Cory Bernardi (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities, Carers and the Voluntary Sector) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Senator Evans. Will the minister confirm that the government is considering transferring all responsibility for the provision of disability services over to the state and territory governments?

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Bernardi for the question. I do not have a specific brief on this other than that I do understand that as part of the COAG process, as Senator Bernardi would no doubt be aware, there have been discussions between the states and the Commonwealth about the appropriate arrangements for responsibilities in the family and community services area with particular reference to aged care and disability services and community care—in the HACC program and others—and that that is part of the COAG discussions. I do understand that the better delineation of responsibility for disability services is part of those discussions. From my own experiences when in opposition, in the portfolio that Senator Bernardi now holds, I know that the confusion and lack of clear responsibility lines in the disability area was a major problem in the sector and, I think, was a barrier to the proper use of resources and to effective public policy. But I will take on notice that question—in the sense of where those discussions are up to—from the senator. As I say, I know it has been the subject of the COAG discussions. I do not have a brief with me that would inform me of where those are at currently, but I will happily take that on notice for him and get him that information as soon as possible. I think that will help answer his question.

Cory Bernardi (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities, Carers and the Voluntary Sector) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I would just mention to the minister that a meeting was to be held on 17 November and I was hoping that he would be able to report on it, but I refer the minister to the following circumstances: last year 1,770 people with disability applied to the New South Wales government for permanent accommodation, yet only 64 were provided with a place. This is the same government who allowed disability accommodation houses to remain vacant for up to 20 months. I also say to the minister that the Tasmanian Labor government announced they were transferring provision of disability services to not-for-profit organisations, and a report commissioned by the Tasmanian government found that it was becoming increasingly difficult for the state to ensure quality services. In the light of these circumstances, Minister, do you really believe that the state and territory governments are capable of delivering adequate disability services?

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Bernardi for the supplementary question. What I would say, in the absence of a detailed brief, is that I think that all governments—state and Commonwealth and of both persuasions—in the last 20 years have failed people with disabilities. I think that is quite clear, be it over questions of care for young people with disabilities or be it over appropriate housing for people with disabilities. I think we, as parliamentarians who develop public policy, have all failed. The services are inadequate; the funding is inadequate. I think there are serious attempts to try and address that now. I know that Senator Kay Patterson, the minister in the former government, made it a focus of her efforts, and I know that Minister Macklin is doing so. When we deinstitutionalised in the area of mental health and some of those disability services, I think we failed to put in place appropriate support and services, and so the area has been a disaster in my view— (Time expired)

Cory Bernardi (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities, Carers and the Voluntary Sector) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Is the minister prepared to guarantee that any changes in the services that the government introduces would not result in further disadvantage for those with a disability?

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

All I can say is that I think there is a genuine engagement on these issues between the state and Commonwealth governments. I am sure also that the new Western Australian Liberal government will engage seriously with them, because there has been a level of bipartisan support in WA on making progress in these areas. So what I will guarantee is that I think this process is a welcome process and that I hope we will make headway in better delineating responsibilities and better resourcing assistance, in order to finally tackle what is one of the blights on Australia’s social progress in the last 20 years. This area of disability and mental health, I think, does no credit to public policymakers of either side of politics, and I hope we will get positive results out of the COAG process in order to provide much better services and much better support than has been provided in the past.