❓ Opposition Leader questions the Premier about the closure of the LEARN Foundation for Autism, highlighting government spending on other areas. The Premier responds that the Foundation has not met requirements for government funding despite repeated attempts to assist them.
AnsweredQoN 217Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
LEARN foundation FOR
AUTISM CENTRE — CLOSURE
217. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Premier:
I refer to the closure today of the LEARN Foundation for
Autism centre for high-need children.
(1) Will the Premier assist this worthwhile organisation to
keep its doors open?
(2) Considering
that the government's overall state revenues have grown by $6 billion,
or nearly 30 per cent, in three years, does it not have the capacity to assist?
(3) Will the
closure of this centre add to the cost of the public education system; and, if
so, by how much?
(4) Why is it
acceptable to lose $400 million on the bungled solar scheme and waste $1 million
sending police unnecessarily to Broome and then not help this organisation?
AUTISM CENTRE — CLOSURE
217. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Premier:
I refer to the closure today of the LEARN Foundation for
Autism centre for high-need children.
(1) Will the Premier assist this worthwhile organisation to
keep its doors open?
(2) Considering
that the government's overall state revenues have grown by $6 billion,
or nearly 30 per cent, in three years, does it not have the capacity to assist?
(3) Will the
closure of this centre add to the cost of the public education system; and, if
so, by how much?
(4) Why is it
acceptable to lose $400 million on the bungled solar scheme and waste $1 million
sending police unnecessarily to Broome and then not help this organisation?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(4)
I am pleased to answer the Leader of the Opposition's question, but I
think the references to solar panels and police at Broome, which he described
as police lolling around at Cable Beach, which was an insult to our police
service —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Thank
you, members!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
So it just shows us something about the character, or should I say the lack of
character, of the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr M. McGowan : I
never said that! It shows your lack of character that you don't tell
the truth.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Mr Speaker —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : The serious issue, I would have thought, without the
additional comments by the Leader of the Opposition, relates to families with
children with autism and those families who were using the service of LEARN.
The LEARN centre is operated by the LEARN Foundation for Autism Ltd. It is a
not-for-profit company limited by guarantee. It provides an alternative
behaviour analysis approach. It is not the only organisation to provide that
service, but it does do it. I have met some people who have their children
there and it clearly provides a good service, but can I just put this in a
broader context? The Disability Services Commission provides funding in Western
Australia for 115 organisations—obviously, not all for autism, but
autism organisations are involved. Therefore, 115 not-for-profit non-government
organisations receive state government funding across the full range of
disability services, including services for autism. Each and every one of those
organisations is required to go through a proper process of qualification—if
you like, accreditation effectively—through a due diligence process.
The LEARN Foundation has been advised since 2010 that that is what is required.
To this day, despite repeated efforts by the Disability Services Commission,
the LEARN Foundation has not gone through a pre-qualification process. In fact,
it has refused to do so and to this day has not applied for or received state
government funding for that reason alone. There have been several attempts by
the Disability Services Commission to help the LEARN Foundation to meet the
requirements for government funding, as the other 115 organisations in this
state have done. I cannot explain the reason for that, I do not know the reason
for that, but that is the truth.
I am pleased to answer the Leader of the Opposition's question, but I
think the references to solar panels and police at Broome, which he described
as police lolling around at Cable Beach, which was an insult to our police
service —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Thank
you, members!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
So it just shows us something about the character, or should I say the lack of
character, of the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr M. McGowan : I
never said that! It shows your lack of character that you don't tell
the truth.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Mr Speaker —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : The serious issue, I would have thought, without the
additional comments by the Leader of the Opposition, relates to families with
children with autism and those families who were using the service of LEARN.
The LEARN centre is operated by the LEARN Foundation for Autism Ltd. It is a
not-for-profit company limited by guarantee. It provides an alternative
behaviour analysis approach. It is not the only organisation to provide that
service, but it does do it. I have met some people who have their children
there and it clearly provides a good service, but can I just put this in a
broader context? The Disability Services Commission provides funding in Western
Australia for 115 organisations—obviously, not all for autism, but
autism organisations are involved. Therefore, 115 not-for-profit non-government
organisations receive state government funding across the full range of
disability services, including services for autism. Each and every one of those
organisations is required to go through a proper process of qualification—if
you like, accreditation effectively—through a due diligence process.
The LEARN Foundation has been advised since 2010 that that is what is required.
To this day, despite repeated efforts by the Disability Services Commission,
the LEARN Foundation has not gone through a pre-qualification process. In fact,
it has refused to do so and to this day has not applied for or received state
government funding for that reason alone. There have been several attempts by
the Disability Services Commission to help the LEARN Foundation to meet the
requirements for government funding, as the other 115 organisations in this
state have done. I cannot explain the reason for that, I do not know the reason
for that, but that is the truth.
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