Page 4727 - Week 11 - Wednesday, 20 October 2010
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MS BURCH: I thank Ms Bresnan for her question and her interest in public and social housing here in the ACT. You are right: the asset management plan has expired. It is something that we are working through. The principles of it, though, are maintained; that is, that we will work through maintaining quality stock. That involves, as a landlord and as an owner of an asset, moving through and selling properties as needed.
Part of that principle of managing an asset is also around breaking down concentration on the disadvantaged, which is what we are working through in the discussion around the redevelopment of the Currong, Bega and Allawah flats. It is a work in progress and I am hoping to be able to bring it forward. It is active work, but I agree that it is work that we need to bring forward to set a direction.
Disability service providers—accreditation
MS BRESNAN: My question is to the Minister for Disability, Housing and Community Services and relates to the accreditation of service providers. Minister, in the last set of annual report hearing relating to Disability ACT, we were informed that the development and implementation of accreditation of disability–related service providers should be achieved by mid-2011. Minister, is this still the case, and, if not, why not?
MS BURCH: I thank Ms Bresnan for the question. Accreditation of services is a question that I think is also linked to the national disability standards. These standards are coming through, and they address issues around quality provision of care. This is something that I have a strong interest in. My health background drives me to have a particular interest in how services are provided to our most vulnerable, and that includes disability services.
We are looking at a purchasing framework which will include pre-qualifications, and that will set the bar very high for services to be funded under Disability ACT. So we are working towards a standard that will ensure quality and that will provide security and comfort to families of people with disability, whether they are receiving services or living in group homes. That is something I am committed to.
If we reach that by the middle of next year, I will be very pleased, but I can certainly say that it is something that I take very seriously and work with the department to ensure that we have every system that is available to us to make sure that we provide quality services.
MR SPEAKER: Ms Bresnan, a supplementary?
MS BRESNAN: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Minister, will disability-related services provided by the government also have to be accredited to the same standard and, if not, why not?
MS BURCH: It is my personal view that, for any service provided to people with disability, whether it is a government service or a non-government service, there is the same expectation of quality of service being delivered.
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