What Independence Australia does

Independence Australia Group is a Melbourne-headquartered social enterprise that supports people with disability across Australia through a dual-track model combining in-person disability services and a national healthcare product e-commerce platform. Founded in 1957 as ParaQuad Vic and rebranded in 2018, the organisation operates registered NDIS provider services including personal care, complex care and Supported Independent Living, domestic assistance, community access, meal preparation, sleepovers, psychology and counselling, and health and wellbeing programs delivered by 700+ trained support workers to approximately 1,200+ active services customers across NSW, VIC, QLD and other states. On the product side, the group runs a national online store distributing 13,000+ continence, wound care, nutrition, skin care, and mobility products with state-level warehousing and 800,000+ orders per year, complemented by a Mobility Aids Australia showroom operating for over 30 years. Revenue is generated via NDIS, TAC, WorkSafe and other funding-body reimbursements for services, e-commerce sales of healthcare consumables, free NDIS plan management (covered under NDIS Capacity Building funding), and tax-deductible donations supporting under-funded psychology programs; all surpluses are reinvested into disability support programs per the social enterprise charter. Technology includes the Your Hub customer portal, an NDIS plan management platform with real-time budget tracking, an e-commerce storefront with multi-mode NDIS billing (self-managed, plan-managed, agency-managed), and a Health Professional Portal, with the brand portfolio spanning Independence Australia, Zest Care, SASI, AQA Victoria, Possability Group, and Mobility Aids Australia following a recent acquisition and merger cadence.

Name

Independence Australia

Legal name

Independence Australia Group

Website

https://independenceaustralia.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Independence Australia Group is a Melbourne-based social enterprise delivering registered NDIS disability support services, psychology, and complex care alongside a national e-commerce platform distributing 13,000+ healthcare and mobility products across Australia, serving individuals with disability, NDIS participants, families, carers, and health professionals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Support Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Individual and Family Services (6241), Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities (62321), Social Assistance (624)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Home Health Care Services (8082), Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGAEAG), Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG)

Keywords

• Disability support services
• NDIS plan management
• Continence and wound care
• Mobility aids equipment
• In-home personal care

Headquarters

HQ city

Collingwood

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Healthcare and Disability Products Sales: E-commerce sales of continence aids, wound care, nutrition, skin care, mobility and daily living aids. National distribution to hundreds of thousands of customers. Income is reinvested into disability support services as a social enterprise.
2. Disability Support Services: Core supports including Complex Care & SIL, Personal Care, Domestic Assistance, Community Access, Meal Preparation, Sleepovers, Psychology & Counselling, and Health & Wellbeing Programs. Funded through NDIS, TAC, Worksafe and other funding bodies.
3. NDIS Plan Management Services: Budget management services for NDIS participants, handling invoice processing (paid within 2 days), provider payments, and budget tracking. Provided at no cost to participants as covered NDIS service.
4. Donations and Fundraising: Tax-deductible donations (registered DGR) supporting psychology and counselling programs that receive limited government funding, including Grief and Loss Program and Peer Mentoring service.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Independence Australia Group is a not-for-profit social enterprise that delivers NDIS-registered disability support services (personal care, complex care & SIL, domestic assistance, community access, meal preparation, sleepovers, psychology & counselling, health & wellbeing programs) and simultaneously operates a national e-commerce platform distributing 13,000+ continence, wound care, nutrition and mobility products. Revenue from healthcare product sales is reinvested into disability support programs under its social enterprise charter.

Product overview

Independence Australia operates as a social enterprise offering a dual-track service model combining disability support services with a national e-commerce healthcare product platform. The core service portfolio spans personal care, domestic assistance, community access, overnight/sleepover support, complex care and SIL, meal preparation, psychology and counselling, health and wellbeing programs, and support groups—all coordinated through their main Independence Australia brand for NDIS participants in Victoria. Complementary to services is the Independence Australia Online Store, a national e-commerce platform distributing over 13,000 continence, wound care, nutrition, skin care, and mobility products, with funds reinvested to support disability programs. The brand portfolio includes Zest Care (plan management and in-home services), SASI (neurodiversity support), and AQA Victoria (disability services), all operating under the Independence Australia Group umbrella alongside the customer-facing Your Hub digital portal. The organisation also produces Inform Magazine quarterly and delivers community programs including Education Days, SpinChat school presentations, and the annual Accessibility Weekend. Independence Australia holds NDIS registration enabling delivery of both core supports and consumables in Victoria.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Independence Australia: Primary brand providing NDIS services, healthcare products, and disability support.
• Zest Care
• SASI
• AQA Victoria
• Mobility Aids Australia

Products and services

• Complex Care & SIL 24/7 round-the-clock support for individuals with Supported Independent Living (SIL) and complex care needs, including behaviour support strategies, medication administration, PEG feeding, epilepsy management, diabetes management, hoist/transfer support, and tracheostomy care. Funded through NDIS and delivered in participants' homes.
• Personal Care Personal care assistance covering bathing, personal hygiene, eating, dressing, grooming, toileting, showering, shaving, transferring out of bed, and medication administration for people with disabilities or age-related care needs.
• Sleepovers Overnight staff support including active night support for those needing intermittent or continuous assistance throughout the night, and sleepover support where staff are available if needed.
• Meal Preparation Meal preparation services including menu planning, preparing meals, cooking and serving, monitoring and stocking pantries, grocery shopping, supervising eating and drinking, and cleaning food preparation areas.
• Domestic Assistance Domestic help services covering light house cleaning, bed making, laundry, ironing, dusting, vacuuming, light gardening, light plumbing, shopping, and meal preparation assistance.
• Community Access Community participation support helping individuals join activities, sports, catch up with friends, attend events, visit the gym, explore interests or hobbies, and build social connections.
• Health & Wellbeing Programs Workshops and group programs covering living with disability, weight maintenance, changing unhealthy habits, improving sleep, mindful self-compassion, stress management for women, assertiveness, and couples togetherness.
• Psychology & Counselling Psychology and counselling services for depression, stress, anxiety, adjustment issues, grief and loss, pain management, family conflict, and intimacy concerns. Bulk billing available through GP mental healthcare plan referral. Delivered face-to-face, via telehealth, and off-site.
• NDIS Plan Management (delivered via Zest Care) NDIS plan management service that handles budget tracking, invoice processing within 2 days, and real-time funding updates. Provided at no cost to participants with plan management in their NDIS plan, enabling participants to focus on achieving their goals.
• Independence Australia Online Store National e-commerce platform distributing over 13,000 healthcare and mobility products including continence aids, wound care, nutrition, skin care, and mobility equipment to hundreds of thousands of customers across Australia, with funds reinvested to support disability programs.
• NDIS Consumables (online shopping category) Daily disability-related products including continence aids, wound care supplies, home enteral nutrition, and disability-related health products available for purchase online using NDIS consumables budget, with multiple billing options (self-managed, plan-managed, agency-managed).
• Mobility Aids Australia Showroom Physical retail showroom in Springvale, Victoria specialising in mobility aids and electric scooters, stocking over 3,000 products including lift chairs, wheelchairs, walkers, and electric beds.
• Your Hub Customer Portal Personalised online customer portal enabling access to support schedules, service change requests, goal tracking, updates, and tailored product recommendations from the Independence Australia Online Store.
• Support Groups Free support groups including the Strengthening Families program for carers, a support group for people with incomplete spinal cord injury (run jointly with Victorian Spinal Cord Services), and support groups for families of people with spinal cord injury. Monthly meetings held at the Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre in Kew.

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• AQA VictoriacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025AQA Victoria officially merged with Independence Australia Group as of July 1, 2025, enhancing disability service offering and broadening collective impact. AQA's Peer Support Coordinator co-facilitates family support groups.
• Robert Rose FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 July 2024After 25 years of supporting the spinal cord injury community, the Robert Rose Foundation passed its work to Independence Australia Group to continue the legacy. Foundation supported individuals with spinal cord injuries through advocacy and resources.
• Royal Talbot Rehabilitation CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership for support groups including: support group for people with incomplete spinal cord injury (joint initiative with Victorian Spinal Cord Services), and support group for families of people with spinal cord injury. Monthly meetings held at the Royal Talbot facility in Kew.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Life Without Barriers: Australia's largest non-government NDIS and out-of-home care provider, delivering disability, youth and aged-care services nationwide — directly comparable to Independence Australia's core disability support and SIL offering.
• Aruma: Major national NDIS-registered disability services provider (formed from the merger of House with No Steps and Aruma), competing for the same participants and support-worker pool as Independence Australia.
• Northcott: Long-established NSW-based NDIS provider delivering in-home support, complex care, accommodation and respite — overlaps directly with Independence Australia's personal care, complex care/SIL and community access services.
• Scope Australia: Victorian disability provider with deep expertise supporting people with cerebral palsy and physical disabilities, comparable to Independence Australia's physical-disability focus and core support portfolio.
• Spinal Life Australia: Queensland-based spinal cord injury advocacy and support organisation — shares Independence Australia's heritage (ParaQuad sister organisation) and delivery of peer support, counselling and NDIS services for SCI participants.
• Care Connect: Major national NDIS plan management and home care provider; a direct head-to-head competitor in Independence Australia's NDIS plan management service line.
• ParaQuad NSW: NSW counterpart to Victoria's ParaQuad (Independence Australia's original incarnation), providing spinal cord injury support, accommodation and NDIS services — a natural regional/cross-state peer.

Emerging players

• Hireup: NDIS-registered digital marketplace matching participants with support workers; competes for similar participant cohorts and represents a tech-enabled alternative to Independence Australia's traditional in-home support model.
• Mable: Australia's leading online platform for NDIS participants to find and manage independent support workers — a digital-first alternative to traditional providers like Independence Australia.
• Plena Healthcare: Diversified Australian allied health and disability services provider offering in-home therapy and support — competes with Independence Australia's health & wellbeing programs and complex care offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/IndependenceAust
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/independence-australia
• Instagraminstagram.com/independenceaus
• Xx.com/independenceaus

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Independence Australia