Tuesday evening, 8 May 2018, marked an exciting time for Mackay and Alliance Community as the organisation kicked-off both its presence in Mackay and its national rollout.
The launch, held at the Ocean International Hotel, hosted a number of special guests to celebrate the occasion including local Mackay Mayor, Greg Williamson, Julieanne Gilbert, Member for Mackay and Assistant Minister for State Development, and local vision-impaired artist, David Conway.
Mayor's Speech and Community Support
Mayor Greg Williamson gave a powerful speech about the importance of community support within Mackay and the degree to which organisations like Alliance Community are critical to strengthen the community and creating jobs.
David Conway's Story and NDIS Changes
David Conway, who is familiar with the battle of regaining independence after a major accident in 2004 left him requiring a wheelchair and with severe vision impairment, showcased a selection of his artworks and spoke of his story and the importance of support workers. David also discussed the significance of the changes to the NDIS and the importance these changes have in empowering the individual to choose the support they need and from which company. This was a choice that was not available to him after his accident.
Alliance Community's Representation and Services
Alliance Community staff and clients also attended the event including Martin Hannah, Mackay’s Clinical Governance Manager, and Sure Cudmore, Alliance Community’s National Manager. Sue said “the launch night highlights the whole of community approach that Alliance is championing, beyond its premium aged care and disability support services. It is a moment to show the specialised services we have that are dedicated to helping businesses cater for people living with disability; both in an employment sense and by ensuring their products and services are accessible.”
Significance in the Context of Federal Budget
The launch also fell on the night of the 2018 Federal budget making Alliance Community’s presence even more significant for the people of Mackay. The Government confirmed that the NDIS would be fully-funded and rolled out by 2020. This commitment provides the disability community with comfort as more eligible people seek to access NDIS funding to support them to achieve their goals and aspirations within their community and allows more people to access support services provided by Alliance Community in Mackay.