Page 1001 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 19 March 1991
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Mr Humphries has referred to the relocation of services such as the immunisation clinic, the psychiatrist, the physiotherapist and the chiropodist, community nursing, the child medical officer, the social worker and so on. "Relocation" he calls it. But to the people who live in that neighbourhood of Weston Creek, whose very existence the Government denies, they are their services. Relocation is not of much use to you if you are not too mobile, if you do not have a car, if you cannot get about as easily as you would like to, either because you are elderly or because you have young children, or whatever the reason. Relocation is no help whatsoever to the people of the Weston Creek area.
But, Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, it is the proposal of the Government to shift the Weston Creek Community Service into commercial premises that really hits an all time low in their handling of community concerns. That shift would involve rent of at least $51,000 a year. It involves a lack of toilet facilities on the ground floor of the building. It involves additional difficulties of access for people with disabilities, for the frail aged, and certainly for young mothers with children.
I am informed that the Government has now signed or is in the process of signing the lease on that property, but as of lunchtime today the community service had not been advised of any steps in the process. It has not been advised of whether that lease is to be signed. The Community Service, which is to use these premises, has not been advised of what the lease conditions are; nor has it been advised of how the rent is to be paid. It has not got the money.
Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, I would ask, through you: Is it the intention of Mr Collaery or his portfolio to find the additional funds for that rent? If so, I would put it to the Government that they need, first of all, to make sure that the community service is properly consulted, and, secondly, that it is assured on the question of the funds. They have had no consultation whatsoever.
Mr Collaery: Nonsense; I have been out there and spoken with them.
MS FOLLETT: I have been advised that they have not had any indication from the Government of their intentions. They have no indications of what are the necessary refurbishments to the building, what are the internal office rearrangements to accommodate the service, and so on. I would be very glad to hear from Mr Collaery, as he seems anxious to speak on this matter. What is to become of the volunteer program in Weston Creek under these new arrangements? They do not know. I take it that Mr Collaery knows, sitting over there muttering away to himself. I think it is time he informed the Assembly, and it is long overdue that he informed the Weston Creek neighbourhood.
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