Page 1892 - Week 06 - Thursday, 5 May 2005
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We would have liked to have seen an increase in the school counselling and the schools as communities programs and were hoping to see some expansion of student support programs to preschools.
The review of colleges is a reasonable initiative and I am particularly interested in the way colleges are responding to the transition of students straight out of high schools into that very different environment. But it is our understanding that there is considerable concern in the community regarding ACT government high schools, with research indicating that there is a substantial gap between students achieving high and low outcomes, as well as a significant level of dissatisfaction and disengagement of students at high school. It was hoped that this budget would indicate a commitment to examine these issues and address them accordingly.
Before the election, the government promised an injection of $2 million to the Canberra Institute of Technology and a bursary scheme for disadvantaged students. The allocation of $1.5 million in 2005-06 and again in 2006-07 to meet increased demand for traineeships and apprenticeships will run out in 2007-08, falling short of the election promise. It also suggests that the government expects demand for traineeships and apprenticeships to drop off in 2007-08. It is very disappointing that the budget does not contain measures to provide fee relief or bursary support or to expand the provision of fee-exempt courses in CIT for disadvantaged members of the community such as the unemployed, young people at risk, women wanting to return to the work force, people with little education, those with poor literacy and language skills, people with a disability and people from low-income families who wish to increase their education in order to improve their life situation. The ACT government needs to do much more to address skills shortages in the ACT and to assist disadvantaged students.
The ACT Greens welcome the positive initiatives in this budget for children with a disability and their families, including: additional funding to the caring for kids at home program, which provides support for high-needs children with a disability, to allow them to live at home and not remain in hospital; additional therapy support for children with high and complex needs, including autism; assistance for families with children who have intensive support needs, including those children with challenging behaviours; and additional resources for the SCAN program. The new northside community-based service for young adults with a disability is also a welcome initiative. Unfortunately, this initiative will provide no benefit for the many young people with a disability leaving school who do not want to attend a centre-based service but who face barriers accessing further education or training and a very lengthy wait for employment assistance.
The funding assistance for adults with a disability and for family carers who have provided long-term support falls well short of the need and is highly targeted to a relatively small number of individuals and families. According to the minister, the recurrent funding of about $800,000 per year for community support and crisis intervention will assist just 17 people with high unmet needs. This is well short of the estimated $4 million required to fund the unmet need identified in the ISP round last year. In addition, funding for respite services is limited to carers over 65 years of age and it is a short-term solution. Mature carers are looking for long-term accommodation and support solutions for their relatives, and they deserve a more substantive response from the ACT government.
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