Vale Tony Brown - Disability Champion

The Not for Profit sector is mourning the passing of disability advocate Anthony Ainscough Brown, aged 87, who was instrumental in setting set up the EW Tipping Foundation.

A young Tony Brown.

Brown  was involved in many community based organisations after his first born daughter Jenny had a disability.  Like all parents Brown and his wife Nancy wanted to make sure that she lived a full life.  At the age of 11 Jenny went to live at Kew Cottages.

Brown and Nancy joined the Kew Cottages Parents Association and did much to improve the quality of life for residents.

But it was few years later that Brown responded to a call to action after he heard a radio interview about who would look after the disabled daughter of another Melbourne couple once they were gone.

Brown joined in the huge groundswell of reaction to the interview including a huge town hall meeting in Melbourne where he was instrumental in the development of the E.W. Tipping Foundation with its founder and journalist Bill Tipping (Famous for his Herald newspaper column, "In Black and White").

He held many committee roles including the role of President for 21 years, Secretary, Vice President and Director of Services.   Ultimately Brown was involved with the E.W. Tipping Foundation, in a voluntary capacity, for close to four decades. The EW Tipping Foundation is a Victorian providers of disability and community support services.

Tony Brown.

“While he was around in the early days to pioneer and champion the cause Tony’s continued involvement with the E.W. Tipping Foundation meant he played a proud role in the current climate of inclusion and involvement for people with disabilities.  He was an advocate for the rights and improvement of the conditions for people with a disability,” EW Tipping CEO Graeme Kelly said.

“The legacy of Tony Brown’s long standing involvement with the Foundation in part has led to a huge improvement to the rights and lives of people with disabilities. He set out to make sure that the E.W. Tipping Foundation provided services in a way that met the needs of people with a disability and their families.  

“He played a big role in alleviating some of the worries of family members of people with a disability.

In doing so, Tony has created a better world for people with disabilities.  His vision, understanding and advocacy are the fundamentals that still drive the Foundation today.

“The dedication and commitment of the original committee to get together to see what they could do to help and of Tony Brown to be involved and keep being involved for close to 40 years is remarkable.    

“His efforts, energy and dedication to do better are admirable.  It is the Tony Brown’s of this world who have left it in better shape than they found it and contributed to a fairer and better society. Tony Brown is a hero.”