Specialist disability accommodation
Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (12:22): My question is to the Minister for Disability. Minister, Jeremy is 37 and has lived in a specialist disability accommodation property in Camberwell owned by the Victorian government for 17 years. Last year Scope Australia advised they would no longer operate supported independent living at the property. At the time Disability Homes Victoria assured affected residents that the home would remain as SDA, yet despite Jeremy choosing to remain living in the home, the department has failed to commit to essential maintenance so that it is safe. While this government has been turning a blind eye to corruption, ordinary Victorians have been missing out. Minister, why is the government neglecting its responsibility as a landlord and putting Jeremy’s future housing security and safety at risk?
Lizzie BLANDTHORN (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Children, Minister for Disability) (12:22): I thank Ms Crozier for her question. At the outset, as I so often say in this chamber, if people believe that people who are vulnerable are at risk, then they should absolutely refer that information to my office so that it can be investigated. But in terms of our supported disability accommodation, here in Victoria – again, like we do in the early education space – we lead the nation in terms of ensuring that supported disability accommodation is a large part of the government service operating. That said, where there are supported independent living services, the government is indeed the landlord and the service is provided, as I think you identified in that case, by Scope. If there are particular maintenance concerns that the member feels should be addressed, I will seek the advice of the department in relation to that.
But the supported disability accommodation suite of properties is something that is ever evolving, in the sense that we are continuing to ensure that as people’s needs change so too are the properties not just maintained but upgraded and indeed replaced to ensure that they meet the needs of the residents and that we also over time ensure that we have that shift from what were once very institutionalised settings in which people were grouped together simply because of the fact that they had a disability, rather than people being matched with people who they would live with in a cohesive environment, in the same way that any other housemates or indeed family would live together. That is, and will always be, an evolving ambition, because people’s needs change over time, both as they age and as their disability changes or their abilities change and as indeed there are requirements for maintenance and upgrades on properties. It is something that I know the department takes very seriously. It is certainly something that we take very seriously, and we will continue to implement that program of reform.
Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (12:25): Well, I do not know that the department is taking it very seriously in this case. Minister, CFMEU corruption has cost taxpayers $15 billion. Under this government, while corruption has lined the pockets of bikies and criminals, vulnerable Victorians cannot even get the basics to live in safety and dignity. What do you say to Jeremy’s family and the families of people like Jeremy, who are facing such uncertainty about their housing security?
Lizzie BLANDTHORN (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Children, Minister for Disability) (12:25): Again I thank Ms Crozier for her question, and I think my answer to her substantive question made it very clear that we take the housing security of vulnerable people, and indeed people with disabilities, very seriously. We have an evolving and constantly changing suite of accommodation, but also needs within that accommodation, based on people’s changing needs, in relation to their disability, their age and who they are homed with. That is something that is, as I said, continually being met by the department in different ways as those needs change. That will always continue to be the case, and I again remind the house that if there are particular cases that they would like to personally raise with me, or if Ms Crozier would like to provide me with the details of Jeremy and Jeremy’s family, I would be more than happy to take those up for her.