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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2018-10-24 Daily Xml
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Supported Accommodation

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (14:52): My apologies; perhaps 'totally misrepresent' would have been a more accurate term. My supplementary question is: what is the minister's reason for announcing her policy to privatise supported community accommodation services without the months and years of consultation with key stakeholders and analysis of the sector's capacity that the Labor government conducted before making its policy?

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Leader of the Opposition, we are not here for your commentary. This is not a football game. Every time you speak, sitting there, I cannot hear the minister. If I can't hear the minister, I can't hear, probably, the Hon. Ian Hunter's matters of concern. So I would like to hear the minister in peace.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (Minister for Human Services) (14:53): In relation to this, I have heard these sorts of comments come from Labor members about the lack of consultation and the fact that we had it not in the 2036 document but as part of our 100-day plan. This was the centrepiece of our range of policy commitments that we said we would implement within 100 days, and which we have now done. There is a very specific reference in there that said we would provide a timetable for these services in relation to things which are currently run by the South Australian government (supported community accommodation). Anybody who read that knew exactly what we were talking about.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Leader of the Opposition, you are trying my patience.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: It's their question time they are wasting, if they choose to. If you can't hear me—

The PRESIDENT: I'm sure the minister appreciates your assistance, Leader of the Opposition.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: If I'm not allowed to continue to provide an explanation, then the Labor Party can waste everybody's question time.

I have heard these sorts of complaints about putting something out there before the election—well, gosh; that's what you do when you're a political party. We had this very specific reference, and anybody who was in the sector knew exactly what we were talking about. I would be shocked and surprised if Labor members, the union movement, anyone within the disability sector had looked at that and not known exactly what we were talking about.

In relation to clients and families, they are very active on the internet. They have a range of Facebook sites, and there is a lot of communication and sharing of information that goes on within the disability community.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! Minister, just go on.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: In terms of providing the clear direction of what the Liberal Party intended to do, we did that with a clear amount of time prior to the election. People knew what was going on. I am not quite sure how much more transparent we can get. If I can paraphrase the question, I am—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: Mr President, the Deputy Leader of the Opposition is developing some very bad habits the longer she spends here.

The PRESIDENT: Leave the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to me.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: If I can paraphrase her question, I think she is effectively asking me, 'Why are you implementing your election commitment?' Go figure.

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