Community Visitor Scheme

Mr TELFER (Flinders) (14:34): My question is to the Minister for Human Services. Has the government's investment into the Community Visitor Scheme actually increased the number of visitors participating in the scheme or the number of visits they have performed?

The Hon. N.F. COOK (Hurtle Vale—Minister for Human Services) (14:34): Thanks very much for the question. I recently met with the Principal Community Visitor to discuss the future of the scheme. As you know, we are very committed to broaden and widen the scope of the scheme, and we need to do that again in partnership with the NDIS and the Quality and Safeguards Commission, again waiting for the results of this review and the royal commission.

I am able to give you a fulsome set of numbers. Later, I can get back to you with an answer on that in terms of the number of visits in the last 12 months and moving forward. The Community Visitor raised a number of things with me in terms of how we can improve the recruitment and retention of community visitors.

I think today I saw a figure being put out around employment, that we had the lowest level of unemployment ever; I think it's 3.6 per cent or something. In the context of that, when we have so many people who are fully and more than fully employed, it is very difficult to get people who are able to provide many additional hours to volunteer. We are looking at creative ways. We are certainly holding our own in this space, but we are looking at creative ways that we can actually increase—

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. N.F. COOK: I don't know what you are doing. Are you doing some sort of a rap dance or something over there?

The SPEAKER: Order! The minister will not respond to interjections.

The Hon. N.F. COOK: Only waving—hi!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The minister has the call.

The Hon. N.F. COOK: I don't know what you are doing. You are doing this—

The SPEAKER: Order! Minister, it's unnecessary to respond to gestures or any other interjection. The minister has the call.

The Hon. N.F. COOK: He's doing the worm or the snake, I'm not sure. We are holding our own in terms of the visitors and the quality of visitors, and the quality of the training they are receiving has certainly been invested in. Also, that's happening in partnership with the visitors who are happening for the Minister for Health and certainly into mental health facilities.

I will definitely be able to get you some numbers in terms of how those visits are going. Also, again, as soon as we are able to provide some more information—I think we answered a question for you on this in estimates, regarding community visitors moving forward. Again, we are going to be informed a lot by what's happening with the NDIS and also with the royal commission, making sure that safeguarding is as good as it can be for people who need it.