Alistair Urquhart’s passion to help people with a disability find work is unbridled.
The Barwon Heads resident, who was 74 on January 25, has played a significant role in establishing WISE Employment, a not for profit organisation that provides work for people with a disability.
Mr Urquhart received a Medal of the Order of Australia on January 26 for his service.
Mr Urquhart’s father had his arm shot off in WWII, which spurned his passion for helping and those with a disability.
“I’ve never cared if people have one leg or one arm or a disability,” he said.
“Arise to the challenge of disability.”
WISE Employment was founded in 1992. Mr Urquhart is the founding chairman and is still in the role today.
“The plan was to develop a disability employment plan where we ran it in our own way rather than it all be run by government departments,” Mr Urquhart said.
“All of a sudden we were providing jobs for people who needed work.
“We’re not doing it for the dough, the focus is on helping people who are disabled in some way to get jobs that they feel proud of.”
Mr Urquhart said WISE had employed “many, many thousands” of people in 28 years.
“We have around 900 staff and we started with four or five,” he said.
“I wasn’t expecting it (the OAM). I’m not keen for the promotion of me, but for other people to ask more about WISE. I see it as a promotion for WISE.”
“I’ve seen so many disabled people just get over it and get on with it. Whether it be a mental thing, or a physical thing.
“I’ve seen people in the streets sometimes and all they need is some bloody help.”
