Queensland Advocacy for Inclusion

What Queensland Advocacy for Inclusion does

Queensland Advocacy for Inclusion (QAI), legally Queensland Advocacy Incorporated (ABN 97 527 905 201), is an independent nonprofit disability advocacy organization founded in 1987 and headquartered at Level 2, South Central Commercial, 43 Peel Street, South Brisbane, Queensland. The organization provides free individual advocacy and systemic advocacy services to people with disability across Queensland, operating as a registered charity and community legal centre. Its service portfolio spans Human Rights Law (covering mental health, guardianship, and discrimination), a Public Trustee Clinic, Mental Health Law representation (including 865 Mental Health Review Tribunal appearances in the last financial year), NDIS Appeals Support (195 clients assisted), a Young Peoples Program, Criminal Justice Support, and the Pathways Info & Referral Service. Last financial year, QAI was contacted by 5,451 Queenslanders and delivered 6,062 services.

QAI's core technology is a W3C Web Accessibility Standards Level AA compliant website with BrowseAloud assistive software integration, supported by downloadable resources in PDF and Word formats; there is no proprietary software product or AI/ML capability disclosed. The business model is grant-funded: core operations are sustained through multi-departmental Australian Government and Queensland Government grants (Department of Social Services, Department of Justice and Attorney-General, Department of Education and Training, DJAG, DSDSATSIP), supplemented by tax-deductible donations, bequests, workplace giving, and tiered "Friends of QAI" membership fees (corporate members at A$1,000/year). No fees are charged to clients. Distribution is direct: phone, email, online contact form, in-person at South Brisbane, and partner referrals through the QIDAN network and allied legal and community organizations.

QAI engages in systemic advocacy through named campaigns including The DRC Still Matters, A Right to Learn, the Human Rights Act Campaign, Stand With Us, and the Disability Violence Project, and was the first organization to opt in to being bound by the Queensland Human Rights Act 2019. The organization is governed by a member-elected Management Committee and led by CEO Matilda Alexander (appointed March 2021), an award-winning human rights lawyer.

Name

Queensland Advocacy for Inclusion

Legal name

Queensland Advocacy Incorporated

Website

https://www.qai.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Queensland Advocacy for Inclusion is an independent nonprofit, community legal centre founded in 1987 that provides free individual and systemic disability advocacy across Queensland, including legal representation, NDIS appeals, mental health tribunal support, and policy campaigns, funded primarily by Australian and Queensland Government grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Advocacy and Community Legal Services

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Individual and Family Services (6241), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Rights & Accessibility Advocacy (BPAGAFAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGAEAG), Human Rights & Anti-Discrimination Organizations (BPAGAFAB), Special Education, Disability Support & Inclusive Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAH)

Keywords

• Disability advocacy services
• Legal advocacy representation
• Human rights advocacy
• NDIS appeals support
• Mental health advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

South Brisbane

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Funding: QAI receives core operational funding from Australian Government agencies (Department of Social Services, Department of Education and Training) and Queensland Government agencies (Department of Justice and Attorney-General, Department of Seniors, Disability Services and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships).
2. Donations and Fundraising: QAI accepts tax-deductible donations from the public, bequests, and fundraising activities. All donations over $2 are tax deductible. Workplace giving programs are also available.
3. Friends of Queensland Advocacy Membership: Corporate members ($1000/year), Individual members (up to $500/year), Young individual members ($50/year for those under 30). Membership fees support advocacy functions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Queensland Advocacy for Inclusion provides free, independent disability advocacy and community legal services to people with disability across Queensland. Its core offering comprises individual advocacy and legal representation across practice areas (Human Rights Law, Mental Health Law, NDIS Appeals Support, Criminal Justice Support, Public Trustee Clinic, and a Young People's Program) plus systemic advocacy through submissions, research, and campaigns such as The DRC Still Matters, A Right to Learn, the Human Rights Act Campaign, Stand With Us, and the Disability Violence Project.

Product overview

Queensland Advocacy for Inclusion (QAI) is an independent disability advocacy organization offering a suite of individual advocacy services and systemic advocacy programs. The organization operates three core advocacy practices: Human Rights Advocacy Practice (covering mental health law, guardianship, human rights and discrimination), NDIS Appeals Support, and Criminal Justice Support. QAI also delivers specialized programs including a Public Trustee Clinic, Young Peoples Program, and Pathways Info & Referral Service. These individual advocacy services inform QAI's systemic advocacy work that engages in campaigns (including The DRC Still Matters, A Right to Learn, Human Rights Act Campaign, Stand With Us, and Disability Violence Project) and policy submissions to change attitudes, law and policy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 5,451 Queenslanders contacted QAI for assistance in last financial year
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Queensland Independent Disability Advocacy Network (QIDAN)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 May 2026QAI is a founding member of QIDAN, a network of 8 independent disability advocacy organisations in Queensland. Joint initiatives include #TheDRCstillMatters campaign, DRC recommendation tracking, and systemic advocacy on NDIS reforms.
• Queensland Council for LGBTI HealthminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024Engaged by QAI to help facilitate the LGBTQIA+SB Pilot Project. QC provided expertise in LGBTQIA+ health and community engagement to support the project aimed at building capacity for serving LGBTQIA+ people with disability.
• Queensland University of Technology (QUT) Centre for Inclusive EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 September 2023Research partnership with QUT Centre for Inclusive Education (C4IE) to conduct research on disability and school disciplinary practices. Co-authored papers showing disability as a common factor among students being suspended. Joint work on economic impacts of school suspensions on students with disability.
• ADA LawcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 June 2023Partnership with ADA Law to develop and launch Supported Decision-Making guide for World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. Joint effort to create practical guidance for people with disability on making their own decisions.
• Norton Rose FulbrightminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2023Law firm Norton Rose Fulbright assisted QAI in developing Natural Disasters, Disability and the Law resource to help people with disability understand their legal rights during natural disasters.
• Minter EllisonminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 March 2022Law firm Minter Ellison assisted QAI in developing the COVID-19, Disability and the Law Resource to help people with disability understand their legal rights during the pandemic.
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service (ATSILS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 February 2022Joint advocacy partnership with ATSILS on school disciplinary absences, First Nations education policy, and criminal justice issues affecting First Nations people with disability. Combined expertise in disability rights and First Nations justice.
• Australian Government (Department of Social Services)coreOthersCore operational funder providing grants for disability advocacy services. QAI receives funding from DSS for NDIS appeals support and other advocacy programs.
• Queensland Government (Multiple Departments)coreOthersCore operational funder providing grants through Department of Justice and Attorney-General, Department of Education and Training, and Department of Seniors, Disability Services and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• People with Disability Australia (PWDA): National peak disability advocacy organisation representing people with disability across Australia. Directly comparable as a disability-focused advocacy body, though operating at national rather than state level, providing individual and systemic advocacy similar to QAI's mandate.
• Inclusion Australia: National disability advocacy organisation focused on people with intellectual disability and their families. Comparable to QAI as a rights-based advocacy organization delivering individual advocacy, systemic advocacy, and policy submissions in the disability sector.
• First Peoples Disability Network Australia (FPDN): Australia's peak disability organisation representing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with disability. Directly comparable to QAI's First Nations disability advocacy work, with overlapping focus on criminal justice, education, and culturally appropriate support.
• ADA Australia: Queensland-based disability advocacy organisation providing individual advocacy, NDIS appeals, and legal representation for people with intellectual disability. Closely comparable to QAI in service mix, geography, and target population, including a strategic partnership with QAI on Supported Decision-Making.
• Australian Centre for Disability Law: National disability-focused community legal centre providing legal advice, casework, and representation on disability rights matters. Directly comparable to QAI's legal advocacy services, with overlapping practice areas including discrimination, NDIS, and human rights complaints.

Broad incumbents

• Australian Human Rights Commission: Federal statutory body responsible for investigating human rights complaints and promoting rights awareness across Australia. Comparable to QAI in human rights mandate, particularly the disability rights function, but operates as a national regulator rather than a frontline advocacy provider.

Others

• Queensland Council of Social Service (QCOSS): Queensland peak body for the social service sector, representing community organisations and advocating on poverty, inequality, and social inclusion. Thematically adjacent to QAI as an advocacy and policy umbrella, but covers broader social services rather than disability specialization.
• Mental Health Australia: National peak body for the mental health sector, advocating for mental health reform and representing consumer and carer perspectives. Overlaps with QAI's Mental Health Law practice and MHRT representation work, though focused on broader mental health policy rather than individual legal advocacy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCOLUMld8u7uNLjopPMnANJg
• Facebookfacebook.com/queenslandadvocacy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/queensland-advocacy-incorporated
• Instagraminstagram.com/qai_disability_advocacy
• Xx.com/QldAdvocacy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Queensland Advocacy for Inclusion