DISABILITY FUNDING

Mr PISONI (Unley) (14:49): My question is to the Premier. Will the Premier allow the Minister for Disability and the Minister for Education and Children's Services to use the 2008 Richard Llewellyn Arts and Disability Trust Fund to pay for a current position in the Department of Education and Children's Services?

The opposition has been advised that the Department of Education and Children's Services has applied for nearly $60,000 to fund an already employed department curriculum writer to adapt the music program so that it can be used for children with disabilities. This amount is one-third of last year's distribution of grants to disabled artists.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Minister for Families and Communities, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation, Minister for Housing, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Disability, Minister Assisting the Premier in Cabinet Business and Public Sector Management) (14:50): I will get some details about the specific question but, in a general sense, the Richard Llewellyn Disability Arts Trust was an initiative of this government that was incredibly well received by the disability community.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: We actually set up an independent board to administer it, and it will entertain applications and make its own judgment about it. It is completely at arm's length from us. The board will make its own judgment about where those resources should be applied. I will get an answer for the member because I do not know the detail of the particular proposal.

An honourable member interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: This has been an incredibly well-received initiative. It allows people with disabilities to do more than just survive—to explore the whole range of their talents and capacities. The trust has already distributed a number of grants that have made a very important contribution.

We do not know precisely whether this particular grant application has been approved and, from your question, I do not think that you suggest that it has. I will get some information about that and bring it back to the house.