Page 4061 - Week 11 - Thursday, 21 September 2017
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of the “teething issues” that the minister referred to were probably to be expected. However, there are some issues that I fear are now going beyond mere “teething issues”, and it is the responsibility, as the minister stated, of all of us to stay vigilant to make sure that all Canberrans living with or affected by disability are not left behind.
I acknowledge the minister’s comments that “the ACT government is continuing bilateral discussions with the commonwealth to ensure that Canberrans continue to be provided timely and secure access to the services they need”. She notes that some people have been frustrated by the complexity of the transition. No doubt she would have also received pleas for help, as I have, and heard numerous instances of how and where the system is not yet in sync with expectations. And, of course, I acknowledge that there are some who have found positive experiences in the transition.
My principal concern is for those Canberrans who were previously provided and cared for through ACT government services and who now find themselves, through no fault of their own, confused about where to go and how to access what they need.
I was interested to read that the ACT has a higher proportion of people managing their own plans than interstate, although perhaps this is not surprising. While the intent of the NDIS is to give greater choice and autonomy, and this is an important move forward, I do not believe that the process yet takes into account effectively enough people from vulnerable backgrounds, especially people from non-English speaking backgrounds.
I have been contacted by a health professional working in the ACT health system as a social worker. Her work has now extended far beyond normal responsibilities and hours in interpreting for non-English-speaking patients who so many times have no idea even where to start looking for help. A lot of the time, after numerous attempts at trying to get their heads around the scheme, they just throw their hands up and do not access the services or the funding they are eligible for, because they simply cannot understand what is required. It is difficult enough for English speaking NDIS clients but the task is so much more compromised for those whose first language is not English.
It does not matter what is available at the buffet table if you do not even know that a buffet table exists, let alone not being able to navigate your way to it. The minister says that more Canberrans needing psychosocial support are now getting the support they need. That might be so now more than previously in terms of pure numbers, but there is still a long way to go. The Minister for Mental Health only yesterday acknowledged some of the difficulties, and I look forward to learning more about what is being done for this group of Canberrans who are being left behind when I have the briefing Minster Rattenbury offered me a couple of weeks ago.
This is an area of significant concern. There is a range of complications that affect people in this category of need: their sometimes unwillingness to participate, their fear of change, and their intermittent need for support. I accept that it is not a simple one-size-fits-all solution and there will be, and are, people falling through the cracks.
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