Cutting the cake: TAD Founder George Winston AM with Senator the Hon Ursula Stephens and TADNSW CEO Joy Barrett.

Thank you for inviting me here this evening to officially open this wonderful new facility which is on the land of the Dharug people.

I’m so pleased to see TAD New South Wales settling into these new premises which, I’m sure, will place your organisation in an even better position to meet the needs of Australians with disability.

Members of the TAD Foundation have been working hard to raise more than $2.6 million dollars to make this new facility possible. Congratulations to the fundraising committee on this magnificent effort and congratulations and thank you to the generous donors, many of whom are here this evening.

With 1,000 square metres of space here at Unit 10, TAD New South Wales will have plenty of room to continue delivering and expanding its key services -

Custom Designed Aids make life for children and their families more manageable in so many ways;

The Freedom Wheels project, supported so generously by AMWAY is inspiring- I saw the Australian Sunrise story and was inspired by the ingenuity that has been captured , and the freedom these special bikes are giving many children;

I'm pleased that the Gale Computer Support Service is working so well.  When so much of what we do is about connecting through the internet these days, there is a real risk that anyone who doesn't have access will be particularly excluded. And this technology provides new opportunities for employment as well;

And of course the George Winston Communication Service - providing advice, support and a range of materials, brokering information and keeping the families and support services informed of disability policy, and new ideas.

So, TADHOUSE indicates that you are social innovators - you’re thinking ahead, with plans to move into Unit 9 in the future, adding another 400 square metres of floor-space as your organisation continues to grow.

TAD is an organisation committed to providing innovative technical solutions for people with disabilities and their carers to ensure they have not just a quality of life, but opportunities for work, relationships, friendships and connections.

I commend you for this, because you've made George Winston's dream a reality. George's vision, in setting up TADNSW, was based on the belief that disability should never stand in the way of a person achieving their dreams. Australians with disability must be given every opportunity to be active members of their community, workplace, family and society – to be included. Well done George, your vision is being shared and supported by everyone here this evening.

When George Winston AM began pioneering solutions for people, especially children with a disability he wanted them to be able to overcome whatever barriers were in their way, that prevented them from participating- in school, in recreational activities, in work, in society. That was 30 years ago and since then your organisation has gone from strength to strength, and TAD now has a presence in most of the other states and territories, as well as country regions.

Kevin Rudd wants our Government’s Social Inclusion Agenda  to address and tackle the barriers which prevent some Australians taking part in Australian life – one of these barriers is disability. We know we cannot address these barriers by ourselves– we need to work in partnership with community-based organisations like TAD, which are at the forefront of caring for and supporting those facing exclusion.

And we'll be working with State and Territory governments too. I know that Kristina Kenneally, NSW Minister for Disabilities is a strong supporter of your work, and is very disappointed that she couldn't be here today, and I welcome Dr Andrew McDonald MP, Member for Macquarie Fields who is here on her behalf.

One of the important first pieces of work for our still new government is to understand how we can support people who are living with a disability to find jobs, and how we can help them keep their jobs. The Minister Brendan O'Connor and Bill Shorten who is Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities are working on this strategy.

It will

• Be developed in close consultation with people with disability, employers, disability employment service and training providers;
• Look at ways to create links between employers and people with disability, and;
• Take a national approach to tackling participation challenges for people with disability.

The Government is asking you how we can keep putting people in the centre of our policy development and service delivery. We want to hear your ideas, what works for you if you are living with a disability, or if you are parents, carers, volunteers, supporters or advocates. It’s about making Australia a fairer, more compassionate society, where no one gets left behind and misses-out on our economic prosperity.

We certainly believe that valuing the difference, creativity and diversity those with disability bring, is so much more constructive than focusing on the problems and barriers their disability creates for them.

I would like to pay tribute to the many, many hours that are contributed to TADNSW by volunteers. Some of you have been working side by side with George for those 30 years, adapting and modifying equipment, supporting families at home to modify things inside the house to make them safer for children, helping to build ramps and access-ways, and tinkering, testing and adapting equipment to meet individual children's needs.  Voluntary contributions to community organisations are the glue that holds us together as a society.  If we were to try to tally the contribution of you all here, in all the roles that you fill, just in TADNSW, it would surely be hundreds and hundreds of thousands of hours.  On behalf of all of us, thank you for your generosity and care.

Congratulations  on the effort that has gone in to relocating all your activities to this amazing new facility, which will ensure TAD continues to lead the field in providing technical aid services to people with disability. I am honoured to declare TAD House officially open, and I look forward to hearing of your continued successes and innovation in the future.