The induction occurred at the ZEST Awards ceremony held in February and recognized his outstanding achievements advancing the rights and opportunities of people with a disability.
Greg’s wife, Anita, who accepted the award on Greg’s behalf, received a standing ovation from the 400-plus audience.
The ZEST Awards, which receive more than 100 nominations annually, recognize projects, individuals and non-government organisations that have shown Zest, Enthusiasm, Strength and Tenacity throughout their activities within Western Sydney. Greg founded Ability Options in the 1970s, which is now one of the largest and most innovative disability service providers in NSW.
Ability Options was the first in NSW to support people with a disability to move to live in the community at a time when institutionalisation and segregation was the practice. Greg was a Director of Ability Options right up until his passing.
Greg was heavily involved in developing the first advocacy services for people with a disability.
He wrote many of the first policies that underpinned the first NSW disability services and during the 80s and 90s was responsible for planning, policy development and the management of TAFE services for students with a disability.
Ability Options chief executive, Matt Donnelly, who was also at the awards night, said that Greg played a key role in fostering the disability community.
“Greg’s legacy is a company that is now assisting close to 3,500 people with disabilities across NSW,” Matt said.
“Many people with a disability are eternally grateful for the opportunities he created for people to get out from behind the walls of institutions and to live a life where they get to open their front door, go to work and live a life like other Australians.”
Greg lived in the Hills area before relocating to the Central Coast a few years ago.
