DARWIN’S loss has become Brisbane’s gain with inspirational Helping People Achieve chief executive Tony Burns farewelling the Territory to continue his journey in helping people with disabilities achieve.
Tony has taken up a position with disability support business Multicap where he will use the skills developed at HPA to make a difference to the lives of those who depend on its services.
“I will lead their pathways to employment program,” he said.
For the past six and a half years Tony was the driving force behind Helping People Achieve. Before Tony, it was known as HPA Disability Services.
The rebrand to Helping People Achieve is just one small part of the many inspirational successes Tony Burns leaves behind as his legacy.
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There is no disguising the intense passion, dedication and inspiration that Tony brought to the HPA chief executive role.
His passion for the disability sector has been infectious and Tony led his team with an enthusiasm that was undeniable.
His achievements were many.
In 2016, Tony’s team at HPA made Australian history by becoming the first not-for-profit business to win not only the inaugural Telstra Business of the Year Charity Award for the Northern Territory, but also become the overall Telstra Business of the Year for the NT.
This drive and purpose contributed to Tony being named 2017 finalist for the NT Australian of the Year.
“Leaving HPA was the toughest decision I have ever had to make,” Tony reflected.
“I have had the privilege of helping and sharing the lives of so many HPA people. To be able to help so many incredible Territorians has been a great joy.
“Being able to be the CEO of HPA and the platform that was given me to reinvent how people look at the word ‘disability’ has been inspiring for me and I hope it’s helped inspire those at HPA.
“When I started at the organisation it was HPA Disability Services and the focus was around that word ‘disability’. I wanted to change that thinking about disability and I remember writing on a napkin, HPA.
“I wanted a shift from the thinking of handicapped people and I wrote the words Helping People Achieve.”
Tony said that was his vision – to help people with a disability to achieve.
“I wanted to change not only the perception about how people thought of HPA as a charity or sheltered workshop but also what the business could be,” he said.
“I leave knowing that this is an inspirational business doing great things every day.
“I have the happiest work force and I wanted everyone to know about our people and their successes.
“The Telstra Business of the Year awards successes showed a national audience the wonderful accomplishments of everyone who makes up HPA today. It was an incredible achievement for the organisation, the team and an endorsement of our vision.”
Tony said he had made wonderful lifelong friendships at HPA and it had been the greatest pleasure of his working life so far.
“From my first day to my last, there was like nothing I have ever experienced,” he said. “Words are hard to describe the feeling of a parent coming up and thanking me for helping to make their son or daughter happy.
“I’m honoured to have been able to be there for their children and I’m proud about the happiness and fulfilment they got every day coming to work at HPA.
“The last day was an emotional one, saying goodbye to them and leaving Darwin which has been so wonderful to me.”
Tony said HPA had the foundation in place for a prosperous future.
“The different divisions gives my successor the opportunity to take things to the next level,” he said.
Standing alongside its Darwin Accommodation Services, Ausdesigns and Kokoda Industries metal work, wood work and fabrication arms of HPA are two new additions – Shoal Bay Trash and Treasure and grounds maintenance company Breaking Ground.
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“We are providing real meaningful work and it gives another opportunity to have real diversity for people living with disabilities to have more work options and hopefully one day go into open employment if that is what they want to do,” Tony said.
“Seeing some of the crew go into open employment is fabulous for us to know that from HPA they have been given the confidence to do that.
“The biggest thing I am so proud of is that we have changed the whole platform of how people perceive the word disability. Being disabled doesn’t mean you have nothing to contribute. We have proved that at HPA.”
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