DISABILITY REFORM

The Hon. S.G. WADE (14:35): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Disabilities a question relating to disability access and inclusion plans.

Leave granted.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: Yesterday, in answer to a question on access and inclusion plans, the minister said, and I quote, the access and inclusion plans:

...are not access and inclusion plans in relation to just disability issues: they are access and inclusion plans in relation to social inclusion key indicators generally, and that may go to issues for access and inclusion for members of the CALD community, the culturally and linguistically diverse community, in South Australia.

The Strong Voices report highlights other social issues, such as cultural challenges faced by Aboriginal people and culturally and linguistically diverse people, mental health, homelessness and social inclusion. In his answer yesterday, the minister committed to expand the role of the MDAC. My questions to the minister are:

1. Considering that Strong Voices called for independent monitoring, will he commit to an independent selection and appointment process to the Minister's Disability Advisory Council in light of its expanded role to provide monitoring, as anticipated by the Cappo report?

2. Given that access and inclusion plans are to go beyond disability, what is the minister doing to ensure that distinctive communities have a distinctive voice in the development of access and inclusion plans?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion, Minister for Social Housing, Minister for Disabilities, Minister for Youth, Minister for Volunteers) (14:36): I thank the honourable member for his most important question. In response to his first question, the answer is no. In response to the second question, I say, 'Watch this space.'