Tuesday, 24 May 2022

Ministers statements: disability funding

Mr CARBINES (Ivanhoe—Minister for Child Protection and Family Services, Minister for Disability, Ageing and Carers) (14:22): I rise to update the house on the Andrews government’s support for Victorians with disabilities. Last year some Victorians—200 in fact—with a disability had an average stay in hospital of 160 days. Many of those patients could have been discharged earlier after fantastic care from our health workers in our acute hospital setting, yet many remained in hospital because they were unable to get their NDIS plans approved. That included a lack of accommodation support. Last year our government, the Andrews Labor government, made sure that we would take action to support those Victorians with disabilities seeking accommodation when they need it—absolutely at that time when they are ready to be discharged from hospital.

I am pleased to inform the house further that in the state budget we provided some $38 million to boost the transition care program. That will support patients with disabilities to get the care and the post-hospital accommodation that they need and deserve while they wait for those NDIS accommodation and plan approvals. It is part of our government’s longer term investment in this budget as well—the $698 million expansion of the Better at Home program, a program that will help 15 000 Victorians to access home-based care in addition to telehealth check-ups. It is what Victorians want—to be at home and supported by our healthcare professionals.

Can I say also that the Victorian community and the Victorian government provided some $2.8 billion to the NDIS in 2021–22. It is funding that supports some 138 000 Victorians who are clients of the NDIS. It gives peace of mind and support to their families, their carers and the people that look out for them. There are some 70 000 Victorians using the NDIS for the very first time, yet we know that the time-motion experts—those opposite—have delayed, obfuscated and held back support for those with disability in our community to get the support with their plans. We welcome the election of the Albanese Labor government, who will put people with a disability at the centre of the NDIS along with the Andrews Labor government.