Mr WOOD - 2008-02-14
My question relates to the closure of ANSTI, A New Start Towards Independence, the facility in Bees Creek which helps people with alcohol dependency. It is over 12 months since ANSTI was handed over to the government. It is now slowly decaying in the Wet, an abandoned facility that could be used for a range of services, even a roof over someone’s head. What is going to happen at ANSTI? Is it being maintained? Does it have a caretaker? What is its future? Are you going to sell it off, or is it to be used once again as a facility similar to what it was originally built for?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his question. As he would know, many of the buildings are in a state of disrepair, and that is not just because they have not been used. They were in a state of disrepair when that site was handed back to FACS. Considerable work was needed to bring them up to a usable standard.
At the moment, FACS is finalising a tender for a new service to use the existing infrastructure on the site. The client group will be homeless people exiting acute substance misuse withdrawal services, or otherwise ceasing substance abuse who require accommodation and case management support to transition to independent living. $300 000 per annum has been earmarked for this new service. I have met with a number of organisations that are interested in providing a service on this site. The tender will be going out and I am confident that we will have a great and much-needed service up and running on this site soon.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his question. As he would know, many of the buildings are in a state of disrepair, and that is not just because they have not been used. They were in a state of disrepair when that site was handed back to FACS. Considerable work was needed to bring them up to a usable standard.
At the moment, FACS is finalising a tender for a new service to use the existing infrastructure on the site. The client group will be homeless people exiting acute substance misuse withdrawal services, or otherwise ceasing substance abuse who require accommodation and case management support to transition to independent living. $300 000 per annum has been earmarked for this new service. I have met with a number of organisations that are interested in providing a service on this site. The tender will be going out and I am confident that we will have a great and much-needed service up and running on this site soon.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016