Transport Subsidy Scheme

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (15:19): My question is to the Minister for Human Services; that is, of course, if the Treasurer allows her to answer the question.

The PRESIDENT: Don't inject the question with—

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY: Has the minister made any direct written representations to the Minister for Transport, asking for the South Australian Transport Subsidy Scheme to be guaranteed?

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (Minister for Human Services) (15:19): I thank the honourable member for his question because it gives me the opportunity to reiterate a number of facts in relation to this matter. It was the former government that signed the bilateral agreement on the NDIS and cashed out the transport scheme.

The Hon. K.J. Maher interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Leader of the Opposition, just let the minister answer the question. It is showing gross disrespect to the Hon. Mr Wortley, who has waited patiently to ask this question. He spent hours drafting it. I would like to hear the minister's answer.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: The former Labor government cashed out the South Australian transport scheme to the NDIS. Really, some of their questions should be redrafted to, 'Minister, are you fixing Labor's mess?' The answer to that is yes.

The Hon. K.J. Maher interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Leader of the Opposition, I call you to order. The minister does not need your gratuitous advice. I would like to hear her answer out of courtesy, as I said, to the Hon. Mr Wortley. Minister, please answer the question.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: Thank you, Mr President. The answer to the question is yes, we are fixing Labor's mess. Labor did not put funding in perpetuity for the cohort who are transitioning because people are transitioning to the NDIS. As I outlined yesterday, transport is a component of plans—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Are we finished? Leader of the Opposition, I really would like to hear the minister's answer without your commentary.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: In addition to the transport component that people may have in their plans, my understanding is they may also be able to use their core supports from their plans. In terms of the vouchers that people have access to, regardless of the number of vouchers that they may have in their possession at the moment, if they applied prior to June of this year they will be entitled to receive another book of 80 vouchers, which will certainly see them through for the next six months. I think it is very disappointing that the Labor Party has been, once again, using vulnerable people as pawns for their own purposes.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: The Labor Party—

The PRESIDENT: I was just waiting for them all to finish. Go on, minister, if you feel you wish.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: The Labor Party do like to use vulnerable people as pawns. We have seen that with the Strathmont pool. We see that in the way that they use—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Leader of the Opposition, please.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: —the non-government sector. In fact, the member for Waite gave a rather excellent speech this week outlining a range of ways in which the Labor Party and particularly the member for Hurtle Vale has been using non-government organisations and vulnerable people as pawns for her own purposes. We have been assiduously working on this. The Hon. Stephan Knoll and I have been working on this matter for some months.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Leader of the Opposition, I don't need your commentary. I'm trying to listen to the minister.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: If I can just remind members, I was asked yesterday whether I had had discussions with the Hon. Stephan Knoll, and the answer to that is yes. It is a matter that is primarily within his jurisdiction because he is responsible for the transport scheme, and we have been working together on it to assist people through this situation.