House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-06-06 Daily Xml

Contents

DISABILITY SERVICES

Dr McFETRIDGE (Morphett) (14:27): My question is again to the Minister for Disabilities. Why has the unmet need category 1 waiting list for supported accommodation grown from 306 before the last state election to 535, as of the most recent figures, with 144 people in the high or intensive care subcategory?

The Hon. A. PICCOLO (Light—Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion, Minister for Social Housing, Minister for Disabilities, Minister for Youth, Minister for Volunteers) (14:28): Can I have the second part of the question again?

Dr McFETRIDGE: Why has the unmet category 1 waiting list for supported accommodation grown from 306 before the state election to 535, as of the most recent figures, with 144 people in the high or intensive care subcategory?

The Hon. A. PICCOLO: Over that period of time the figures actually do fluctuate and to get a—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. PICCOLO: They fluctuate, and to get a true picture you need to look at the trends rather than just two points, and it is quite misleading just to provide the two figures. The reason that people are in high care is that the reality is that people are living longer, we are saving more lives, there are people in more care and, as a result, we actually have more people in care.