Disability Services

Ms LYLEA McMAHON: My question is addressed to the Minister for Ageing, and Minister for Disability Services. Will she update the House on the Iemma Government's efforts to improve services for people with a disability and their families?

Ms KRISTINA KENEALLY: I thank the member for Shellharbour for her question and for being an advocate for people with a disability in her electorate since being elected. On the day that Morris Iemma became the Premier, he committed himself and his Government to improving services for people who have a disability and to providing the long-term health and practical support that people with a disability, their families, and carers want and need. The budget delivers on that commitment.

The Government is fully funding the third year of a program, Stronger Together, and will provide a 6.9 per cent increase in disability services. I am pleased to advise the House that there will be a 7.5 per cent increase in disability funding for rural and regional New South Wales. In 2008-09 rural and regional New South Wales will command 46 per cent of disability services funding. For the first time in this State, disability services funding will top $2 billion.

The budget has been well received. Just today the President of National Disability Services NSW, Mr Patrick Maher—a name that might be familiar to some members opposite—welcomed the announcement of the budget and said it would ensure the continuation of the rollout of Stronger Together. Mr Maher went on to say:

In its budget submission NDS called for the NSW Government to enhance its multi-year funding through Stronger Together to respond to current and future demand for services, and [NDS] believes its call was heard.

That is a good endorsement for our program, Stronger Together, and a good endorsement for our budget. With increased funding for disability services, we are providing capital works for services— today, and for the long term. Under this year's budget, capital works funding increased to $115 million, which is an 80 per cent increase in capital works funding for disability services from last year. With that increase we are building more supported accommodation in the community with $35 million provided for new group homes. That will provide a home in the community for 280 people in 2008-09. We are building the Grosvenor centre in Summer Hill. I thank the member for Drummoyne and the member for Strathfield for their support for the Grosvenor centre, which will provide 10 respite beds and supported accommodation for 20 people who have complex medical needs.

Ms Virginia Judge: Thank you, Minister.

Ms KRISTINA KENEALLY: I thank the member for Strathfield. As a first for New South Wales, we are also building a residential aged care facility for people who have an intellectual disability. The facility will accommodate 100 people who will have a place in that residential aged care facility. The member for Wyong has been a strong supporter of the facility. Just last week he assisted in announcing 20 beds for 20 younger people with an intellectual disability who will have a home in the community in nearby Waldalba. These improvements represent a significant expansion in the Government's provision of support accommodation. We also invest in services that support families through our Intensive Family Support Service.

Mr Brad Hazzard: Oh!

Ms KRISTINA KENEALLY: Members opposite may not be interested in these types of services, but members on the Government side of the House are interested in how the Government supports families. Our Intensive Family Support Service is an innovative service that supports people who have families at risk of breakdown. We do that because we can best support a child with a disability if we support the family around the child. Last year when I visited the Northcott Drive services in Nepean with the member for Penrith, we met people who deliver that service. They spoke about practical support and counselling—the real help that our Intensive Family Support Service is delivering to 400 families this year.

I am also pleased to announce to the House that the Commonwealth Government is endorsing our plan for improved disability services. At a Ministers meeting last week, the Commonwealth Government came good on its commitment to inject $900 million into disability services across Australia. For New South Wales, that means $303.5 million for disability services over four years. That is new money, or additional money, that will be directed to disability services. The Commonwealth Government is also coming good on a commitment made by the Prime Minister for supported accommodation capital works to the tune of $100 million across Australia. For New South Wales, that means $33.7 million for capital works on top of the $150 million capital works budget, bringing to a historical level capital works funding for disability services in this State.

Carers NSW probably put it best in welcoming the agreement between the Commonwealth and the State when it announced that the agreement between the Australian and State governments is "excellent news for the hardest working families of all." That is a sentiment with which all of us could agree. We will continue to expand therapy services, with 840 new therapy places being introduced in 2008-09. That will provide children and adults with more speech pathology, more occupational therapy and more physiotherapy. We are providing 100 case managers who will come on line in mid-2008 to ensure that families get the help they need when they need it.

Our post-school programs incorporate the highly successful Transition to Work program which has resulted in 70 per cent of school leavers with an intellectual disability going on to paid employment or higher education. The programs will expand this year. Some 1,000 new school leavers join Transition to Work and our community participation program. That will help us to meet our State Plan target by increasing the number of people with a disability who are in paid employment and the number of people with disability being able to obtain access to the community.

I am also pleased to advise the House that for the third consecutive year the Iemma Government will pay an indexation rate of 3.3 per cent to non-government organisations that fund employment under the Social and Community Services Award [SACS]. For the third consecutive year we are providing an indexation rate of 3.3 per cent and we are funding the wage rise of the SACS award while supporting non-government workers who are delivering services to people with a disability. We have 120 disability services workers—

The SPEAKER: Order! Members will cease injecting. Members who have been placed on calls to order are now deemed to be on three calls. I will not hesitate to have members escorted from the Chamber.

Ms KRISTINA KENEALLY: Those opposite may not understand that it is important to make a plan, make commitments to people with a disability and their families and carers and then deliver on them. Those opposite have not one plan, not one policy and not one idea for disability services. They have made not one commitment. They do not value people with a disability. They must understand the importance of making a commitment and delivering on it. This is the third year the Government has fully funded our Stronger Together plan, which has been welcomed by the disability sector and by people with a disability and their families and carers.

Mr Andrew Constance: So the Sydney Morning Herald got it wrong?

Ms KRISTINA KENEALLY: I know that the member for Bega—

The SPEAKER: Order! I ask the member for Bega to put the clipping away. He is on a call to order.

Ms KRISTINA KENEALLY: The Sydney Morning Herald noted our historic commitment to disability services under Stronger Together and our $1.3 billion plan. Patrick Maher, the head of National Disability Services New South Wales, has welcomed our budget. Carers New South Wales has welcomed our agreement with the Federal Government. We are delivering real help—long-term practical support—to people with a disability and their families and carers, and we will continue to meet our commitments.