❓ Hon Paddy Embry raises concerns about cuts to interpreting services at the Deaf Society of WA. The Minister acknowledges the issue, highlighting state government support and advocating for Commonwealth responsibility, particularly regarding Medicare-funded services.
AnsweredQoN 715Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
This follows on from my question of yesterday. Is the minister aware that, as of 10 July this year, the Deaf Society of Western Australia has had to cut all funded interpreting jobs, with the exception of general practitioner appointments and funerals, and that three staff have been made redundant and a further two staff have left without being replaced? Is the minister aware that the savings that have been made at a cost to the deaf community through the reduction of services for specialist medical, dentist and physiotherapy appointments, legal interpreting, weddings and other vital events? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question. I refer him to the minister’s response to his previous question without notice relating to the Deaf Society of Western Australia. That response outlines how the State Government has assisted the society to generate additional funding for interpreting services. The minister understands that staffing actions taken by the Western Australian Deaf Society are in line with the recommendations of the business plan developed as a result of the provision by the Disability Services Commission of $35 000 of non-recurrent contract funds. The federal Government provides funding for general practitioner services through Medicare. This clearly indicates that the Commonwealth is responsible for providing Australian Sign Language interpreting services for its funded services, such as medical appointments. Ministers McHale and Kucera have both raised with the federal Minister for Health and Aged Care the need for the Commonwealth to address this responsibility. The Commonwealth’s response has not been encouraging, but the Minister for Disability Services intends to pursue the matter further. The State Government is clearly meeting its obligation by providing interpreter services when people access state government-provided services, and the Commonwealth Government and private providers of services should follow our lead.
Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. I refer him to the minister’s response to his previous question without notice relating to the Deaf Society of Western Australia. That response outlines how the State Government has assisted the society to generate additional funding for interpreting services. The minister understands that staffing actions taken by the Western Australian Deaf Society are in line with the recommendations of the business plan developed as a result of the provision by the Disability Services Commission of $35 000 of non-recurrent contract funds. The federal Government provides funding for general practitioner services through Medicare. This clearly indicates that the Commonwealth is responsible for providing Australian Sign Language interpreting services for its funded services, such as medical appointments. Ministers McHale and Kucera have both raised with the federal Minister for Health and Aged Care the need for the Commonwealth to address this responsibility. The Commonwealth’s response has not been encouraging, but the Minister for Disability Services intends to pursue the matter further. The State Government is clearly meeting its obligation by providing interpreter services when people access state government-provided services, and the Commonwealth Government and private providers of services should follow our lead.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. I refer him to the minister’s response to his previous question without notice relating to the Deaf Society of Western Australia. That response outlines how the State Government has assisted the society to generate additional funding for interpreting services. The minister understands that staffing actions taken by the Western Australian Deaf Society are in line with the recommendations of the business plan developed as a result of the provision by the Disability Services Commission of $35 000 of non-recurrent contract funds. The federal Government provides funding for general practitioner services through Medicare. This clearly indicates that the Commonwealth is responsible for providing Australian Sign Language interpreting services for its funded services, such as medical appointments. Ministers McHale and Kucera have both raised with the federal Minister for Health and Aged Care the need for the Commonwealth to address this responsibility. The Commonwealth’s response has not been encouraging, but the Minister for Disability Services intends to pursue the matter further. The State Government is clearly meeting its obligation by providing interpreter services when people access state government-provided services, and the Commonwealth Government and private providers of services should follow our lead.
I refer him to the minister’s response to his previous question without notice relating to the Deaf Society of Western Australia. That response outlines how the State Government has assisted the society to generate additional funding for interpreting services. The minister understands that staffing actions taken by the Western Australian Deaf Society are in line with the recommendations of the business plan developed as a result of the provision by the Disability Services Commission of $35 000 of non-recurrent contract funds. The federal Government provides funding for general practitioner services through Medicare. This clearly indicates that the Commonwealth is responsible for providing Australian Sign Language interpreting services for its funded services, such as medical appointments. Ministers McHale and Kucera have both raised with the federal Minister for Health and Aged Care the need for the Commonwealth to address this responsibility. The Commonwealth’s response has not been encouraging, but the Minister for Disability Services intends to pursue the matter further. The State Government is clearly meeting its obligation by providing interpreter services when people access state government-provided services, and the Commonwealth Government and private providers of services should follow our lead.
The federal Government provides funding for general practitioner services through Medicare. This clearly indicates that the Commonwealth is responsible for providing Australian Sign Language interpreting services for its funded services, such as medical appointments. Ministers McHale and Kucera have both raised with the federal Minister for Health and Aged Care the need for the Commonwealth to address this responsibility. The Commonwealth’s response has not been encouraging, but the Minister for Disability Services intends to pursue the matter further. The State Government is clearly meeting its obligation by providing interpreter services when people access state government-provided services, and the Commonwealth Government and private providers of services should follow our lead.
Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. I refer him to the minister’s response to his previous question without notice relating to the Deaf Society of Western Australia. That response outlines how the State Government has assisted the society to generate additional funding for interpreting services. The minister understands that staffing actions taken by the Western Australian Deaf Society are in line with the recommendations of the business plan developed as a result of the provision by the Disability Services Commission of $35 000 of non-recurrent contract funds. The federal Government provides funding for general practitioner services through Medicare. This clearly indicates that the Commonwealth is responsible for providing Australian Sign Language interpreting services for its funded services, such as medical appointments. Ministers McHale and Kucera have both raised with the federal Minister for Health and Aged Care the need for the Commonwealth to address this responsibility. The Commonwealth’s response has not been encouraging, but the Minister for Disability Services intends to pursue the matter further. The State Government is clearly meeting its obligation by providing interpreter services when people access state government-provided services, and the Commonwealth Government and private providers of services should follow our lead.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. I refer him to the minister’s response to his previous question without notice relating to the Deaf Society of Western Australia. That response outlines how the State Government has assisted the society to generate additional funding for interpreting services. The minister understands that staffing actions taken by the Western Australian Deaf Society are in line with the recommendations of the business plan developed as a result of the provision by the Disability Services Commission of $35 000 of non-recurrent contract funds. The federal Government provides funding for general practitioner services through Medicare. This clearly indicates that the Commonwealth is responsible for providing Australian Sign Language interpreting services for its funded services, such as medical appointments. Ministers McHale and Kucera have both raised with the federal Minister for Health and Aged Care the need for the Commonwealth to address this responsibility. The Commonwealth’s response has not been encouraging, but the Minister for Disability Services intends to pursue the matter further. The State Government is clearly meeting its obligation by providing interpreter services when people access state government-provided services, and the Commonwealth Government and private providers of services should follow our lead.
I refer him to the minister’s response to his previous question without notice relating to the Deaf Society of Western Australia. That response outlines how the State Government has assisted the society to generate additional funding for interpreting services. The minister understands that staffing actions taken by the Western Australian Deaf Society are in line with the recommendations of the business plan developed as a result of the provision by the Disability Services Commission of $35 000 of non-recurrent contract funds. The federal Government provides funding for general practitioner services through Medicare. This clearly indicates that the Commonwealth is responsible for providing Australian Sign Language interpreting services for its funded services, such as medical appointments. Ministers McHale and Kucera have both raised with the federal Minister for Health and Aged Care the need for the Commonwealth to address this responsibility. The Commonwealth’s response has not been encouraging, but the Minister for Disability Services intends to pursue the matter further. The State Government is clearly meeting its obligation by providing interpreter services when people access state government-provided services, and the Commonwealth Government and private providers of services should follow our lead.
The federal Government provides funding for general practitioner services through Medicare. This clearly indicates that the Commonwealth is responsible for providing Australian Sign Language interpreting services for its funded services, such as medical appointments. Ministers McHale and Kucera have both raised with the federal Minister for Health and Aged Care the need for the Commonwealth to address this responsibility. The Commonwealth’s response has not been encouraging, but the Minister for Disability Services intends to pursue the matter further. The State Government is clearly meeting its obligation by providing interpreter services when people access state government-provided services, and the Commonwealth Government and private providers of services should follow our lead.
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