The Australian Disability Network was started in 2000 by Suzanne Colbert AM, and brothers John Bennett OAM and Steven Bennett OAM.
John and Steven had already experienced great success employing people with disability through their company Benbro Electronics. In 1998 they were recognised for this success, winning the Prime Minister’s Employer of the Year Award.
Ambition and expansion
Eager to share their experiences and promote the business benefits of employing people with disability, they got in touch with Suzanne Colbert, the CEO of a disability employment service called Shore Personnel. Together they set up a group of business leaders with a mission to enable more businesses to employ people with disability.
The group was originally known as Employers Making a Difference (EMAD). In February 2006, they changed the name to the Australian Employers’ Network on Disability, and have since shortened this to the Australian Disability Network.
25 years of achievement
Australian Disability Network has come a long way in the 25 years since it was incorporated. The group’s first objective was to create 500 jobs for people with disability, something considered a stretch at the time. Australian Disability Network now has over 450 member organisations that together employ over 1.85 million Australians.
Read our 20th Anniversary Foundation Story.
2000 – 2002: We’re on our way
• 2000 – Established Employers Making a Difference as an incorporated organisation
• 2001 – Hosted our first CEO’s breakfast
• 2001 – Launched Willing and Able mentoring program
• 2001 – Formed foundational partnerships with Law Society and ANU
• 2002 – Received $64,000 donation from Siimon Reynolds and Who Wants to be a Millionaire
2003 – 2007: And so we grow
• 2003 – First nine visionary organisations sign our charter
• 2004 – Launched our comprehensive Membership Model
• 2005 – Created the groundbreaking Stepping into Law program
2008 – 2013: New wings
• 2008 – Achieved 33% membership growth
• 2010 – Evolved into Australian Network on Disability
• 2010 – Celebrated reaching 100 members
• 2010 – Connected nearly 1,000 virtual attendees in our first national conference
2014 – 2020: 300 members strong
• 2015 – Expanded our reach by opening our Melbourne office
• 2015 – Introduced the Disability Confident Recruiter program
• 2016 – Launched the Access and Inclusion Index
• 2016 – Developed our first online learning product with DCR eLearn
• 2017 – Released the inaugural Access and Inclusion Benchmark Report
2021 – 2025: Accelerating impact
• 2021 – Won Zero Project Award for our Internship Program
• 2022 – Launched Directing Change Scholarship for boardroom diversity
• 2023 – Achieved AFR’s 2nd Best Place to Work recognition
• 2023 – Established Career Pathways Pilot with government funding
• 2023 – Created Alumni Connect, Australia’s first disability student network
• 2024 – Launched Employing 100 with DSS funding
• 2024 – Evolved to Australian Disability Network with new brand identity
• 2024 – Secured second Zero Project award for Directing Change Scholarship
• 2024 – Released Australian Neurodiversity Toolkit
• 2024 – Introduced Technology Accessibility Selection Tool
• 2024 – Established Accessibility Technology Charter with six major organisations
• 2024 – Published Disability Data at Work research with DCA
• 2024 – Released comprehensive Workplace Adjustments report
• 2024 – Implemented online self-service training platform
• 2024 – Celebrated 2500 successful internships and mentorships
• 2025 – Grew to over 450 members