DISABILITY ACCESS, PUBLIC TRANSPORT

The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS (15:17): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Disabilities questions regarding disabled access at northern suburbs railway stations.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS: Recently I received correspondence from a constituent expressing his dismay at a recently installed lift at the new Munno Para railway station which opened in April this year and has already been out of action for some time on more than one occasion. This complaint is similar to others I have previously received about the lifts at the Mawson Lakes station which have frequently ceased functioning and have taken inordinate amounts of time to fix.

There is no doubt this causes considerable inconvenience to commuters, particularly those who find it difficult or impossible to use the stairs at the stations. What is puzzling to Munno Para residents is that the infrastructure concerned is brand new and it is not unreasonable to expect it to function for some time without fault. I am also aware of commuter concern about the impact of graffiti and other damage that has already occurred adjacent to the lifts at Munno Para station. My questions to the minister are:

1. Will the minister make strong representations on behalf of his portfolio to the Minister for Transport Services to ensure the lifts at Munno Para and Mawson Lakes are maintained and secure and that alternative access options are considered for commuters with a disability?

2. Given the minister's additional responsibility for the Northern Connections office, will he ask that office to determine the extent to which the unserviceable lifts at Mawson Lakes and Munno Para stations have impacted on commuters on the Gawler line, particularly those forced to use alternative stations such as Green Fields and Smithfield?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion, Minister for Social Housing, Minister for Disabilities, Minister for Youth, Minister for Volunteers) (15:19): I thank the honourable member for his most important questions. This comes to a very vital policy issue for me as minister. Do we expect that I will be responsible for all disability issues across every agency in this government or do we take the view that all government agencies have a responsibility to all of their clients, including disabled clients?

I take the view that all government agencies should be sharing their responsibility for their client needs, including their disabled clients. So, this is an issue most appropriately addressed to the minister for transport, on my understanding. There is no point always coming back to me as Minister for Disabilities and asking me to explain what another agency is doing. It is the responsibility of other agencies to—

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway: This is one of these Hunter handpasses again.

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: Well, it's not, in fact. This is an important philosophical question. Do other agencies have a responsibility to address the needs of disabled clients? Yes, they do. My view is that this is a—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: —responsibility of the department of transport.

The Hon. J.S.L. Dawkins: Will you make those representations?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: I will be very happy, indeed, to take this issue up with the minister in the other place—

The Hon. J.S.L. Dawkins: That's what I asked you.

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: Indeed, but it's important to put on the record that, from time to time, people come into this place and address their issues about disability—we had some today that apply to other agencies—and expect me to be the responsible minister. That is just not the case, but I am always happy to speak to other ministers and to speak to other agencies when these issues are raised, and I will undertake to take this matter to the minister for transport in the other place.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. John Dawkins has a supplementary.