Perry Cross AM

About

Perry Cross AM is the Founder and CEO of Accessible Homes Australia, and the Founder and Executive President of the Perry Cross Spinal Research Foundation, a not for profit organisation which has helped raise over $40m to fund vital research to cure paralysis from spinal injuries, support clinical trials and innovative treatment strategies, and raise awareness and mobilise community support to advance its mission.

Perry is a Panellist of the 2024 Reserve Bank of Australia Small Business Finance Advisory Panel which advises the RBA and the Australian Government on issues relating to the provision of finance, as well as the broarder economic environment for small business and specifically accessible housing providers in Australia.

At 19, promising sportsman Perry Cross was injured in a rugby tackle and told he’d never walk again. Since then, Perry has been living with C2 ventilated quadriplegia, and carved out a new path to become a leader in the disability community in a range of inspiring ways.  In 2019, Perry discovered Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) as the NDIS was rolling out across Australia, and was finally able to build an accessible home for himself. Perry says the new lease on life he feels is one that only someone with specialist needs can describe.

Perry founded AHA to enable others to do the same, focusing on high quality design, but also individualised support to incorporate a persons’ care requirements into every part of the housing journey.

Now, under Perry’s leadership, AHA provides over 18 incredible SDA properties focused on enabling those with High Physical Support needs, like Perry, to live as independently and integrated into the community as possible. With more SDA projects on the horizon, Perry provides critical lived experience and professional knowledge on quality housing for people living with disability.