Wendy Askew (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Families and Social Services, Senator Ruston. Can the minister advise the Senate how the Morrison government has produced a strong economy and strong budget that facilitate initiatives and support for Australia's carers, especially those young carers at risk of long-term welfare dependence?

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Askew for her question, particularly given that this week is actually National Carers Week, where Australians recognise that around 2.7 million Australians care for somebody else who needs a little extra help. I think it is timely for us to celebrate the contribution that these people make to the social fabric of our country. I also acknowledge today Ara Cresswell, the CEO, and Dr Peter Langkamp, the president of Carers Australia and thank them for the extraordinary effort and time that they put into the amazing support they gave us during the recent reform process. This new reform process now sees $700 million worth of support going to Australia's unpaid carers through the new Integrated Carer Support Service model. It is designed by carers for carers, and the co-design process was led by Carers Australia.

This new model actually puts in place a very strong emphasis on early intervention. We want to ensure that carers get the help that they need before they reach crisis point. We want to make sure that by 2021-22 there will be five times the number of services available to our unpaid carers than are available today. Most importantly, we want to support our young carers. We want to make sure that they are not at risk of long-term welfare dependency. One of the programs we've put in place is the Young Carers Bursary Program, which provides assistance of up to $3,000 for young carers. We've already put more than 980 young people through this particular course, and we intend to increase the numbers of those doing that. But how do we do it? We can do it, because we have a strong economy. We have a strong economy that allows us to fund the services that are so important to some of these essential groups that support our community. On this side, we're delivering on our promises. We're supporting Australians.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Askew, a supplementary question?

Wendy Askew (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government's Carer Gateway is providing new digital counselling and other online services for the first time. Minister, what other options are being provided to those carers who have limited IT skills and prefer to talk to someone and discuss their circumstances in person?

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Askew, for your follow-up question. Since July this year, we have put in place a new digital IT platform for digital counselling and online services through the very important Carers Gateway. However, we do recognise that there are still a number of people out there who either can't or prefer not to access this kind of information through savvy IT services. Instead, they prefer to get their information in person. With carers, we want to continue to make sure that they can access face-to-face and phone support for services through the existing carers program under the new Integrated Carer Support Service. This new gateway provides services in carer support, planning, coaching, counselling, financial support and the like. Once again, Australians know that you can only provide these sorts of services if you have a strong economy, because a strong economy allows us to afford to put these things in place.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Askew, a final supplementary question?

Wendy Askew (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, what is the Morrison government doing to support carers who need to access respite services?

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We absolutely understand that one of the fundamental services that carers are calling for is respite service. We want to make sure that those respite services are available to people before they get to a crisis point, so that's why in the 2019-20 budget we announced an additional $84.3 million over the next four years to boost availability for respite services and support, particularly for our young carers. Under our reforms, we are going to continue to build the amount of funding that's available to this really critical group of people who provide services to our community. As I said, one of the most important services that carers have advised us they're asking for is respite services. In this National Carers Week, it is fantastic to acknowledge our national carers. With the theme of 'why we care', it's very appropriate to acknowledge their extraordinary work. (Time expired)