Jan McLucas (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Carers) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Siewert can be assured that the government totally understands the necessity for strong advocacy services. We are moving into a new age, and people will have different questions, and many people will need to be supported through that process. So I have just moved amendments that recognise the role of advocacy, but we are working to ensure that the merits system is accessible and as non-adversarial as possible. Mr Bowen has said—I think it was at Senate estimates—that seeking a resolution to any issue has to be the first priority and that path will be taken to internally manage any question as assiduously as possible.

As you indicated, we will be providing additional funding to advocacy organisations to ensure that advocacy support is available. We are working through the detail of that at the moment. As you know, advocacy agencies are funded in different ways around the country. We have undertaken an extensive mapping exercise with the support of our National Disability Advocacy Program funded agencies, and we have also undertaken to look at those agencies that are funded by states and territories to ensure that we have the advocacy and also the interrelationship between various agencies strengthened so that people can navigate the advocacy system as well.