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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 12 Hansard (20 November) . . Page.. 4455 ..

MR WOOD (continuing):

can assess autistic children or those who are likely to be autistic. We have searched far and wide and diligently and we have had great trouble because they are not there, certainly not there in sufficient numbers to fill what we need.

Since we signed the agreement concerning our obligations, a number of events have flowed through. Disability ACT is developing a strategic planning document for 2003 to 2007 which undertakes, among other reform commitments, to meet our long-term responsibilities under the agreement. We will be releasing that document for comment-again, more consultation-early in 2004.

Negotiations are also progressing with the National Brain Injury Foundation and Hartley Lifecare to assist younger people at risk of entering nursing homes to move to more independent living arrangements. We are looking also at options for young people moving from school to employment. Ms Dundas reminded us of our obligations-with some embarrassment to us, I think-concerning employment opportunities for people with disabilities. We are reinvigorated in exploring options that we can use for that.

We really do want to continue the reform process. We have a new Disability Advisory Council, as has been noted, and I think that it is free to give that frank and fearless advise that we all look for. We have a range of working groups advising Disability ACT on future directions for delivering services. A very large number of people are involved. If you take the Disability Advisory Council and the number of groups underneath it, up to eight, you have a very large number of people who know the area involved in assisting us in this reform process. That level of contact continues, I can certainly assure Ms Tucker.

We are continuing consultation on the role and functions of the position of Disability Services Commissioner. One interesting thing-I do not know that we have said enough about it-is the development of the ACT's access to government strategy, which requires all ACT departments to audit their policies, programs, services and facilities to ensure that people with disabilities are not compromised in the service delivery process. That is very much a departmental thing, but we probably could have done more to spread it out and let people know what we are doing.

The restructure of the individual support services within Disability ACT to realign the ACT government's disability service provider to a person-centred agency is continuing. The funding available through the disability agreement and the national priorities will benefit us in terms of maintaining a focus on the needs of people with disabilities as well as getting on with the job of implementing programs and services to assist them with their needs. We are under way with meeting our obligations under the agreement in good time.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Adjournment

Motion (by Mr Wood ) proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

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