Life Choice, Your Choice!
Learn about our team, our history and the organisation.
Life Choice has been a trusted advocate for community inclusion, respect and valuing of people with a disability in Hervey Bay, Maryborough and on the surrounding Fraser Coast region since 1996. We assist Participants in the pursuit of their life choices, either in their own home or the community, to enable greater quality of life experiences. Our staff provide support and positive experiences for each Participant and their families through individual lifestyle plans and an increasing range of support services and learning opportunities.
Our Leadership Team
Karen Owens
Chief Executive Officer
Peter O'Callaghan
Board of Directors – Chair
Jayne Boyle
Quality and Safety Leader
Andrew Rankin
Operational Development Leader
Board
Life Choice is a Company Limited by Guarantee and is therefore governed by a Board of Directors.
The Board of Directors consists of Directors who are either parents of people with disabilities, people with disabilities or other interested parties.
Meet our Board of Directors:
- PETER O’CALLAGHAN: Chair, Board of Directors
- JOHN SMITH: Deputy Chair, Board of Directors & Chair, Nomination Committee
- SAMANTHA SMITH: Director, Member of Nomination Committee
- JAROSLAV BOUBLIK: Director & Chair, Governance, Audit & Risk Committee
- PETER KALBFELL: Director & Member Governance, Audit & Risk Committee
- BRENDON CROFT: Director
Our History
On the 13th of June, 1994, a public meeting was held to discuss a community
access service for people with disabilities catering to the Maryborough/Wide Bay area. The need for such a service was agreed on and so a management committee of interested people was formed.
Initially, the organisation was established to provide Community Access Service, however, over the years it has expanded to include In Home Support, Accommodation Support and Everyday Learning Opportunities (group support).
The organisation was originally funded through the Department of Families, Youth and Community Care. This transitioned over the years to funding being provided by the Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services, and again in mid-2018 to the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
In 2015, Town and Country Community Options Inc. was approached by Hervey Bay Community Access Association Inc. for a possible amalgamation. The Boards of Management of both organisations agreed to the amalgamation to ensure the continuity of supports for Participants and the security of employment for the majority of employees. The amalgamation began on the 1st of October 2015. As a result, Town and Country Community Options Inc doubled in size (revenue, Participants and employees).
In 2016, the Board of Management determined the most suitable governance structure for the organisation moving forward was to transition to a Company Limited by Guarantee. Approval was granted by ASIC on the 31st of August 2016 and the new Board of Directors were appointed at the first Annual General Meeting.
On the 1st of July 2017, the Board of Directors implemented a trading name to the organisation where Town and Country Community Options Limited trading as Life Choice Wide Bay Burnett became the full legal name, however, the organisation is known locally as ‘Life Choice’.