Page 2774 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 13 August 2019
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Ms Cheyne interjecting—
MADAM SPEAKER: Ms Cheyne! They do not need any encouragement so please stop. From the beginning, Mr Wall.
MR WALL: Minister, on 30 May 2019 your predecessor corrected a question without notice about the number of clients who have attended the Ngunnawal Bush Healing Farm. Having originally reported 85 clients, the real figure was in fact 35. Given that the residential model of care was abandoned, minister, since 30 May how many clients have attended programs at the Ngunnawal Bush Healing Farm?
MS STEPHEN-SMITH: The information I have currently is that since its inception approximately 35 clients have participated in the Ngunnawal Bush Healing Farm programs. I note that the program that was due to commence in July 2019 was deferred due to some significant sorry business in the local community, which impacted staff at the farm. The fifth program was due to commence yesterday, with 12 clients participating. I will get back to the Assembly if that was not the case, but my expectation is that that program commenced yesterday.
MR WALL: Minister, why is the number of clients receiving therapy at the Ngunnawal Bush Healing Farm so low, given the government’s substantial investment in the facility?
MS STEPHEN-SMITH: I thank Mr Wall for the supplementary. Of course, the 12 clients in the current program that I understand has commenced are receiving significant support through that program. Certainly, the feedback I have had when I have visited the Ngunnawal Bush Healing Farm, as I did for the launch of the eagle sculpture, from participants and from staff is that people are getting great value from the programs that are delivered at the Ngunnawal Bush Healing Farm.
We have currently underway the Ngunnawal Bush Healing Farm review. Mr Russell Taylor, director of the Burbangana group, facilitated a governance workshop on 15 April, with 35 stakeholders in attendance. Work is currently underway with the United Ngunnawal Elders Council and the Healing Foundation to develop the healing framework taking that forward. The United Ngunnawal Elders Council conducted the first knowledge circle on site at the healing farm on 19 May, which was the first step towards creating the healing framework, and other meetings have been held since then.
The Ngunnawal Bush Healing Farm advisory board held its first meeting on 6 August to re-establish the relationships and membership of the advisory board, which will include representation from the United Ngunnawal Elders Council, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elected Body and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community organisations, as well as the ACT government. The board will continue to meet every four to six weeks in the near term. We are committed to the finalisation of the healing framework and the review.
MRS DUNNE: Minister, how can you develop a model of care for a residential drug and alcohol service when you do not know where it will be situated and you do not know what its physical structure will be like?
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