Annette Ellis (Canberra, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Next week the current Commonwealth State Territory Disability Agreement, the CSTDA, which is the third agreement, will come to its end. This is the funding agreement by which accommodation, respite, community access and employment services are provided to some of our most vulnerable people, people with a serious disability, around the country. It is the funding agreement between the Commonwealth and the state and territory governments. Given that the third agreement is due to end next week, at the moment we do not have a final agreement. There is an impasse, a stall, a face-off, whatever we might call it, between the federal minister, Minister Brough, and his state and territory counterparts.

I believe during this third agreement the states and the territories have spent somewhere around $2 billion more than budgeted over the five years of the current agreement in providing the services that they do within the states and territories. The minister, I understand, is refusing to say how much the Commonwealth will actually commit into the new agreement but I understand, and I think I recall from the minister’s statement in question time here last week, that he was saying he was considering or had offered a figure around $400 million as additional funding into the new agreement.

However, the current budget papers show that an increase of only $58 million annually is what that actually represents. That fails dismally in reaching an acceptable indexation level. When I mention the word ‘indexation’, it brings me to the Senate committee inquiry into the funding and operation of the Commonwealth State Territory Disability Agreement of February of this year where some detail was gone into in relation to the question of indexation. I note that the information in that Senate committee’s report shows that, in the year 2006-07, the federal government level of indexation on a multilateral agreement, which is the primary wish for a Commonwealth State Territory Disability Agreement, is a mere 1.8 per cent.

I remember that, when the minister mentioned the $400 million in this place, I said quite loudly to myself—probably against standing orders—‘What is the level of indexation that that actually represents?’ My understanding is that it represents 1.8 per cent—a very low level of indexation. When you look at all of the funding arrangements across all of the states and territories, excluding the Commonwealth, the average indexation level is 2.96 per cent—well above what the minister is proposing. Here in the ACT, the level of indexation being offered is 3.7 per cent—again, much higher. I understand that the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare issued a new report this week. It highlights how the demand for services will continue to grow as the disability population grows and ages. Back in 2005, the same Institute of Health and Welfare reported on unmet demand and found that 23,800 people went without needed accommodation and respite services. They admitted—and other people did too—that that was probably a very conservative figure. Mr Deputy Speaker Causley, as you are probably aware, I have spoken on this issue many times in this place, and I feel compelled to continue to do so. I understand that the minister is calling for the states and territories to supply data about unmet need and the outcomes that they expect to reach.

I would like to put a question to the minister, if I may, through this adjournment debate. It is a question to him about some data. I would like him to tell us—and this is only one example in one part of the disability sector—how many older parents in Australia care for an adult child with a disability in their own home? That data would be available through Centrelink or other sources of information. That is only one small part, but an enormous number of people are desperately affected by the need for funding to come through for accommodation services. Of course, there is the impact of all of this sort of neglect on the carers, the families of carers and the people involved in looking after these people. I understand that an extension beyond next week has now been put in place for the Commonwealth State Territory Disability Agreement—I think for about six months. While that is fine, that means that nothing will change for six months. The unmet need will continue to grow and the status quo level of funding will remain. This happens in every cycle of the CSTDA with the government. It happened last time and it is happening again. I implore the minister to be honest about the situation facing these folk in Australia and do something about the agreement— (Time expired)