ROZELLE PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL
HEALTH CARE CARD HOLDERS TRANSPORT CONCESSIONS
ABORIGINAL SENIORS CARD AGE ELIGIBIILITY
Page: 4436
Ms SYLVIA HALE [3.11 a.m.]: In the adjournment debate last week I attempted to table many, many copies of letters that have been written by residents of Balmain and surrounding suburbs about Rozelle Psychiatric Hospital and the fate of Callan Park. Unfortunately, I was prevented from tabling those letters so I will now read several of them that are representative of the feeling of the community. The first one comes from a Mara Apelis, who writes:
Dear Mr Iemma,
I believe our community needs to retain Rozelle Hospital for its capacity to provide a range of services for people in our community who live each day with the challenges of mental illness.
Mental illness not only affects the sufferer but also the carers and family members of the person. There is a huge role that Rozelle Hospital can play in helping both sufferers and their families and in doing so help a whole community.
We need a balanced approach to mental health care which means both community and hospital care. As a resident of Balmain/Rozelle I strongly support the hospital stay, and urge the government to upgrade the current facilities. Rozelle hospital is a public hospital and should therefore remain in public hands.
A. J. Walsh writes:
Dear Morris,
For some time now many people were under the impression that the State Government was sincere in its intention to save this hospital facility, namely Rozelle Psychiatric.
This is a reasonable assumption when you acknowledge that the role of the NSW State Government Ministers and all staff have accepted an important position, in the full understanding that they have been given their position to act for and on behalf of the people of New South Wales, to carry out the wishes of the people.
The facts are that Rozelle Hospital is a "public hospital" and like all public facilities should be retained, and the NSW State Government has to support and provide adequate funding to ensure this vitally important service is upgraded and maintained at a level of the highest world standards.
Thank you for your attention, and I look forward to seeing your positive leadership direction in this important matter.
The last letter is from a Donna Wilkins. She writes:
Dear Premier,
Please save Rozelle Psychiatric Hospital as the drastic shortage of mental Health beds is either placing people with mental illness in either jails or on the street.
Mental health care needs to be balanced and includes both beds and community care. Rozelle Hospital has been an important part of mental health care for many years and needs to be continued.
And so these letters go on and on and on. These were letters that people took time out of busy Saturday mornings to write. It is a fair indication of genuine feeling on this issue.
I draw the attention of the House to the NCOSS 2007 State Election Policy, entitled "A Fairer NSW 2007 - Bold Solutions - Real Results". The document draws attention to a number of issues of critical importance to many people across this State, particularly the more disadvantaged sections of our community. For example, in relation to transport the Council of Social Service of New South Wales [NCOSS] is calling for the extension of transport concessions to low-income health-care card holders. There are around 145,000 people with health-care cards who are not on a Centrelink pension or benefit. In relation to transport the articles states:
NCOSS is calling for:
• The extension of transport concessions to low-income Health Care Card holders. There are around 145,000 people with health Care Cards who are not on a Centrelink pension or benefit. In addition, some may not be aware that they are eligible for a card. The additional cost, in tax expenditure, to the NSW Government will be around $30m per year (all things being equal).
• The extension of energy rebates to low income households in addition to pensioners.
NCOSS is particularly keen that the concession card for Aboriginal people be available to Aboriginal people over 45 years of age. It calls for:
• The eligible age of the Seniors Card to be lowered to 45 for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Potentially the card should also be re-named.
This lowering of the age of eligibility is obviously a recognition of the shorter life expectancy of indigenous people and the need for them to be given concessions when they reach the age of 45, which is certainly comparable to the later age that non-indigenous people reach to be entitled to the card. NCOSS also requires that there be adequate support for the homeless in this State. It states:
In partnership with Homelessness NSW. ACT, the NSW Women's Refuge Resource Centre and the Youth Accommodation Association, NCOSS is calling for:
• A comprehensive ten year NSW Homelessness Strategy, bringing together separate programs and measures under the Supported Accommodation Assistance Program (SAAP), the Partnership Against Homelessness, services for victims of domestic violence, relevant supported housing programs and other inter-departmental initiatives.
• Such a Strategy to be developed on a cross-departmental basis, co-ordinated by the Premier's Department in partnership with the non government sector.
[Time expired.]
Motion agreed to.
The House adjourned at 3.16 a.m. Wednesday 22 November 2006 until 11.00 a.m. the same day.
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