DISABILITY, MODIFICATION OF MOTOR VEHICLES

In reply to the Hon. C.V. SCHAEFER (27 March 2007).

The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO (Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Road Safety, Minister Assisting the Minister for Multicultural Affairs): The Minister for Disability has provided the following information:

The question raised does not provide particulars of the vehicle modifications(s) required or why the constituent has been 'refused' assistance. However, the state government disability agency, Disability SA, has three client groups who require vehicle modifications from time to time. They are people with intellectual disability, brain injury and adults with physiological and neurological disability.

Disability SA, through the Independent Living Equipment Program (ILEP), funds both the provision and installation of wheelchair carriers designed to carry a folded manual wheelchair, either roof mounted or tow-bar mounted, and portable ramps for manual wheelchair transport.

It does not fund the installation of tow-bar mounted carriers for powered wheelchairs or powered scooters, platform lifters designed to lift a person in their wheelchair into a car or van, or carriers for transporting powered wheelchairs or powered scooters.

Disability SA's equipment resources are targeted to the provision of disability-related equipment such as wheelchairs, lifters, electric beds for which there is a very high demand and which Disability SA views as essential to assist clients to maintain wellbeing and 'local' mobility. Whilst Disability SA funds modifications to its own fleet vehicles that are used for clients living in its community (group) homes, it does not have the capacity to fund high-cost vehicle modifications outside of current guidelines for the wider client group.

The question raised does not provide particulars of the vehicle modifications(s) required or why the constituent has been 'refused' assistance. However, the state government disability agency, Disability SA, has three client groups who require vehicle modifications from time to time. They are people with intellectual disability, brain injury and adults with physiological and neurological disability.

Disability SA, through the Independent Living Equipment Program (ILEP), funds both the provision and installation of wheelchair carriers designed to carry a folded manual wheelchair, either roof mounted or tow-bar mounted, and portable ramps for manual wheelchair transport.

It does not fund the installation of tow-bar mounted carriers for powered wheelchairs or powered scooters, platform lifters designed to lift a person in their wheelchair into a car or van, or carriers for transporting powered wheelchairs or powered scooters.

Disability SA's equipment resources are targeted to the provision of disability-related equipment such as wheelchairs, lifters, electric beds for which there is a very high demand and which Disability SA views as essential to assist clients to maintain wellbeing and 'local' mobility. Whilst Disability SA funds modifications to its own fleet vehicles that are used for clients living in its community (group) homes, it does not have the capacity to fund high-cost vehicle modifications outside of current guidelines for the wider client group.