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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 2 Hansard (6 March) . . Page.. 687 ..

MR WOOD (continuing):

accommodate the needs of each individual; to create a stable and skilled work force through improved recruitment, training, supervision and support of staff; to enhance the level of participation of families and staff; and to enable a capacity for localised decision making and a more responsive and adaptive service. These themes we have taken seriously.

Our work force planning group will be exploring strategies to improve the recruitment, retention and training of support staff. In line with my commitment to the Assembly in September, the positions of executive director and director in Disability ACT were advertised in every major metropolitan newspaper across the country. I am pleased to report that these positions have been filled and the appointees-Miss Lois Ford as executive director, and Ms Roslyn Hayes as director-have commenced in their positions.

There is another important matter. The establishment of single therapy services was one of the recommendations of the review of therapy services for children with a disability. We will be proceeding with such a service and, within two months, will be establishing a reference group to guide its development. This follows the convening of a working party in community consultations on the merit of integrating the currently separated child and adult therapy services.

Mr Speaker, we have not shied away from our responsibilities. We are providing the leadership and vision required to deliver substantial reform. A joint community and government framework is now in place, to build on the achievements of the Disability Reform Group and further advance the reform process. (Extension of time granted). The comprehensive, systematic, strategy of action outlined in our response to the board of inquiry will remain a top priority for the Labor government. As I said at the time, the government is committed to engaging people with disabilities, their families, carers, and representative groups, in the process of reform.

We are working in close consultation with the disability sector to implement the initiatives already announced and to pursue the further substantial reforms mapped out in our action strategy. We have embarked on a complex task. However, working together, we will achieve our goal of building an integrated quality service system that is accessible, transparent, flexible and responsive to need.

On 1 April-Ms Dundas, you are just a little ahead of us-I look forward to presenting the Assembly with a detailed six-month progress report on the government's response to the board of inquiry. It is there-it is on track. Everything, I believe, is on track.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Adjournment

The Assembly adjourned at 5.56 pm until Tuesday 11 March 2003 at 10.30 am.

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