Legislative Council: Thursday, June 18, 2009

Contents

JULIA FARR SERVICES

The Hon. A. BRESSINGTON (14:35): Given the minister's answer to the original question, will she outline for members how service provision has been improved for young people with disabilities given the question I asked last week about the five year old boy who cannot get any services and his parents cannot get any respite at all?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister Assisting the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Energy) (14:35): The question the Hon. Ann Bressington asked in the last sitting week has been taken on notice and an answer will be brought back. I am not the Minister for Disability, but it is most important, particularly as Julia Farr was referred to, that we put that into an overall context. As I said, the needs in the disability sector are great and there is a great deal of work to do; and, certainly, I agree with that. As a former health care professional, I do understand the needs of that particular sector.

Nevertheless, there are still some very valuable achievements of this government, particularly in relation to Julia Farr. When I was referring to the deinstitutionalisation of disability clients and I talked about 'hundreds', I was referring not only to Julia Farr but also to the changes that have occurred right across the sector, so that members are clear about where I obtained that figure.