Gary Allsop went in to scoop up a loose ball during a football game for Warrandyte in 1989, when he was sandwiched between two opposition players in a tackle and broke his neck. He has been a quadriplegic for 16 years: ten spent lobbying past and present state governments for funding for research that might help him walk. Mr Allsop, 44, described the announcement as a “landmark day” when the Transport Accident Commission and the Bracks Government announced $63 million over five years for research into brain and spinal injuries. "I quite cheekily said to the Treasurer that we needed $50 million over 10 years, so I am overwhelmed that it is almost double that," he said. "This has proven to me that sometimes one voice can be heard by the powers that be and I'm proud of my involvement in it. This is a great day for people with spinal cord injury."