Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Treasury) Share this | Hansard source

People with disabilities often lack a voice in this parliament, let alone in the wider community, and I congratulate the member for Riverina on bringing this motion to the House and highlighting the difficulties people with disabilities have in accessing appropriate and affordable accommodation options. While the motion canvasses the broad issue of accommodation for people with disabilities, I want to again highlight the plight of young people in nursing homes. There are many heart-wrenching stories that underline the plight of young people in aged care facilities, and I want to mention two that I have previously discussed in the House.

Vicki Smith, after suffering a tragic car accident, has been in a nursing home since she was 17. She finds that she cannot play the music that she wants to play; she cannot have friends over; she cannot do the sorts of things that a young woman of 32 is normally able to do. Having been in a nursing home since she was 17, Vicki simply has not had the opportunity to truly experience her teenage or early adult years. Vicki has become a champion of this issue, recently appearing on 60 Minutes, and is a tireless campaigner.

Another plight is that of the family of Chris Nolan. Chris, a former St Patrick’s boy, has been living in an aged care home because the community accommodation he needs does not exist. He is in need of high-care continuous nursing. Tragically, Chris suffered an acquired brain injury when working as a solicitor in Hanoi in 1995. By all accounts, Chris Nolan was bright, funny and had a passion for life. However, because of his brain injury, Chris can no longer use his limbs and can neither speak nor see. Chris once lived in a world where he could communicate through an array of media, such as sport, academia and his work. Now he is trapped in a world where his only communication comes from being able to blink—one blink meaning ‘yes’ and two meaning ‘no’. Chris has spent the last eight years in an aged care facility with older people who are in need of high-care nursing.

These are but two cases; there are countless others in nursing homes across Australia. The numbers clearly demonstrate that the issue of young people in nursing homes is an area that needs ongoing action. The COAG agreement reached in February was a step forward and will go some way towards addressing the issue. At COAG it was agreed that $24 million over five years would be spent to ease the crisis of young people in nursing homes. It is a good step forward. Hopefully, this is a sign of further cooperation between the state and federal governments. For too long this issue had been batted back and forth between state and federal governments, each claiming the other was responsible for funding accommodation options for young disabled people with residential care needs.

The COAG process has broken that down a little. However, while there is some goodwill and some funds now available it will require sustained effort. While COAG represents the first step, there are many more that will have to be taken before all young people in nursing homes are receiving appropriate care. There are over 6,000 people under the age of 65 across Australia living in nursing homes. Eleven hundred of these people are under the age of 50, while a further 30 are under the age of 25. The recent Senate Community Affairs Reference Committee inquiry report, Quality and equity in aged care, identified this issue as requiring urgent attention. I highly recommend that people read that report.

While the money made available through COAG will provide much-needed alternatives for young people in nursing homes, it will by no means resolve the problem for everyone. On the day I put my name down to speak on this motion, I received an email from Mark in my electorate. It reads:

My name is Mark Bromley and I am a Ballarat resident. I confess that I never thought I would ever write to a politician! The reason for doing so is to express my disappointment at the lack of facilities for the disabled in Ballarat.

My wife (Margaret, aged 44) suffers from a disability called cerebellar ataxia (not dis-similiar to MS). This is a progressive illness for which there is no known cure.

Up until now, we have been able to manage with Margaret at home. I still work (and pay taxes!) and we access a carers allowance of approx $100 per month.

This is well and truely cut out with home help provided by the Ballarat City Council.

The issue for me is not the money but more the facilities, or lack of, that are available to support us. Ballarat Health services have been very helpful and accommodation but there is only so much that they can do.

We have accessed private overnight “respite” care on the few occasions that I am required to travel for work.

The difficulty is that Margaret’s condition is deteriorating and her needs are increasing.

The place where she has stayed previously will eventually be unable to cater for this. That’s fine, for they look after a particular part of the market.

The trouble is that the “high care” facilities do not offer overnight respite and even if they did a minimum booking of one week is required.

…       …            …

Sorry to have a winge but it is really frustrating. I sometimes think that I would be far better to give up work and become a full time carer.

Financially, I’m sure I wouldn’t be that much worse off. I realise and understand that you cannot fix this problem but please add my name to a growing band of people that are very disenchanted with the health system provided to the disabled and their carer’s.

Mark, your name is well and truly added to that list, alongside the many people with disabilities and their carers who deserve a much stronger voice in this parliament. (Time expired)

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