Page 3097 - Week 07 - Thursday, 1 July 2010
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MS BURCH: We are in train to overdeliver on that commitment.
MRS DUNNE: A supplementary, Mr Speaker?
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Mrs Dunne.
MRS DUNNE: Minister, when you referred to partnership with the commercial sector, were you saying it would be the government entering into partnership with the commercial sector or the childcare centres would be entering into those partnerships?
MS BURCH: I think smart government works with that community sector, works with the commercial sector, and works towards solutions that better deliver for families of the ACT. If those opposite think that we should not partner, we should not go into partnerships, we should not facilitate solutions, then that is a limited and negative approach to it.
MRS DUNNE: A supplementary question?
MR SPEAKER: Yes.
MRS DUNNE: Minister, what assistance will you provide to childcare centres to enter into commercial partnerships and what funding will you provide to childcare providers to enable them to make their capital contributions to those partnerships?
MS BURCH: All that goes into the mix of finding solutions and I am sure, as they are fine-tuned and they come to cabinet, I can share it with you. Mrs Dunne, rest assured I will invite you to one of those centres as they open.
Health—autism spectrum disorder
MR DOSZPOT: My question is to the Minister for Housing and Community and Community Services. Minister, you stated yesterday:
There is a recommendation of a minimum of 20 hours of intervention. That does not mean necessarily that Therapy ACT has to have a clinician on site eyeballing a child for 20 hours. I have said that we work with families to give them the skills so they can manage. These children are also in the education environment, so through DET, through the education department, we also work with teachers and give them the skills, so some of these areas are provided within the school environment.
Does the minister regard early intervention for children with autism as merely helping families manage?
MS BURCH: Absolutely not, and I think that is disingenuous of Mr Doszpot to think that Therapy ACT is just clearly thinking that therapy helps. Therapy ACT provides clinical assistance to a number of children with autism. They also provide education and support to families so they can too—
Mr Seselja: Shuffle faster.
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