❓ Mrs. Hayden questions the Minister about the renewal of the Grandcarers Support Scheme funding after a previous reinstatement. The Minister acknowledges the importance of the scheme and states the department is reviewing continued funding.
AnsweredQoN 399Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
GRANDCARERS SUPPORT SCHEME
399. Mrs A.K. HAYDEN to the Minister for Child Protection:
I refer to the minister's backflip to reinstate the
$125 000 for the grandcarers respite scheme last year, made after her government initially cut the funding. Has that
funding, which provides enormous relief and support to grandcarers, been
renewed in this budget; and, if not, will the minister backflip again to provide
this much-needed support?
399. Mrs A.K. HAYDEN to the Minister for Child Protection:
I refer to the minister's backflip to reinstate the
$125 000 for the grandcarers respite scheme last year, made after her government initially cut the funding. Has that
funding, which provides enormous relief and support to grandcarers, been
renewed in this budget; and, if not, will the minister backflip again to provide
this much-needed support?
AnswerView source ↗
It is interesting to hear
the language that has been used by the member for Darling Range, because when
the Liberal Party is in office and it has funding for a finite period of
time—two or three years—it says the funding has been cut when
that particular program comes to an end. That was the case with the grandcarers
support scheme. There was a program of funding that went for two or three
years, and that came to an end.
Mrs A.K. Hayden interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Darling Range! You have asked
a question. Wait for the answer.
Ms S.F. McGURK : However, I understand that grandcarers
around the state do an amazing job. There are a number of self-funded support
groups. Some of them get some external assistance from Wanslea. Those
grandcarers do it really tough. I understand that. I have met with them. I have
a lot of sympathy for the work that they do, being of mature age themselves,
and dealing with often very difficult circumstances with their own children and
then having to take on the care of their grandchildren.
When the funding came to an end, even though it had
originally been in place for a finite period of time, that caused some angst,
and we agreed to reinstate it. That question has been asked of me. There is not
a separate line item in the budget, but I have asked the department to look at
whether we can continue the funding for the grandcarer support scheme. I know
it is an ongoing issue around the country. Some issues were raised with the federal
government and both major parties to see what social security support could be
given to grandcarers. Of course there are different types of grandcarers. Some
grandcarers are under the formal child protection system, and, once that is in
place, those people are given some more formal assistance, but the vast
majority of grandcarers have this arrangement because of their own internal
family arrangements, and so the financial supports are limited, and I understand
the frustration with that.
To answer the member's question, I have asked the
department to see whether we can continue with the $125 000 support through
Wanslea.
the language that has been used by the member for Darling Range, because when
the Liberal Party is in office and it has funding for a finite period of
time—two or three years—it says the funding has been cut when
that particular program comes to an end. That was the case with the grandcarers
support scheme. There was a program of funding that went for two or three
years, and that came to an end.
Mrs A.K. Hayden interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Darling Range! You have asked
a question. Wait for the answer.
Ms S.F. McGURK : However, I understand that grandcarers
around the state do an amazing job. There are a number of self-funded support
groups. Some of them get some external assistance from Wanslea. Those
grandcarers do it really tough. I understand that. I have met with them. I have
a lot of sympathy for the work that they do, being of mature age themselves,
and dealing with often very difficult circumstances with their own children and
then having to take on the care of their grandchildren.
When the funding came to an end, even though it had
originally been in place for a finite period of time, that caused some angst,
and we agreed to reinstate it. That question has been asked of me. There is not
a separate line item in the budget, but I have asked the department to look at
whether we can continue the funding for the grandcarer support scheme. I know
it is an ongoing issue around the country. Some issues were raised with the federal
government and both major parties to see what social security support could be
given to grandcarers. Of course there are different types of grandcarers. Some
grandcarers are under the formal child protection system, and, once that is in
place, those people are given some more formal assistance, but the vast
majority of grandcarers have this arrangement because of their own internal
family arrangements, and so the financial supports are limited, and I understand
the frustration with that.
To answer the member's question, I have asked the
department to see whether we can continue with the $125 000 support through
Wanslea.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.