Ministerial Statement

DISABILITY SERVICES

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE (Wright—Minister for Families and Communities, Minister for Northern Suburbs, Minister for Housing, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Disability) (14:02): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: I am pleased to inform the house that people with disabilities around South Australia are a step closer to being given a greater say about their care arrangements, providing more control and independence. Following two years of development, newspaper advertisements have invited people to take part in the first trial of a self-managed funding program. The Rann government is proud to be driving this new way forward for the delivery of disability services in South Australia, and it follows on from our many achievements in the disability sector.

Mr Venning interjecting:

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: The shadow minister for ageing is interjecting. I think yesterday was the first time he had ever read an Auditor-General's Report. He did not even know how to construct questions around the Auditor-General's Report.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: Sir, they don't like good news. These achievements are highlighted by an 80 per cent increase in funding since coming to government, funding which has provided for more than 4,000 new people to receive services. Self-managed funding enables people with disabilities to have greater control and choice about the supports they receive. It provides control of the funding that has been allocated for their support needs, meaning individuals—

The SPEAKER: I am sorry to interrupt the minister. The gentleman in the gallery taking photographs must not take photographs in the gallery.

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: It provides control of the funding that has been allocated for their support needs, meaning individuals will be able to choose what support they receive, when they receive it and who delivers it. The model works in a number of ways, ranging from a direction payment to a person with a disability to enable them to arrange and purchase the support they require through to arrangements which support a person with a disability to make real decisions and plan how funding will be spent on their behalf. Amid ever growing demand through the disability sector, it means individuals will be able to better utilise the resources allocated by the state government. Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of meeting with Simon Duffy of In Control, which administers individualised funding in the United Kingdom.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Schubert!

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: Mr Duffy spoke about the benefits of the program.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: You are all so rude. Mr Duffy spoke about the benefits of the program and said that clients who use the self-managed funding system in the UK feel they have a greater sense of wellbeing when they have a real say over their support arrangements.

He also spoke about the challenges regarding the delivery of services outside of government and the supports still required and expected by clients and their families. Because of these challenges, Disability SA is seeking 50 people to trial the new self-managed funding arrangements so that the state government can prepare for the full rollout of the system. We believe the opportunity should be available to anyone who wants it.

From today, people who are interested in participating in self-managed funding can register and 50 people with a range of disabilities will be chosen at the end of November. With the input of these 50 people, the state government will be able to shape a system that best suits the needs of South Australians. It is important to note that this new way of accessing services will not be for everyone, and Disability SA will maintain its current service arrangement for those who would prefer not to participate in self-managed funding.

Self-managed funding is about supporting greater choice and autonomy. It is about offering choice to clients. A government knows that one size does not fit all and that it is important to get a disability model that works. Self-managed funding provides the innovation and flexibility that people with disabilities in South Australia deserve.