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Legislative Council - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-10-27 Daily Xml
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UNIVERSITY OF THE THIRD AGE

The Hon. C.V. SCHAEFER (15:02): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the minister representing the Minister for Employment, Training and Further Education questions about the University of the Third Age.

Leave granted.

The Hon. C.V. SCHAEFER: If my memory serves me correctly, the University of the Third Age was established in South Australia by the Hon. Robert Lucas. It is a charitable education movement which is utilised by people in their post-retirement years. It is, and certainly has proven to be in the Mid North, a great social and community asset for older people, it has certainly added to their mental and physical health, and it is in great demand in that area.

It has come to my notice that classes in the Mid North and in many other areas take place at a TAFE campus; in this case, at the TAFE campus at Clare. It has also come to my notice that the minister has imposed, instead of free rental, full commercial cost recovery for community organisations using TAFE buildings. In the case of the University of the Third Age, he has now magnanimously said that it can have the space for 50 per cent of the commercial rent.

One of the aims of the University of the Third Age is for it to be made available to people on low incomes, particularly age pensioners, and, as such, the subs have been kept particularly low. Even at 50 per cent rental it will make it very difficult for this particular organisation to continue its valuable work. My questions are:

1. What are the costs savings that will be made from preventing community organisations such as this from using TAFE buildings and, indeed, what gains will there be from implementing full commercial rent?

2. Was a community impact statement prepared prior to this decision by cabinet?

3. Was the Social Inclusion Unit informed of this decision which is, indeed, discriminatory against aged people on low incomes?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister Assisting the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Energy) (15:04): I thank the honourable member for her questions and will refer them to the relevant minister in another place and bring back a response.

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