Australian Sign Language Interpreters

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (15:12): I understand the minister's response, sir, but I wonder if she will undertake to ask the Treasurer to find the funding for an Auslan interpreter for Carols by Candlelight this year?

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (Minister for Human Services) (15:12): I don't think I said that there wasn't funding for Carols by Candlelight for an Auslan interpreter.

The Hon. K.J. Maher: Is there funding for it?

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: I actually don't know the answer to that question. I think it's more of a workforce issue rather than a funding issue. We need to have the Auslan interpreters available to perform that work rather than to provide additional funding per se. If you don't have the available trained workforce to do these things—but I would be surprised if an event as significant as Carols by Candlelight would not be a high priority for Auslan interpreters. It may well also be that it's a matter of choice for interpreters as to which events they attend. I am happy to check the record to see whether anybody has made any representations to me about this specific event and bring that back to the chamber.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Hunter, a further supplementary?