Tuesday, 27 August 2024

Responses

Lizzie BLANDTHORN (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Children, Minister for Disability) (18:08): A number of members have raised matters, but before I come to those I just want to respond to Mr Ettershank’s matter for me in relation to disability advocacy funding and thank him very much for raising this important issue. As Minister for Disability, I am certainly very well aware that this is a time of great uncertainty and indeed of critical importance for our disability sector as we respond to the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability and we consider the ways in which we implement those and also the national disability insurance scheme review. Indeed to attend adjournment tonight I walked out of a meeting with some of my colleagues from other jurisdictions about these very issues.

But can I also acknowledge at the outset the importance of disability advocacy groups in supporting the more than 1 million Victorians living with disability here in our state. That is the very reason why as a government we have boosted funding for disability advocacy groups by 50 per cent over the past five state budgets – to help them meet the increased demand and cost to deliver these important services. We know that advocacy is absolutely critical to people with disability, both for them as individuals and also for their families and their community as a whole. This also included $1.9 million in the 2024–25 state budget to continue to boost the capacity of the Victorian disability advocacy program, and it builds on historic investment. Since 2017–18 we have provided $17.5 million for disability advocacy groups in addition to their core funding. But as I said, we know that this is a particularly difficult time for those in the disability community. It is one of the reasons why we have advocated very strongly to the Commonwealth across jurisdictions and one of the reasons why the Commonwealth are indeed looking at other ways in which they can also, as a result of that advocacy both from the disability sector themselves but also from states and territories, support disability advocacy in this uncertain time.

I would also note we are contributing more than $3 billion towards the NDIS in 2024–25, and all levels of government, as I said, are working on the recommendations that are to be implemented. In addition, the 2024–25 budget provides $24 million to continue to deliver the Victorian disability advocacy program, as I previously outlined, supporting Victorians with disability who are ineligible for the NDIS, autism assessment grants, family service specialist disability practitioner programs, the Steps to Confident Parenting program, the parenting children with complex disability program, and supporting children with complex disability and their families to access mainstream supports. But as I said, it is why my colleagues and I have advocated strongly to the Commonwealth that in these uncertain times further support for advocacy does need to be there. In particular, I take up Mr Ettershank’s point – and I have made this point myself – that we need to ensure that these advocacy organisations are here for the long haul. Prior to the NDIS but certainly also since the NDIS, Victoria has had a strong network of disability orgs and services that have continued to provide for those with disability, and it is really critical as we step into this audit of disability reform that those organisations are there to take the journey with us. I thank Mr Ettershank for raising this important matter and agree with him that we will continue to work with advocacy groups to ensure their future and indeed their capacity to ensure the future of people with disabilities in Victoria.

Ms Crozier raised a matter for the Minister for Health, Dr Ratnam raised a matter for the Premier, Ms Watt raised a matter for the Minister for Environment, Mrs Broad raised a matter for the Premier, Dr Mansfield raised a matter for the Minister for Mental Health, Mr Galea raised a matter for the Minister for Education, Mrs McArthur raised a matter for the Minister for Women, Ms Copsey raised a matter for the Minister for Transport Infrastructure, Mr Welch raised a matter for the Treasurer, Mr Ettershank obviously raised that matter with me, Mr Luu raised a matter for the Minister for Planning, Ms Purcell raised a matter for the Premier, Mr Davis raised a matter for the Minister for Planning, Ms Lovell raised a matter for the Minister for Planning also, Mr McCracken raised a matter for the Premier, Ms Bath raised a matter for the Minister for Agriculture, Mrs Hermans raised a matter for the Premier and Mr Mulholland raised a matter for the Minister for Environment. I will refer them accordingly.

The PRESIDENT: The house stands adjourned.

House adjourned 6:13 pm.