Page 4063 - Week 11 - Thursday, 21 September 2017
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Pegasus Riding for the Disabled; Technical Aid to the Disabled ACT, or TADACT; Epilepsy Association ACT; and Radio 1RPH. But I also note that it is a one-off, providing little certainty for their future. I note the minister’s encouragement of these organisations and others to apply for further ILC grants.
I think we are both in agreement that feedback on the unsuccessful ILC grant applications would be helpful for the organisations if they want to have another go. I know that the minister has written to the federal minister and the NDIA with this feedback, as I have, and I am sure that the minister is as hopeful as I am that we will see a positive response to our recommendation.
The Canberra Liberals are committed to ensuring that no-one is left behind and that no-one falls through the cracks. I welcome the minister’s reassurances about delivering on the ACT government’s commitment to play an ongoing role in the new national quality and safeguard framework.
The minister’s final remark, that it is the responsibility of all Australian jurisdictions to work to fulfil community aspirations for a fairer scheme for people with a disability, is reassuring and one that I wholeheartedly echo. I look forward to continuing to work with the minister and my federal colleagues for better outcomes for Canberrans living with a disability.
MS LE COUTEUR (Murrumbidgee) (10.50): I thank Ms Lee and, importantly, Minister Stephen-Smith for this update about this important issue. I think that it is great that there clearly is tripartisan interest in and commitment to making sure that Canberra, as the first state to trial and then transition, makes sure that we get a deal that works for the people of Canberra. We are the guinea pigs, which has pluses and minuses. It means we need to make sure that the minuses are addressed, not only for our citizens but also for the rest of Australia who will soon be potentially in the same position as us in terms of any problems if we do not manage to fix them here.
Clearly some of the problems could not have been foreseen but possibly some of them could. I particularly want to talk about the issue of respite care, which has been discussed at some length in the Canberra Times this week. It was a very heart-rending story, and I am concerned for the McCarthy family and others who might find themselves in similar situations or will do so in the future. To read that they are considering whether they will have to surrender full-time care for their child is very disturbing, and it appears that it is down to the fact that insufficient funds have been allocated to this service through the NDIS.
I probably cannot imagine how difficult it must be for families like this to be living with a child with such high needs 24 hours a day, day in and day out, without the prospect of a break. It is hard enough for any parent, let alone parents of a child whose needs must constantly be prioritised over others in the household. I am sure that any break they get not only is great for their own health and wellbeing but also benefits the child because, without their carers being in basically good mental and physical condition, they simply will not be able to keep going. It is also very good for the child to be exposed to people apart from their own family as carers.
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