Page 1550 - Week 05 - Thursday, 15 May 2014
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for new and existing specialist disability services until such time as the national system has been designed and implemented. The bill in no way diminishes the role of existing independent safeguards that protect individuals with a disability or those universal consumer safeguards that apply to delivery of mainstream and disability-specific services in the ACT.
The bill maintains existing safeguards and quality assurance obligations without increasing the regulatory burden. The bill does not create any distinction between or disadvantage to existing disability services versus relevant new providers. In fact, it offers the potential to reduce red tape through the streamlining of quality assurance processes.
The bill seeks to establish that a provider of services will be subject to the act by virtue of the type of service it is providing rather than because it has a contract with the ACT government. Currently, specialist disability services are funded by three different ACT government directorates, the Community Services Directorate, the Education and Training Directorate and the Health Directorate, and are required to meet different industry and service standards. This bill effectively captures and maintains the diversity of those existing arrangements.
Three subordinate instruments support the bill, containing significant content which goes to the operation of the act. I am tabling, for members’ information, a copy of those draft instruments. This is to provide members with the context and the transparency regarding how the bill will interact with the subordinate instruments. The instruments comprise a draft regulation that establishes the penalty provisions for non-compliance and two disallowable instruments which will set out the service types that fall within the scope of the act and the standards that apply to those services.
This bill achieves several outcomes during the time of significant reform to the provision of disability support in the ACT. It ensures a consistent framework and a set of obligations for specialist disability service providers that is not contingent on the receipt of funding or registration with the National Disability Insurance Agency. Additionally, the bill does not increase regulation or red tape for in-scope providers. It does not favour existing disability service providers, nor does it impede the potential for market growth.
Most importantly, the bill and the subordinate instruments provide the community with assurances that they will be able to expect the same quality standards and key safeguards from the disability services that they currently enjoy. These include standards for specialist disability service providers, staff and volunteers, compliance with relevant national quality standards, access to internal and independent avenues for resolution of complaints and an obligation to report critical incidents.
In closing, I want to thank the three directorates, particularly the Community Services Directorate, the officials involved in drafting this amendment and its subordinate regulations. I commend the Disability Services (Service Providers) Amendment Bill to the Assembly and I am confident that this bill will offer people with a disability in the ACT assurance of the government’s commitment to maintaining safeguards in the delivery of disability services during a time of major reform.
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