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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 2 Hansard (27 February) . . Page.. 557 ..

Ms Tucker: Not enough. What are you doing about it?

MR STEFANIAK: What are we doing? Have a look at the Auditor-General's report, Ms Tucker. I will point out a few points to you. Basically, we are better off. You have a talk to some people in the know, people like Mary Lowa, who can actually tell you how the ACT compares with New South Wales, Victoria and other parts of the country. Compared with them, we are significantly better off, Ms Tucker.

In an ideal world it would be lovely if all the time at a refuge where a 48-hour maximum is recommended people stayed for just that period of time. Unfortunately, depending on the circumstances at the time, some people might have to stay for longer periods. That, unfortunately, is just a fact of life. In difficult financial times I cannot really see any way around that. That will occur from time to time. It would be lovely, Ms Tucker, if we could build another 10 or 20 refuges, but have a look at Report No. 3 from the Auditor-General. The money simply is not there for that. I stress that we are certainly better off than most other parts of the country. The other points you raise, on which I understand you have provided my office with details, I will take on notice and reply to when I have the answers for you.

MS TUCKER: I ask a supplementary question, Mr Speaker. I am glad the Minister mentioned the Auditor-General's report. Is the Minister aware that often thousands of dollars are spent on one single case because effective system-wide approaches are not in place, because there is a lack of respite care options for adolescents and because existing family support services that are working to prevent crises occurring, such as Barnardo's family support service special neighbours program, are unable to meet the demand. This is about saving money; it is about prevention. Is the Minister aware of the cost of a reactive response?

MR STEFANIAK: Ms Tucker, it is always best to be proactive. I think you would appreciate - I hope you would - some of the things we have done in providing assistance in the family services area to those who need it. For example, we have increased the number of foster care places from 139 to 150. The amount of money this financial year for people in foster care is about $226,000 extra. Where we can in difficult financial times, we have made significant extra assistance available. Unfortunately, I suppose there is always more we could do if we had the money, but I think even you would have to concede that a considerable amount of effort has been put in by this Government and that in difficult financial times there has been some quite reasonable funding, and additional funding too.

MS REILLY: My question is to the Minister for Housing, Mr Stefaniak. Minister, can you confirm that in October 1996 you received a report titled Taking the Longer View, which was a report on a review of government home purchase schemes? Minister, will you agree to table this report by the close of business today?

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