Ms McCARTHY - 2005-08-23
The Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara NPY Lands in Central Australia cover South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory. What is the government doing to ensure that people with disabilities who live in the NPY Lands are receiving access to services that they deserve?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for her important question. Indeed, it was my great honour to be in Alice Springs last month hosting a ministerial council of ministers with responsibility for disability services.
I took that opportunity to launch a tri-state disability agreement with the ministers from Western Australia and South Australia. That agreement covers what we call the NPY Lands, traditional land covering across three state borders. It is the first agreement of its nature in Australia. Federal and other ministers present who witnessed it believe it is a great initiative.
There are significant challenges in the delivery of disability services into the NPY LLands,: challenges such as distance, location, infrastructure limitations and the availability of suitably trained staff. These factors can be compounded by governments with differing priorities working in different ways. The framework recognises that state and territory borders should not impede access to disability services. It will provide the basis for consistent, streamlined practices and more integrated services and care.
These arrangements will benefit the estimated 200 people in the NPY region who desperately need better services, from basic support services to quite complex care arrangements involving the joint efforts of carers, family, the community and the service providers. I am proud to say that a lotmuch of this good work has been done by officers of my department, led by the former minister responsible for disability services, the member for Arafura. I thank all of those people for their hard work.
This government is about working together with individuals, families, communities and other governments to deliver the best quality of services we can for those most in need.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for her important question. Indeed, it was my great honour to be in Alice Springs last month hosting a ministerial council of ministers with responsibility for disability services.
I took that opportunity to launch a tri-state disability agreement with the ministers from Western Australia and South Australia. That agreement covers what we call the NPY Lands, traditional land covering across three state borders. It is the first agreement of its nature in Australia. Federal and other ministers present who witnessed it believe it is a great initiative.
There are significant challenges in the delivery of disability services into the NPY LLands,: challenges such as distance, location, infrastructure limitations and the availability of suitably trained staff. These factors can be compounded by governments with differing priorities working in different ways. The framework recognises that state and territory borders should not impede access to disability services. It will provide the basis for consistent, streamlined practices and more integrated services and care.
These arrangements will benefit the estimated 200 people in the NPY region who desperately need better services, from basic support services to quite complex care arrangements involving the joint efforts of carers, family, the community and the service providers. I am proud to say that a lotmuch of this good work has been done by officers of my department, led by the former minister responsible for disability services, the member for Arafura. I thank all of those people for their hard work.
This government is about working together with individuals, families, communities and other governments to deliver the best quality of services we can for those most in need.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016