Page 2540 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 9 August 2016
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I hope that by this time next term we can actually talk about successes in the Indigenous space: how we have maybe put a stop to the youth suicide rate; substance abuse is not so much of an issue; and, hopefully, no removal of Indigenous children from their families.
The issues that are occurring in the ACT are vastly different from those that we have seen in the Northern Territory, particularly the backgrounds that those children at the Don Dale Detention Centre have come from. If we cannot sort the problem out in the ACT what hope do we have of working with Indigenous Australians outside the ACT?
In terms of the disability portfolio, Madam Deputy Speaker, as you have previously held the ministerial responsibility you will know that those on both sides of this chamber are supportive of the transition to the NDIS and the promising future that that means for so many in our community of inclusiveness and finally having choice and control over the services and the activities that they partake in to help them lead and live a fulfilling life. Whilst there has been support from all in this place about the transition to the NDIS it has not been without, I guess, scrutiny being conducted adequately.
I as the shadow minister have raised, on a number of occasions, issues about the process and the form that the transition in the ACT has taken, first of all in the cut-and-run mentality for providing early intervention services for children with autism in the preschool units. Disappointingly, what I had said was likely to be the case—that is, as government exited the space without an adequately equipped private sector or community sector there would be children unable to access services in a timely fashion as they needed—has been the case.
Over the weekend I met again one of the mothers that I worked very closely with a couple of years ago who had her daughter in preschool. I said, “How are things going? How has the transition to the NDIS been?” Concerningly she said, “There have been promising signs and that is great.” But the concerns were that services were harder to access, the workforce development in the ACT had not been, I guess, up to her expectation, that there were services that she had previously been able to access that she was now no longer able to access, and that the wait list for many services had also increased.
That was echoed while doorknocking in Gordon over the weekend where I met the mother of a young man who was in his mid-20s, who has got a severe intellectual disability and who previously was able to access full day care services such as organised activity, socialising, some craft and meaningful engagement in community. He felt like he was valued. And that was fully covered under the block funding arrangements. But, since the transition to the NDIS, not just this man but all the other people that were accessing this service now have this substantial shortfall as a result of their NDIS package. This family, in their account, are between $400 and $500 dollars per month out of pocket now under the new system whereas they previously had all their services covered. There are still gaps in services. The NDIS is not a perfect panacea. There is still a lot of work to be done.
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