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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-06-18 Daily Xml
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STRATHMONT CENTRE LIBRARY

The Hon. K.L. VINCENT (15:14): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the minister representing the Minister for Disabilities questions about the Department for Communities and Social Inclusion's Strathmont library at Oakden.

Leave granted.

The Hon. K.L. VINCENT: Several concerned constituents—including parents of people with a disability, students of disability studies and disability professionals—phoned my office last week following letters they received as registered Strathmont library users regarding the removal of the library service from its current location. The letter states that the library will need to relocate in the near future for budget efficiencies across the system, and they intend to move its disability collection.

In 2009 the previous minister for disabilities attempted to shut down the Strathmont library but cancelled the plan following public outrage at the idea that this might occur. The Strathmont library is a highly valued resource for consumers, students, professionals, parents, families and clients in the disability sector. It is a significant source of support and information particularly when a new diagnosis occurs.

Recent acquisitions include titles like The Aspie Girl's Guide to Being Safe with Men: the Unwritten Safety Rules No-one is Telling You and Understanding Families: Supportive Approaches to Diversity, Disability and Risk—to name just a couple. With the introduction of DisabilityCare imminent you would think that a resource like this would be important now more than ever. My questions are:

1. Does the minister agree that we need these resources available to the public, professionals and people in the disability community now more than ever with the implementation of DisabilityCare?

2. Is the minister planning to file and store the excellent disability resource collection and make it available at the Strathmont library, making it accessible to all?

3. If the minister is not planning to store the books and resources in this manner, is he planning to move the resources to the Riverside building in the city centre with its limited disability accessibility and no convenient parking?

4. How does the minister anticipate that people will access specialist disability resources once he has closed down Strathmont library, if he does so?

5. Does the minister appreciate how valuable the resources and support provided at Strathmont library are to the disability sector?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (15:17): I thank the honourable member for her most important question about the Strathmont library service at the Strathmont Centre. I undertake to take those five questions to the Minister for Disabilities in another place and bring back a response on her behalf.

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