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COMMONWEALTH SHOULD FUND DISABILITY SERVICES THROUGH THE STATES Thursday, 26 July 2007 |
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Community Services Minister Gavin Jennings today called on the Federal Government to fund the states' disability services rather than re-inventing the wheel and duplicating services.
Speaking at the Ministerial Council for Community and Disability Services Ministers, Mr Jennings said the Commonwealth had once again refused to increase funding or indexations for state services.
"Mal Brough has once again refused to put a single extra cent into Victoria's existing disability services," Mr Jennings said.
"Instead they have this half-baked notion that the Commonwealth will provide some accommodation and respite services directly.
"There are two key problems with their proposition. Firstly, the Commonwealth funding for their services is grossly inadequate as any service provider could tell them.
"Secondly, there is no existing Federal mechanism to deliver these services, meaning a whole new level of federal administration and bureaucracy has to be created.
"Instead of re-inventing the wheel, the Commonwealth should be applying these funds to the services provided by the states and helping achieve the best outcome for people with a disability."
Mr Jennings said it was also disappointing that the Federal Government had once again refused to continue negotiations for a 50:50 funding offer for unmet needs.
"Victoria is continuing these negotiations, and will continue to negotiate in good faith, even though the Commonwealth has taken this offer off the table," Mr Jennings said,
"If Mal Brough is serious about expanding the services available for Victorians with a disability, he should continue negotiations, instead of hiding behind income support as an alternative to quality services.
"We all need to make sure that people who need disability services can receive them, and proper base funding that accounts for growth and indexation is essential to deliver this.
"It's very disappointing to see the Commonwealth once again fail to put its budget surplus into investing in the services that matter to Victorians."
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