Page 3158 - Week 10 - Thursday, 15 August 2013
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we will certainly take heed of the feedback. This is a significant transition and it is right and proper that we work with the providers in our community as we move through it.
What has been noted here before—I remind all members of this—is that there is an investment of $12 million over the coming years to support that transition through to care. We will start the transition in July of next year and go to absolute full implementation from 2016 to 2019, Mr Wall. We will work with our providers but it is absolutely realistic to chisel in stone an approach now when we are looking at such a long time frame with so many unknowns about what is the readiness and preparedness of the providers that are existing in our community to continue on with that. Providers have expressed to me, as they have expressed to you, the opportunities that they see. But also it does not come without a level of apprehension as well as we move through such significant change.
This year Disability ACT will undertake to design a best practice refit of the exiting respite properties operated by it, beginning with Kese in Kaleen and the adult respite in Hughes. The aim is to provide a better environment for people with disability when they visit respite centres. The demand for therapy services continues to grow. Therapy ACT is addressing that demand by implementing innovative programs to meet the needs of people with developmental delay and disability.
Therapy ACT continues to partner with the Education and Training Directorate to implement services in schools through the therapy assistants program following the successful pilot. The program has this year assisted many children to achieve their articulation, language, and fine and gross motor goals.
I will take the opportunity to address community services because there has been a level of negativity in some of the comments from those opposite. I refer to the Carers ACT 2012 election campaign, which was titled “What carers want”. Those who know Carers ACT will know that they are very thorough and meticulous in seeking community comment about the needs of carers. They sought comment from the three parties at the time, pre-election 2012. Less than 12 months ago, the Canberra Liberals, under the penmanship of Mrs Vicki Dunne, stated:
We have been working hard over many years to talk with carers and the community sector to understand their needs, and where services to them can be improved. We will release details of our community services policy soon.
Whilst it may be less than 12 months ago, I think everyone in the community sector and the disability sector is still waiting. I would encourage you, Mr Wall, with your interest in disability to engage with the providers and engage with the directorate about really delivering rather than putting forward quite literally empty words from that side of the chamber.
A good example of structural reform being delivered alongside financial investment is the new community partnerships group made up of the Office of Ageing, Multicultural Affairs, and the Office for Women. This year’s budget echoes the new structure in the form of the ACT micro-credit program. This has successfully
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