL AID TO THE DISABLED
Bill has volunteered with Technical Aid to the Disabled (TAD) for the past thirty five years.
For service to people with disability, and to the community.
...for his dedication over more than 10 years to finding innovative solutions to help people living with a disability experience more independent and fulfilling lives.
...for his work with TAD Disability Services. ...used his skills as a design engineer to pioneer innovative practical solutions to help people living with a disability to enjoy more comfortable and enjoyable lives.
...for his never ending volunteer support helping children with a disability at TAD Disability Services