About John Tomlinson
John Tomlinson is the founder of Disability Financial Clarity (DFC), a specialised accounting and advisory business supporting disability providers and self-managed participants across the Gold Coast, Brisbane and wider Queensland region.
John brings extensive experience across operational finance, budgeting, workforce analysis, financial reporting, and organisational sustainability within complex government-funded and service-delivery environments.
He holds qualifications in:
Business Studies
MAAT
Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)
Certified Practising Accountant (CPA)
John’s career began in health payroll, managing payroll operations supporting hundreds of nurses and doctors. He later moved into budget management within a large organisation delivering education and employment services for disadvantaged adults and youth across England and Wales under government-funded service models similar in structure to the NDIS environment.
During this period, the organisation expanded significantly in both operational scale and financial sustainability, becoming a recognised leader within its sector and contributing to government policy development.
John later joined the UK prison service, initially implementing a new accounting system at HMP Liverpool, the largest prison in Europe at the time. He subsequently progressed into regional financial management roles overseeing nine prisons, with responsibility for budgeting, financial performance, and operational reporting across multiple large-scale custodial environments.
John was on the organising committee and hosted the Prison Service annual finance conference at the Grand hotel in Brighton which was attended by 200 attendees.
Following his move to Australia, John worked as Budget Manager for the Public Trustee, where he successfully improved financial performance by strengthening financial visibility and supporting operational managers to better understand and utilise financial reporting. The Public Trustee also manages the financial affairs of participants under power of attorney arrangements.
John later joined Queensland Health as a Divisional Accountant supporting several operational divisions including nursing and allied health services. During this period, he completed a detailed operational and financial review of a large catering and rostering function involving more than 160 staff, providing recommendations to improve operational efficiency and workforce sustainability.
In 2021, John experienced a significant personal health event which resulted in an ongoing mobility-related disability. Rather than allowing this experience to define him, it strengthened his understanding of the challenges faced by individuals, families, and providers operating within complex support systems. This experience further reinforced his commitment to helping organisations and participants achieve greater stability, clarity, and confidence.
In 2023, John completed the full NDIS audit process, strengthening his understanding of compliance, operational systems, and provider governance requirements within the disability sector.
In 2025, John prepared a comprehensive business plan and three-year financial forecast to support the establishment of three Supported Independent Living (SIL) homes. This work involved extensive industry research, operational planning, SIL modelling, and financial forecasting aligned to participant onboarding and operational sustainability requirements. The business proposal was positively received by Commonwealth Bank during funding discussions.
Through Disability Financial Clarity, John combines financial expertise with practical operational understanding to help providers improve visibility, sustainability, and confidence in decision-making within an increasingly complex disability services environment.