Assistive Equipment, Designed for Independence
A Community That Cares
TADQ (Technology for Ageing and Disability) is a Queensland based registered charity which designs, creates, and builds or modifies customised assistive devices for both adults and children. Its purpose is to create innovative solutions which provide confidence, joy and comfort for those facing challenges.
The service has evolved to provide subsidised commercial solutions to eligible Queenslanders and a Home Modifications service in Brisbane’s north and south and the Gold Coast. With our main office based just off the Gateway Motorway at Banyo, Brisbane, our purpose-built space houses a fully functioning workshop and admin space designed to effectively support both our team and clients.
TADQ is a part of a group of organisations located everywhere except Tasmania and the Northern Territory. However, Freedom Solutions, which is made up of New South Wales and Victoria, does provide some services in Tasmania. This allows us access to a wider level of resource, knowledge and experience which inevitably help us to help you.
Our History
Creating pathways to support independence
TADQ was born in 1981 and it all started with a University Design Contest…
In early 1981 the committee members of Friends of Challinor Aid League (F.O.C.A.L) were concerned about the lack of commercially available aids for people with disabilities and set out to create a contest for students at Queensland University of Technology (QUT).
Each student submitted a design that had to be based on the need of a local resident with a disability, the winner would receive a medal and a cash prize. Once the contest was completed and a winner announced, the members could see a need for this innovative service in order to help others. They researched and found an organisation called TAD in NSW and collectively TADQ was formed.
See an excerpt from the minutes of the FOCAL committee meeting:
“Following on from the contest, FOCAL resolved to have a design centre established in Queensland to design and construct ‘one off’ types of aids for people with disabilities where satisfactory aids were not commercially available. This took some time, but in due course we became associated with a group of Telecom employees who has a similar objective to ours. Together we brought to Queensland Technical Aid to the Disabled, an organisation operating at that time in Sydney.
TAD’s function coincided exactly with the concept of the FOCAL/Telecom group. In January 1981, after much effort by the FOCAL/Telecom group Technical Aid to the Disabled Queensland (TADQ) was launched at a public meeting, attended by the Queensland Minister for Health and TAD New South Wales Technical Co-ordinator. Challinor Centre and TADQ had established a working relationship.”
How It Started…
The concept of TAD (Technical Aid to the Disabled) began in New South Wales in 1981 by an extremely clever and passionate man – George Winston.
George, an Electrical Engineer by trade could see a connection between the skills he had and a need for innovate inventions. He could see the impact not only his skills, but other’s skills could make for so many people living with a disability. So, with drive and determination he developed a team of volunteers who all eventually went on to make TAD a charity organisation.
“In 1986 I returned from London feeling a strong need to find a humanitarian outlet for my experience as an electrical engineer. Although I knew no disabled people, I felt that an engineer could make a practical impact on their lives. A frustrating two-year period followed during which I approached medical people who politely ignored my offers of help, had I known how big the gap was between my offer and the needs of potential clients, I would have given up immediately. Eventually I met the secretary of the Civilian Maimed and Limbless Association (now Access Industries) who introduced me to my first client, Mary Case.
Mary was a polio quadriplegic who needed a high-low bed. This challenged my imagination and with the help of apprentices at ICI, I motorised a hospital bed using an old washing machine motor / gearbox bought from the Salvation Army for $8. The impact on Mary’s life was dramatic, and I knew now that I was on the right track.
I had also learnt of my technical limitations – I could wire up anything, but was hopeless as a fitter, welder and machinist. However, I was good at improvisation and organising others. In the next few months, I was asked to help others with similar needs for specialise equipment, but I was invariably frustrated because I couldn’t do the job using my own skills.
Realising that I needed help, I wrote a letter to the Institution of Engineers Journal, Engineers Australia, which was published in June 1973. Eight engineers responded – two from Melbourne, one from Brisbane and five from Sydney and this became the nucleus of TAD.
For two years, I co-ordinated TAD projects while doing freelance engineering work in the chemical industry and at the Garden Island navel facility. The ability to delegate to superbly skilled design and workshop people was thrilling, and the quality of the work improved dramatically.
As leaders of the disabled community learned of the fledgling service, they encouraged us to form an organisation with a constitution and a committee. We were reluctant, but we agreed because there was a possibility of a grant from the Whitlam government that would allow the group to grow significantly. The Southwest Sydney Social Redevelopment Committee obtained a $13,000 grant for TAD, and I realised that the opportunity of a lifetime presented itself.
The TAD committee gladly appointed me to pursue this, and an exciting, somewhat terrifying period began. I learned to recruit volunteers, attract clients, publicise the service and manage projects. My salary had dropped from $13,000 at Garden Island to $9,000 but I was too drunk on adrenaline to worry about it. By that time, I was divorced and could live quite modestly.
I continued to be excited for the next twenty years, learning to fundraise, to speak in public, to manage a team, in short to be a CEO. Throughout that time, I felt supported by dedicated volunteers and later staff, so that TAD has always been a team.
Celebrating 40 Years
This book celebrates 40 years of TADQ’s history, honouring the people whose dedication, service, and contributions helped bring its mission to life. Our team couldn’t be more proud and invite you to learn all about our journey, and those who have made it possible.