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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-10-19 Daily Xml
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STRATHMONT CENTRE

Mrs GERAGHTY (Torrens) (15:04): My question is to the Minister for Disability. Can the minister update members on the progress made in moving residents from the Strathmont Centre into the community?

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE (Wright—Minister for Families and Communities, Minister for Housing, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Disability) (15:05): I thank the member for Torrens for this question and take this opportunity to place on record my appreciation for the dedicated support that she is given the residents of Strathmont and their families over many, many years.

Later today I will have the honour of opening the first of the new houses being provided for people moving into the community from the Strathmont Centre. These two new homes are the first of eight and are part of the second stage of the devolution of the Strathmont Centre. This comes as part of our $56 million commitment made to Disability Services in the last budget.

These eight people are part of the first wave that will see 32 residents from Strathmont move into supported community living. I am told that the six remaining houses, built as part of the nation building stimulus plan, will be ready by the end of this year. As members would be aware, at its peak the Strathmont Centre was home to over 600 people with an intellectual disability. We are now in a position to see the number of residents further reduced to just 31.

In the meantime, we will do our best to ensure they are looked after, whilst plans for the eventual closure of Strathmont are finalised. The houses have been deliberately built close to public transport, community and social facilities so that residents can participate in and become part of their local community. The move from institutional care into community-based housing means people with a disability can receive the ongoing care they need but still be connected to the community and their families.

This is an exciting moment for the first eight people, and I am sure that members will join with me in wishing them all the best in the new homes. Can I also say that I think that for the families of these people they are putting an enormous trust in the government and disability services in caring for these people when many of them have lived at Strathmont for a very long time, and I want to acknowledge the great trust that they are putting in us.

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