HIGHGATE PARK

The Hon. S.G. WADE (14:33): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Disabilities a question in relation to residents of Highgate Park.

Leave granted.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: The government gave an undertaking to Highgate Park residents who are resident at the Fullarton campus as at November 2003 that they can remain at Highgate Park for as long as they want to. The minister was recently reported as saying:

The only large institution left is now Julia Farr, Highgate Park it's now called, and we've been moving people out into the community as well, but there are 20 people left in Highgate Park and they're on a promise that if they don't want to move they can stay there if they want to.

The last annual report of the minister's department states that there were 106 residents at Highgate Park. I understand that was at 31 March 2011. My questions to the minister are:

1. How many residents are there at the Fullarton campus?

2. How many residents are entitled to remain at Highgate Park for as long as they want?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion, Minister for Social Housing, Minister for Disabilities, Minister for Youth, Minister for Volunteers) (14:34): I thank the honourable member for his most important questions. In the 2012-13 state budget, funding of $2.1 million over three years from 2011-12 has been approved for a fire safety upgrade at the Highgate Park facility. Highgate Park is the new name for the old Julia Farr Centre. We were thinking of those people who are still in Highgate Park. I understand they number in the order of about 120 or thereabouts. When I was referring to 20 residents at Highgate Park, they are the 20 who, in the past, have expressed an interest in moving into community accommodation.

As I understand it, the other remaining residents at Highgate Park have not expressed a concern or a view that they wish to go out into the community in smaller sorts of accommodation. So, the 20 I was referring to in the media (where I think the Hon. Mr Wade would have got that comment) did apply to those people in Highgate who have expressed a view that they would like to be considered to be moved into community care accommodation. The other remaining residents at Highgate Park will be able to stay at Highgate Park if they wish to.