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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2021-10-14 Daily Xml
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Community Bridging Services

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (14:28): My question is to the Minister for Human Services regarding disabilities. Can the minister please update the council on the services that Community Bridging Services provides for people with disabilities—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! The conversations across the chamber are totally out of order.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Ms Bourke and the Minister for Health and Wellbeing and the leader will cease. There is a member on her feet and she will be heard.

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI: Can the minister please update the council on the services that Community Bridging Services provides for people with disabilities and their most recent achievements?

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (Minister for Human Services) (14:28): I thank the honourable member for her question. It does indeed give me great pleasure to speak to Community Bridging Services, which has recently celebrated its 25th year in operation. In 1996, Mr Freddie Brincat, as executive director, founded CBS, and his focus was to support people with disability to do and achieve what they want, aligned with a strength-based model and a focus on positive interactions.

At the time of CBS's founding, the state government was undergoing a process of deinstitutionalisation and reforming services with a planned movement of people with disability from institutional to community living. Negotiations were undertaken to transition the Leisure and Adult Education Team from the Strathmont Centre to the not-for-profit CBS.

CBS supports over 1,500 participants in work, looking for employment or accessing further education and training via their 21 office locations throughout South Australia. They are guided by five organisational values: person centred, strengths-based inclusive approach, integrity, reliability and adaptability, and commitment to excellence. They provide Jobnet employment services, social enterprises and NDIS supports.

Mr Brincat has been awarded an OAM for his services. We had the event quite recently at the Adelaide Zoo, and I also acknowledge that the member for Hurtle Vale attended that event. We heard from people who have been clients of the service who particularly acknowledged and wanted to congratulate Freddie because he has been so focused on making sure that his services are very much client focused. Clearly, he has been a great support to a number of people.

I congratulate CBS in terms of the achievements they have made for people with a disability over the years, providing them with great support, and I wish them all the best for the future.

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