Mr John Dobson, QSO, of Hamilton, for services to people with disabilities
John Dobson has been a driving force behind Life Unlimited, originally the Disabled Living Centre (Waikato) Trust, as a founding Trustee from 1979 and Chair since 1991. He has led the organisation from a $300,000 per annum revenue to a business of more than $6 million. He was instrumental to initiatives such as a ‘total mobility’ system around Hamilton, with ramped vans as taxis, and the renting of a store where disabled people could sell their wares and learn skills. He led the acquisition of Hearing Therapy services, with Life Unlimited now providing free national Hearing Therapy, autism information and advice, Advocacy to Mobility and disability retail outlets, Waikato community programmes, and needs assessment service coordination in the Hutt Valley and Gisborne. Mr Dobson chairs Hamilton Gardens Development Trust.