Page 4447 - Week 14 - Thursday, 9 December 1993
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Again I feel that the Government's response on this issue is not strong enough, and I again ask: What is considered to be a reasonable timeframe for this matter?
Recommendation 12 was:
The ACT Government negotiate with the Commonwealth with a view to the funding arrangements for HACC being made realistic including the deletion of the absolute requirement that the main grant of funds be matched on a dollar for dollar basis.
Again, a timeframe for consideration of these issues would be appreciated, in terms of informing the Assembly as to exactly what is happening in that area.
Recommendation 13 states:
Residents of hostels be eligible for HACC funded services, should HACC funds be increased.
Again, I would be interested to know how and when the ACT Government will convey this recommendation to the appropriate Commonwealth Minister, and what discussions, if any, have occurred since the Government tabled its response to this report some three months ago.
Recommendation 14 was:
A review of all HACC Program services be undertaken with a view to these services being delivered in a more efficient manner.
Recommendation 15 was:
The Government investigate the feasibility of more appropriately locating the administrative sections of HACC funded services and, in some cases, HACC funded services themselves that operate in the ACT.
The Government has agreed to recommendation 14 and noted recommendation 15. Although the Government agrees with one recommendation and notes the other, I remain unsure that, even as a result of these reviews as described, significant change will occur; yet it is an issue that was raised fairly frequently during the hearings of the Social Policy Committee. It remains an important issue that needs to be addressed. I believe that the Government needs to go much further in examining these recommendations more closely, not only looking at the need to review individual agencies, but looking holistically at the way home and community care services are delivered in the ACT and comparing this with what happens in other States such as Western Australia for example.
I would like to quote paragraph 8.7 of our report. It states:
Ross Walker commented that ... "a lot of the things in the HACC's services are small and fragmented. They all have their structures and they all then appeal for funds and this sort of competition and energy is energy wasted and resources wasted".
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