Page 3583 - Week 08 - Friday, 24 August 2012
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I could go on for hours about the problems and the issues that need to be addressed in the Community Services Directorate, but I think I will leave it there. Suffice to say that every dollar that is spent in this department should be going towards addressing the needs of real people with real problems and finding ways to put them on their feet so that they can autonomously look after themselves and look after their families. We should be finding ways of ensuring that we get bureaucrats out of their lives and allow them to get on with their lives. When they cannot, we need to support families and individuals who cannot look after themselves by themselves. We need to do it in a sensitive way that is aimed at giving them as much autonomy as possible.
There is nothing in the administration that this minister and her predecessors have overseen that gives us any hope that a Labor government can achieve this. We have had 11 years of failure. We have had three years of failure under this minister, and I see no prospect of improvement except a change of government.
MS BRESNAN (Brindabella) (12.10): I will speak relatively briefly to the three areas—the disability, ageing and multicultural portfolios. With regard to disability, the primary funds allocated in the Community Services Directorate budget for people with disabilities was for the government’s community visitor scheme. As members would know, the Greens were successful in having legislation on establishing a disability community visitor passed here in the Assembly. Given that the new official visitor scheme is not set to commence until 1 July next year, I would imagine some of those funds allocated to this year’s budget will need to be rolled over to next year’s.
The most significant development with regard to disability policy in recent times has been the agreement by the federal government and states and territories to establish the national disability insurance scheme, and there will be significant work required to prepare the ACT for the NDIS trial. Moving to a consumer-based entitlement scheme will provide people with a disability with a greater degree of control over the types of services they purchase.
The ACT government have committed funds as their contribution to the ACT NDIS trial, as have the federal government. This will be a matter for future estimates committees and standing committees as the NDIS develops and moves towards full implementation.
One of the areas that will require attention is providing training for people with disabilities on self-advocacy. Many people with disabilities who will be eligible for the NDIS will not have previously had the opportunity to advocate on their own behalf.
The government has provided two community groups with a grant of $25,000 each to undertake research and conduct training that will assist as the NDIS is rolled out. This funding was provided after the budget was announced. There will also be a change required in the way services are provided to ensure the range of services are available for people to purchase. This includes accommodation options and day programs.
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