Page 1776 - Week 06 - Tuesday, 6 June 2006
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
As a matter of some priority, the government will also actively explore the option of selling 500 public housing dwellings, with the proceeds to be reinvested in stock that better matches demand and need.
In other words, we are saving, to spend.
We are investing, to save.
Available public housing will in future be better directed to those most in need, in accordance with the requirements of the commonwealth-state housing agreement.
The eligibility criteria for public housing will be tightened to 60 per cent of Australian average weekly earnings for singles, and 75 per cent of Australian average weekly earnings for couples. Of course, discretion will still apply so that individuals or families in particular need or at particular risk will be accommodated more swiftly.
Human and community services
Mr Speaker, a community’s worth can be measured by the value it places on its most vulnerable, its most marginalised members.
It can be judged by how well it secures their interests against the interests of the majority, how safe it keeps them from abuse, how well it enables them to live a full and engaged life.
In any society there are few groups more vulnerable than children. And there are few more at risk of neglect or invisibility than people with disabilities.
Labor has invested exceptionally heavily over the past few years in child protection and disability services. We had to, in order to redress neglect so serious it could not be ignored.
Since coming to government, we have increased expenditure on disability services at an average rate of around 16 per cent a year. Operational expenditure on child protection has increased by an average of around 19 per cent a year.
Over that time we have addressed and accounted for historic under-resourcing of services to some of the most vulnerable individuals in our community.
Such extraordinary rates of growth in investment obviously could not persist indefinitely. But investment is still needed, and now we have the opportunity to put down the broad brush and start on the detail.
The focus in this budget is on integrated service delivery, particularly for those with multiple needs.
An intensive services unit will be established to reduce duplication and better integrate human services delivery. For complex cases, a streamlined case management system will
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .