Page 5614 - Week 17 - Thursday, 5 December 1991
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strives toward a goal of timely, efficient and high-quality service provision. The Act will set the basic parameters, leaving administrative detail to be dealt with by means of guidelines covering, for example, terms and conditions of grants and transitional funding provisions. The Commonwealth-State disability agreement requires State and Territory governments to maintain, as a minimum, levels of effort as at 30 June 1989. Growth funds can be contributed by either level of government.
Under the agreement the Commonwealth will also be providing payments to the States and Territories under three categories. These include the transfer of existing services, which covers grant moneys and an additional amount to be determined regarding administrative overhead costs. In the ACT this transfer is approximately $2.825m recurrent at 1991-92 levels from the Commonwealth to the ACT.
The second category is funding of growth. The Commonwealth is committed to additional funding over each year of the agreement. In 1991-92 the ACT growth money is $175,000, increasing to $628,000 in 1995-96. The third category is transitional payments. Payments will be made available to the ACT to increase the overall quality of existing services. This will be $85,000 in 1991, increasing to $850,000 in 1995-96.
It is expected that the Bill will be commenced early in 1992. Bilateral negotiations between the ACT and Commonwealth governments regarding financial and administrative arrangements are continuing, and the passage of this Bill sets in place the basis for their successful conclusion. The agreement comes into effect only when all aspects of the Commonwealth-State disability agreement have been met, that is, legislation is in place and bilateral negotiations are complete.
In conclusion, the Disability Services Bill demonstrates the Government's commitment to people with disabilities living in the ACT, their families, carers and service providers. I believe that we are witnessing a constructive time of social reform where governments at all levels, together with non-government service providers, are working closely to provide a better quality of life for all people. With this legislation, the community at large will have at its disposal a flexible and responsible process for meeting the needs and aspirations of people with disabilities.
I commend the Bill to members of the Assembly. I now present the explanatory memorandum.
Debate (on motion by Mr Humphries) adjourned.
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