Department for Communities and Social Inclusion, $1,157,391,000

Administered Items for the Department for Communities and Social Inclusion, $196,289,000

Membership:

Mr Duluk substituted for Mr Knoll.

Mr Treloar substituted for Mr Pederick.

Minister:

Hon. L.A. Vlahos, Minister for Disabilities, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse.

Departmental Advisers:

Mr T. Harrison, Chief Executive, Department for Communities and Social Inclusion.

Ms L. Boswell, Deputy Chief Executive, Department for Communities and Social Inclusion.

Mr D. Green, Director, Finance, Disability and Domiciliary Care, Financial and Business Services, Department for Communities and Social Inclusion.

Mr G. Myers, Principal Coordinator, Strategic Projects, Office of the Chief Executive, Department for Communities and Social Inclusion.

Ms N. Rogers, Director, Office of the Chief Executive, Department for Communities and Social Inclusion.

Mr N. Ashley, Executive Director, NDIS Reform, Department for Communities and Social Inclusion.

Mr G. Mitra, Executive Director, Disability SA, Department for Communities and Social Inclusion.

Ms L. Young, Executive Director, Disability and Domiciliary Care Services, Department for Communities and Social Inclusion.

The CHAIR: Welcome, minister. I have been with the same minister all day and I forgot to welcome the new minister. This is a relatively informal procedure, as you may have noticed. There is no need to stand to ask or answer questions. We have agreed to a timetable of 3pm to 3.45pm is Disability Services and 4pm to 5.30pm is mental health and substance abuse. Are we still sticking with that timetable?

The Hon. L.A. VLAHOS: Yes.

The CHAIR: Excellent, that is the agreed timetable. If the minister undertakes to supply information at a later date, it must be submitted to the committee secretary by no later than 27 October. Responses will be published during the 14 November sitting week. I propose to allow both the minister and the lead speaker for the opposition to make opening statements of about 10 minutes each, should they wish, and there will be a flexible approach to giving the call for asking questions based on about three questions per member, alternating each side—although that surely will change as we go.

Questions must be based on lines of expenditure in the budget papers and must be identifiable or referenced. There is no formal facility for the tabling of documents before the committee. However, documents can be supplied to the Chair for distribution to the committee. The incorporation of material into Hansard is permitted on the same basis as applies in the house, that is, that it is purely statistical and limited to one page in length. All questions are to be directed to the minister, but the minister may refer questions to advisers, if she wishes.

During the committee's examinations, the public and the media will be permitted and television cameras will be permitted to film from both the northern and southern galleries. Again, welcome minister, in your capacity as Minister for Disabilities. I declare the proposed payments open for examination and I refer members to Agency Statements, Volume 1. I now invite you, minister, to introduce your advisers and then proceed with a statement, if you wish.

The Hon. L.A. VLAHOS: Thank you. To my left is the CE of DCSI, Mr Harrison, and to my right is the Deputy CE, Ms Boswell. Daniel Green is replacing Andrew Thompson, who is ill. I have a brief opening address.

Throughout 2016 and 2017, a key focus of the Disabilities portfolio has been progressing the transition of children and young people aged birth to 17 years into the National Disability Insurance Scheme (which I will refer to throughout the day as the NDIS). Preparing for the full scheme in South Australia is a big piece of work for the team that I head. The NDIS means that more people are receiving the support they need to realise their full potential, and greater choice and control for people living with disability, their families and carers.

As at 31 March 2017, there were 11,052 NDIS participants in South Australia with an approved plan. By June 2018, we anticipate that this will have risen to around 26,000 South Australians. The NDIS will mean significant job opportunities in South Australia. The latest projections are that the South Australian disability workforce will need to approximately double, with around 6,000 new jobs.

Over the year, we have progressed a range of initiatives designed to support a robust and diverse disability sector, able to provide the jobs and services needed in the full scheme. In February 2017, the state government announced that there will be changes to the disability services provided by the Department for Communities and Social Inclusion in response the NDIS. These include the state government supported community accommodation services staying within government and operating commercially, ensuring that people with disability requiring 24-hour care can stay in their homes with the same carers, and the transfer of some disability services to the non-government sector. Work is ongoing to support these major reforms that will affect many staff.

The 2017-18 state budget includes $5.9 million over two years for an across-government response to meet the costs of the next stage of reform for both Disability and Domiciliary Care Services within DCSI. I understand there were questions in the Communities and Social Inclusion estimates hearings yesterday relating to the split of funding between the various parts of this package. I can advise that the package includes $3.54 million for the Office for the Public Sector to provide centralised case management for affected DCSI employees, $1.89 million for the Department of Treasury and Finance to coordinate market engagement and procurement processes, and $0.515 million for DCSI for change management and communication and engagement.

I would also like to note that the devolution of the Strathmont Centre is now drawing to a conclusion, a truly landmark event in the Disabilities portfolio and stepping away from institutionalisation. All but one of the residents have moved into community accommodation, including new apartments at Lightsview that include smart technologies, and the new facility at MacDonald Park I was so pleased to open in December last year. Construction is underway for a purpose-built house for the last resident, which is expected to be completed in December 2017.

Throughout the year, we have also placed a high priority on engaging with citizens with a lived experience of disability. The disability engagement register has been upgraded and promoted widely. As at 30 June 2017, there are now 315 registered members, an increase of 211 on 30 June 2016. Numerous community consultation and information sessions have been held on topics including access and inclusion, transport, employment, legislation and the NDIS.

During June 2017, feedback was sought from the community about the draft disability inclusion bill. The bill is now being finalised, with plans to introduce it into parliament later this year. Mr Chair, 2016-17 has been a time of unprecedented reform and transition in the Disabilities portfolio in South Australia. This will intensify and continue as we move through the 2017-18 year. We now are in the midst of one of the greatest social reforms in the history of Australia, which we know will be life-changing for many South Australians. I look forward to continuing the support of people with disabilities on behalf of the state government during this time, 2017-18.

The CHAIR: Member for Davenport, do you have an opening statement?

Mr DULUK: No, I do not, Chair.

The CHAIR: Do you have any questions?

Mr DULUK: Several; thank you. Budget Paper 4, Volume 1, pages 120 to 121. From what I understand, the geographical rollout of the NDIS commenced on 1 July with the northern metro areas, Gawler and the Barossa Valley transitioning clients and participants from Disability SA to NDIS. If someone with a disability who is not an existing Disability SA client in that region that is currently being rolled out suddenly finds themselves needing support or assistance, what would your advice be to the individual and/or their family?

The Hon. L.A. VLAHOS: In the transition, if someone is in need of immediate, urgent support, the department is still there to help people with disabilities in this state, but we would look towards helping them beginning their planning progress and talking to local coordinators so they begin their relationship with the NDIA and transitioning into the new landscape. We would certainly walk by their side, with advice and support and services, if necessary, to help them achieve the point where they enter the NDIA.

Mr DULUK: The Liberal opposition was contacted this week by the family of a 47-year-old man with severe intellectual disabilities who was living with his father until that father passed away last Friday in the northern metro area. Since then, he has been living with his very unwell and incapacitated elderly uncle and aunt, who are not well enough to provide the care he needs. This family were told by your colleague minister Bettison's office to make him a ward of the state, and your agency Disability SA told the family to abandon him at a hospital or a police station as they had no funds to help him.

The CHAIR: Member for Davenport, this impromptu speech is out of order. Do you have a question?

Mr DULUK: Yes, I do.

The CHAIR: Well, ask the question.

Mr DULUK: Is this an appropriate response for a vulnerable individual and a grieving family who are currently outside of the provision of the rollout in the northern metro area?

The Hon. L.A. VLAHOS: I welcome the member for Davenport or the leader's office to come straight to my office and give me the information so that we can reach out to that individual and put the supports around him straightaway. That is a terribly sad incident, for that man to lose his father of long standing, but certainly the department would step up, and I would welcome you giving me that information so that we can assist in doing that.

Mr DULUK: Thank you, minister.

Ms REDMOND: Just further to that, and in a way related, some years ago in fact there was a situation in this state where—

The CHAIR: The member for Heysen—

Ms REDMOND: There is a question. There is—

The CHAIR: There may be a question, but you should ask it, if there is a question, rather than the extraneous detail.

Ms REDMOND: This is the committee stage of the budget process, and in the committee stage we generally have more flexibility in the way we put the question. I am not trying to attack the minister, I just want to—

The CHAIR: I am not trying to shut you down, I am just trying to keep things on track. So, can you refer it to a budget line, at least?

Ms REDMOND: Same budget line, pages 120 to 121 of the program for Disability SA.

The CHAIR: And you are sure there is a pertinent question at the end of this speech?

Ms REDMOND: The short version of the question is: the minister mentioned in her opening that there are 26,000 South Australians now with approved plans. Is any work being done to map in any way the disability needs on an ongoing and increasing basis with our ageing population, because relevant to the matter that the member for Davenport raised some years ago, before the minister was minister, there was a 93-year-old chap who died leaving a 73-year-old disabled son, and we did not even know that he existed because we do not have the mapping in this state. I am just wondering whether any work is being done to gather the information, because as we age there is going to be an increasing level of disability in an ageing population, and we need to have a way of predicting it in order to address it.

The Hon. L.A. VLAHOS: Thank you for your statement.

Ms REDMOND: No, it was a question about whether you are doing anything about it.

The Hon. L.A. VLAHOS: No, what I did say was that, as of 31 March this year, there are 11,052 NDIS participants in the state, and by June 2018 it will have risen to around 26,000. The disability NDIS reform is based around children to the age of 65, and there is a transition point at 65 where people move into minister Bettison's ageing space, but they are a commonwealth responsibility and I am happy for Ms Boswell to explain that a little bit further.

Ms BOSWELL: At the moment, the NDIS is available for people up to the age of 65. If you enter before the age of 65 you will have the option to always remain within the NDIS if you have a disability. The aging portfolio has gradually moved to the commonwealth, who are providing supports for people with disabilities over the age of 65 and have guaranteed continuity of support for people currently in our disability system over the age of 65.

A lot of work has been done by the Productivity Commission to map disability and the growth of disability across Australia, and that is what has led to the National Disability Insurance Scheme. It is viewed that there will be nearly double the number of people reaching disability support under the National Disability Insurance Scheme. A lot of work has been put into working out exactly where are those people are and where services will be required.

The Hon. L.A. VLAHOS: In fact, we have released local government-based information about where these growth spaces are and potential workforce demands. We are continuing to roll out over 23 expos around the state to help people become aware of the opportunities to, first, work in the sector, as it almost doubles in size, but also to provide support for people living with their disabilities, their carers, family and guardians to migrate and learn information about how consumer-led choice will change their lives. It is doubling the money. We are handing over more than $720 million, and by the time the scheme comes to full growth it will be worth $1.5 billion to the state's economy.

Mr DULUK: Moving on to pages 126 to 130, being NDIS reform, can you provide an update on the rules relating to specialist disability accommodation in South Australia?

The Hon. L.A. VLAHOS: Certainly. Specialist disability accommodation is a new space that is allowing us to change lives. The number of people in South Australia who live with high-level supported accommodation who would be likely to be recognised for specialist disability accommodation is around 2,000, and the number of South Australians who have unmet need for supported accommodation, although it is not known how these needs will be assessed under the NDIS, is between 500 and 1,000.

Specialist disability accommodation funding is provided by the NDIS and does not have a direct impact on the South Australian budget. The funding may vary between $4,000 to $105,000 per person, per year. However, it is anticipated that it will only be provided to approximately 6 per cent of NDIS participants. Funding varies based on the number of residents in the home, the building type and design, standard features and other factors.

SDA funding is a new type of assistance for the capital and running costs of specialist disability service accommodation. It is separate funding for personal supports. Existing South Australian supported accommodation clients will progressively transition by regions to the NDIS from November 2017, and new participants can be assessed for SDA in line with their geographic rollout from July 2017. When an assessment is completed, the level and type of SDA approved for the individuals will support the development of new housing options, and many developers around the state are very interested in this new market opportunity.

The state government, noting ongoing uncertainty around the SDA issues, is now investing to provide more choice for people with disability. One hundred homes for people with disability are being built under the South Australian Housing Trust's 1,000 Homes in 1,000 Days initiative, and these new homes, which are supported by a contribution of Housing Trust land and approximately $30 million in funding, may attract SDA, subject to NDIS assessments for residents. The first homes are expected to be completed in late 2017, with all homes expected to be completed by late 2018.

A grant of $1 million from the government has enabled state-of-the-art assistive technology for at least 20 of these homes. Many people I meet who are living with assistive technology potentially would have never left their family homes and be living independently without the growth of smart technology. I have had the opportunity to visit people at the Woodville development and see how profoundly it has changed their lives.

Mr DULUK: Can a tenant in a government-owned group home choose their own service provider rather than a DCSI disability service?

The Hon. L.A. VLAHOS: If you are referring to circumstances in media statements from interstate, there is often a misunderstanding about how the South Australian market works. Unlike other jurisdictions, the state government does not own a majority of the supported accommodation properties in South Australia. Most supported accommodation properties are owned and managed by the non-government community housing sector, and we will continue to work with the sector.

Once people have their packages, for perhaps the first year they do not make a great deal of change in the way they live or where they live, but after one year of having a package people increasingly start to move and have greater choice, control and confidence in their choices. They may move out of existing accommodation choices into new homes, choose new service providers or change the way they have traditionally arranged their affairs, from day options right through to accommodation. There is a world of choice that awaits people with disabilities once they have been given their plans.

Ms REDMOND: Minister, there is a fairly delicate issue that I would like to explore regarding supported residential facilities. You may or may not have an answer—

The Hon. S.W. Key interjecting:

Ms REDMOND: Yes.

The CHAIR: I will listen carefully.

Ms REDMOND: I appreciate what the minister just said about the fact that the government does not own and therefore does not control, other than in a regulated way, the supported residential facilities that we do have, and that they are run by the not-for-profit sector and sometimes by the commercial sector, for that matter. It has come to my attention over a number of years that there can be situations where there is an uncomfortable mix between people who are in supported residential facilities because of intellectual disability and people who are there because of mental illness. Sometimes there is a mixture of both.

The delicate matter is that on occasions I have heard from very distressed parents who have had to put an adult female child into such a facility only to find that child has subsequently been effectively raped by people in the facility. The defence is that she consented—this has happened with more than one family—when in fact the child was so naive and so young as to not be capable of consenting, and it has led to a great deal of distress, understandably.

I wonder if there is anything the government can do, or has done, to try to address that in terms of separating the facilities into perhaps all female facilities or facilities for only those with intellectual disability, or some other mechanism by which we could offer better protection, particularly to very naive young women of intellectual disability. It is through no fault of their parents, but they get to the point where they just cannot manage at home anymore.

The Hon. L.A. VLAHOS: Supported residential facilities (SRF) are different from the question that the previous member asked. We have made significant inroads with the disability justice plans and vulnerable witness support, so that people can pursue justice through the justice system and be supported with their vulnerabilities, if it is intellectual disability or whatever impedes them from giving witness statements.

We know that the SRFs are in a state of change at the moment. We are working with the supported residential facilities. People are allowed to visit them. We have the community visitor who visits these facilities. They are licensed by local government. I was only talking to the community visitor about this recently, about furthering the relationship through a memorandum of understanding between local government, environmental health protection and the community visitor to ensure that those safeguards and standards are met.

Certainly, as far as safeguards for people with disability are concerned, the government has been a long-term supporter of and very committed to promoting the rights of people with disability, ensuring they have a safe place, free of violence, abuse and neglect. The home is the most fundamental place any of us go to every day and it is sad to hear the story that you spoke about.

We have arranged a number of safeguard measures to promote human rights, increase protection and improve responses for violence, neglect and abuse, and those include the disability Community Visitor Scheme that I mentioned before; comprehensive screening for working or volunteering in the disability sector; registration of disability service providers on the disability service provider panel, and strong contractual requirements around that space about standards; robust mechanisms for reporting and investigating incidents, including the allegations of abuse; and controls over the use of restrictive practices, and there could be a variety of ways that they could take place.

I have already mentioned the enhanced access to justice for people with disabilities under the disability justice scheme. There is also the safety and quality framework, and the protection of rights and wellbeing of people with a disability, which is a strong focus of the National Disability Insurance Scheme. It is something that I have raised every time I have gone to the COAG meetings, to ensure that we have strong quality safety.

One thing I am hopeful of is that people will have more choice. In the case of the young lady whom you spoke about, she potentially will not have to live in accommodation of that sort if she is one of the 6 per cent who will get the SDA funding. She would have greater choice and flexibility about how she lives and could potentially choose not to live in an SRF, effectively a boarding house situation.

Mr DULUK: Coming back to SDAs, can a tenant who receives SDA in their plan, who is in a government-owned group home, move from that home to another one?

The Hon. L.A. VLAHOS: Yes.

Mr DULUK: Will vacancies in government-owned group homes be filled first, ahead of community or private accommodation providers, in this rollout?

The Hon. L.A. VLAHOS: It is a matter of choice as we move forward. The heart of the NDIS is consumer choice. The consumer chooses where they go and where they live in the future.

Mr DULUK: What are the options for tenants who do not wish to live in a government group home or a congregated setting?

The Hon. L.A. VLAHOS: All of the plans for participants in the NDIS are centred around the individual needs and how they meet their daily life goals. Again, during the planning process, accommodation needs are discussed with participants. If it is a child or someone under guardianship, that will be worked through, but if it is an adult and they are able to exercise control over those decisions, they will have choices about where they go.

Often in the planning process, people change after the first year. We know there will probably be increased demand, as people, who potentially could not move out of home, will move out for the first time, and that could be up to an additional thousand supported accommodation places around the state. The department continues to work with and encourage the non-government sector to ensure there is an increase in housing supply to meet this demand. It is a similar cohort and design as it is for an ageing community, as the member for Heysen said, with many of the things that make for aged-care housing, such as lifts and joist controls.

I visited housing in the Hunter region and around Newcastle to see some of the platinum standard building projects that are being built, which allow people to move into these spaces. That might vary from benches in kitchens, where people with wheelchairs can move around, to housing that is suitably equipped for their temperature control needs, particular conditions and bathrooms that have two-way access. You would be amazed at how lovely some of the platinum standard disability housing and aged-care housing is. People can age on site and potentially buy their own homes.

I am very interested in talking to the sector about different ways that people with disability potentially could buy their own homes for the first time and have surety about where they live and where they can contract with carers to care for them in their own homes rather than living in group settings.

Mr DULUK: Is it fair to say that current government-funded clients in group homes will have the choice of an SDA house going forward?

The Hon. L.A. VLAHOS: If they are given SDA funding, which, as I said, is 6 per cent of NDIS participants, they will have some choices in that space. Once people transition around the state through the various zones and age groups, they will have choice and control about how and where they live their life.

Mr DULUK: I refer to program disability services covered between pages 122 and 125. In the lead-up to the NDIS, the state government has been slow to advise the community about what it will do with its own services. DCSI, from what I understand, finally advised earlier this year, in about March, that the following services will be transitioned to the non-government sector: Domiciliary Care, adult community services, ASSIST Therapy Services, Child and Youth Services, community nursing services, equipment services and the Positive Behaviour team. What are the time frames for transferring these services and when will you release more information about them?

The Hon. L.A. VLAHOS: To start, disability service reform is a large and complex piece of work; it is not something we are going to race through. We are dealing with these business cases in a slow and steady way. Certainly, the timing will differ for each service. We are currently working through, with each service, the development of a transition plan. DCSI will engage with the non-government sector about the best way to transition affected services to the non-government sector for management.

We have taken a fair bit of analysis and time to make these decisions. Many states still have not made decisions or announcements in this space. The decision was based on analysis of strategic and policy drivers around NDIS reform and the assessment of the existing disability service market readiness and financial modelling. We know that supported accommodation services have an advantage over non-government service providers. We need to work through some of these issues and we need to work towards price points. The Productivity Commission is still talking about price points, and we make ongoing submissions and contributions to those discussions.

Mr DULUK: In terms of services that I have specifically mentioned, what is their completed due date in terms of transfer and transition?

The Hon. L.A. VLAHOS: Domiciliary Care—

Mr DULUK: Besides Domiciliary Care, which is to be completed in June 2018; the other six.

The Hon. L.A. VLAHOS: Which I was just about to say is under minister Bettison's portfolio.

Mr DULUK: And the other six?

The Hon. L.A. VLAHOS: We are working with KPMG. In our state, because we are regional, rural and remote, the size of our country towns is very different from, say, those in New South Wales and Victoria. I am very keen to make sure that anyone who is receiving services from our department has that ongoing support. We need to make sure the markets in those places are mature enough to support the demand as it grows, with the packages rolling out and people having choice. So, we will not walk away from any of these business units until we are confident that the businesses are on the ground to support people.

We will work with KPMG to continue that work. We are beginning conversations with some of these teams now that potentially could migrate into different spaces, but we will ensure that the staff that are our responsibility at the moment are supported if they choose not to go into the non-government sector or potentially want to start their own businesses. There are many people in many of the allied health professions that are now seeing rapid growth in the therapy spaces, and for the first time they may consider moving out and starting their own businesses.

It is a slow and steady. I am not going to give you definitive answers, because we need to consult with people and we need to support people through this transition so the market grows in a steady, reasonable way, rather than just opening it up and having chaos.

Mr DULUK: Surely some of these service providers have been told a date from when they will transition.

The Hon. L.A. VLAHOS: We are having an ongoing conversation with all of our staff about this and we have regular communication about change management in the department.

Mr DULUK: Have any indicative dates been provided to these organisations?

The Hon. L.A. VLAHOS: I have already answered that, member for Davenport; thank you for your question again, though.

Mr DULUK: My pleasure.

Ms REDMOND: Can I ask a supplementary question, minister? In response to a previous question you talked about negotiations around price points over a period. Could you just expand on what is involved in that and what the price points are?

The Hon. L.A. VLAHOS: Many people in the not-for-profit sector are saying that price points set by the NDIA are very difficult for them to transform their business, because they are going from block funding into a billable funding. That is quite a business expense for them to change the way they work their back of house. Many of these organisations in our state are not-for-profit and we are working with them to support them.

The state government provided some money for business transformation during the state government and business case development. We have also provided some money to people to go through business readiness for the transformation, and we continue to help them do that. The price point issue is something that, in discussions around that with the national Productivity Commission, the state continues to submit its views about some of the things that affect our state, particularly with regional and remote communities and the modelling.

Ms REDMOND: Is that price point issue affected again, as in answer to the previous question, by the smaller size of facilities, even in Adelaide, compared to those in other states?

The Hon. L.A. VLAHOS: Across the country, different types of services have a certain price line. In accommodation services, there is a preference for smaller numbers, which is in line with deinstitutionalisation, and there are different price points that people can achieve. The cost of running a country accommodation may very well be different from the cost in the city. There are the economies of scales for small and medium businesses compared to bigger organisations. In our state we have a larger number of not-for-profit organisations. On the eastern seaboard there are many more price takers or for-profit businesses in these spaces.

Mr TRELOAR: Sub-program 6.1: Non-Government and Individualised Funding, pages 127 and 128. Why is Disability SA running so far behind in confirming with families what their individualised funding is?

The Hon. L.A. VLAHOS: I am advised that we are not behind.

Mr HARRISON: Unless there is a particular example you can quote to us, but certainly we have a project team that is working very closely with the National Disability Insurance Agency, so we are case managing the 26,000 people who will ultimately be in the program by 30 June 2018 next year, on a case-by-case basis. Any current state-based services or funding is not withdrawn until there is a seamless changeover with the national disability insurance assessment, eligibility, planning and funding process, and that is done on a case management approach, person by person, as we track through those 26,000 people and, ultimately, up to 32,000 by 30 June 2019.

If there is a suggestion that there is a person who has slipped through the crack, we certainly need to know about that, but I am not hearing those stories and I am speaking personally at the expos, as is Ms Boswell, around the state. So, we are not hearing any of that feedback come through from the floor, that is for sure.

The Hon. L.A. VLAHOS: Certainly, we are putting extra efforts into reaching out harder to people who traditionally might not engage with the NDIS and NDIA for planning purposes. We are working strongly to make sure that those people are supported, and we are talking to their existing service providers to ensure that they are reached out to and brought into this choice-orientated change.

Mr TRELOAR: Minister, those individuals and the families know pretty much now when that transition will occur for them?

The Hon. L.A. VLAHOS: Certainly, I am happy to go through now the timetable throughout the state for when the transition will take place, member for Flinders.

Mr TRELOAR: Yes.

The Hon. L.A. VLAHOS: It is something that we have been publicising. In fact, the 23 expos that we are running and the information campaign that you may have seen on TV and social media is about informing people about how they can get involved in the transition schedule.

We were the trial state for young people. That is well established. We have now moved into young people aged 15 to 17, and it began on 1 January this year. Adults aged 18 to 64 are entering this scheme from 1 July this year in the following geographical regions. The Barossa, Light, Lower North, and local government areas of Playford, Salisbury and Port Adelaide Enfield East commenced transition on 1 July of this year. Tea Tree Gully, Limestone Coast and Murray Mallee will commence transition on 1 October. The Fleurieu, KI, Southern Adelaide, Eyre and Western, Far North, Yorke and Mid North will commence on 1 January next year. Adelaide Hills, Eastern Adelaide and Western Adelaide will commence on 1 April next year.

Our expo schedule is aimed at rolling out and supporting people as we do that across the state, and I am happy to provide that information to you because the expos have been incredibly well attended. I know we had to run two separate sessions at the Golden Grove expo to meet demand for information, whether from jobseekers or families actually seeking information. I attended the first one at Mawson Lakes, and we have had one at Gawler.

We have also had one at Modbury, Murray Bridge, Berri, Mount Gambier, Naracoorte and Golden Grove in July, and in September we move to another round as the rollout transitions across to southern Adelaide, at Noarlunga, Clovelly Park, KI, Victor, Port Pirie, Clare and Kadina. It continues on in October to Port Augusta, Coober Pedy, Ceduna, your hometown of Port Lincoln in late November, and then Whyalla. Then there is a fourth rollout zone, which begins in January of next year, in Woodville, Magill and Mount Barker.

We are endeavouring to speak to every community as intimately as we can. Sometimes we have 80 to 180 people at these expos, and many of the service providers are there. In fact, it has provided a great opportunity for them to collaborate and look at ways in which they can provide services together. Some people may not have seen the choice of day options or supports. There are new people moving into the sector who are meeting at expos.

Push Adventures is actually a recreational sport, and they are providing people with customised holidays. That is a new business that has started. You have people who are doing fantastic things at the North Adelaide pool for people to get day therapy, which is scuba-assisted physio aquatherapy. There are so many different places where these expos provide people with an opportunity to come together, learn about job opportunities—like Cara in Port Lincoln, which you and I visited—but also for new service providers and more choice. Some of that could potentially be about accommodation in the future, too.

Mr TRELOAR: Thank you, minister, for all that information, and for your information, the aquatherapy is available in Port Lincoln, too, now.

The Hon. P. CAICA: There is a lot of water over there.

Mr TRELOAR: A lot of water. It is in the pool. It is in the safety of the pool. Minister, there are always some out-of-pocket expenses. What does the minister advise those families to do who do not have the funds in their accounts or the resources? Will Disability SA fully reimburse them for their expenses, such as paying for care workers from their own pocket in the meantime? I would actually include travel costs in that. You have mentioned country areas and out-of-pocket travel costs. As the NDIS rolls out, what are people to do in that situation?

The Hon. L.A. VLAHOS: Certainly, travel is something that many people have raised with me as I have moved around the state over the last year in this portfolio. Ms Boswell, would you like to speak about out-of-pocket expenses, and perhaps I could talk about their travel and transport subsidies.

Ms BOSWELL: I am just trying to ascertain what you mean. Is it out-of-pocket expenses for attending the expos that you are seeking or generally?

Mr TRELOAR: More generally. My interest probably, given the part of the state I come from, is around travel. I have spoken with people who need to travel 100, 150 or 200 kilometres sometimes, often regularly, to access the help and service they need.

Ms BOSWELL: The NDIS is going to bring some travel to people's individual plans and there are transport subsidies. There is currently a court case nationally about how much the NDIS should provide for transport in people's plans, particularly in regional. It was a case based in Tasmania. It is on appeal at the moment, I believe, to the High Court, so we are all awaiting the outcome of that. In the interim, however, all jurisdictions are having a working group around transport that is due to report in the next few months to the Disability Reform Council because the states all have some concerns about how that might turn out.

The Hon. L.A. VLAHOS: Transport is often raised at the Disability Reform Council, which is the min con for this space. In February, the senior officers' working group actually agreed to have a targeted working group just around transport under the NDIS. And, yes, it has been operating for about six months and we are looking at a response from that group shortly, as Ms Boswell said.

From time to time, I have asked my officers to talk to the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure about individual people who have taxi vouchers and taxi issues, but I understand that we continue to advocate strongly for people because transport and the capacity to get out and engage with the community, whether it is for training or day options, is a huge part of the transition. It is something we are watching closely. I am aware that the Tasmanian government and the Queensland government have recently spoken about their taxi subsidy system, and we are working through that quite strongly currently with the Department of Transport.

Under the NDIS, there are three different support levels so that people can achieve some relief in this space. Level 1 is up to $1,606 per year for participants who are not working or studying or attending day programs but seek to enhance their community access. Level 2 is up to $2,472 per year for participants who are currently working or studying part time, up to 15 hours per week or participating in day programs or other recreational leisure activities to enhance their life. The top level, level 3, is up to $3,456 per year for participants who are currently working or looking to engage with the workforce or studying at least 15 hours a week but are unable to use public transport for a variety of reasons because of their disability.

In exceptional circumstances, participants may receive higher funding if either the general or funded supports in their plans enable them to participate in employment. Employment engagement is something that many people in the disability sector really want to engage with more with the community. It is a large piece of work, but I think giving them the freedom of choices will eventually allow them to engage more. It has been referred to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) for a final decision and we are waiting to get some additional support in that space at this time.

The CHAIR: The lead speaker has expressed a desire to read the omnibus questions with the remaining time. Is that still your desire or would you like to save it until the next session?

Mr DULUK: The omnibus questions are:

1. Will the minister provide a detailed breakdown of expenditure on consultants and contractors above $10,000 in 2016-17 for all departments and agencies reporting to the minister, listing the name of the consultant, contractor or service supplier, cost, work undertaken and method of appointment?

2. In financial year 2016-17 for all departments and agencies reporting to the minister, what underspending on projects and programs (1) was and (2) was not approved by cabinet for carryover expenditure in 2017-18?

3. For each department and agency reporting to the minister, please provide a breakdown of attraction, retention and performance allowances, as well as non-salary benefits, paid to public servants and contractors in the years 2015-16 and 2016-17.

4. For each agency for which the minister has responsibility:

(a) How many FTEs were employed to provide communication and promotion activities in 2016-17 and what was their employment expense?

(b) How many FTEs are budgeted to provide communication and promotion activities in 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21, and what is their estimated employment expense?

(c) The total cost of government-paid advertising, including campaigns, across all mediums, in 2016-17, and budgeted cost for 2017-18.

5. For each agency for which the minister has responsibility:

(a) What was the cost of electricity in 2016-17?

(b) What is the budgeted cost of electricity in 2017-18?

(c) What is the provisioned cost of electricity in 2018-19, 2019-20 and, 2020-21?

6. For each grant program or fund the minister is responsible for please provide the following information for the 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21 financial years:

(a) Balance of the grant program or fund;

(b) Budgeted (or actual) expenditure from the program or fund;

(c) Budgeted (or actual) payments into the program or fund;

(d) Carryovers into or from the program or fund; and

(e) Details, including the value and beneficiary, of any commitments already made to be funded from the program or fund.

The CHAIR: I declare the examination of the proposed payments completed. Thank you, minister, and thank you to your advisers.

Sitting suspended from 15:47 to 16:02.