Richard's vision sees him named 2021 SA Senior Australian of the Year

When he was a child both his parents were teachers of children with intellectual disabilities and his sister also taught children with autism.

And although this background may have started him out on his career path, as he became more involved in the sector his passion was further driven by the discovery that more often than not, the people with the solutions were the people who had the disabilities.

At 76, Professor Bruggeman continues to make a difference to the lives of people living with an intellectual disability. It is this commitment which led to his being named 2021 SA Senior Australian of the Year. He will now go forward to the Australian of the Year Awards announced for Australia Day.

Throughout his career, he has provided advice to governments on disability services, legislation, inclusion and rights. A dedicated volunteer, he has sat on more than 20 non-government boards and committees, and is a prolific writer on topics of concern for the disability community.

His vision is for an inclusive society where people living with disability can experience the same rights, privileges and enjoyment as anyone else. "What's important to us, our jobs, our relationships our friendships - all the things that make us who and what we are," he said.

This year, Professor Bruggeman joined the special taskforce investigating the death of cerebral palsy sufferer Ann Marie Smith. He was also appointed to a new government role to assess the temporary orders to protect people living with a cognitive or mental impairment from the spread of COVID-19.

He is Professorial Fellow in the Department of Disability and Social Inclusion at Flinders University and Senior Practitioner (Disability Services) in the SA Department of Communities and Social Inclusion. He was chief executive of the Intellectual Disability Services Council in SA from 1984-2006.

ACM, the publisher of The Senior, is media partner of the 2021 Australian of the Year Awards.