Hon Sue Ellery questions the Minister for Disability Services about the lack of specific initiatives in the 2010-11 budget to support people with disabilities cared for by ageing family members. The Minister acknowledges the issue and promises to provide data and a briefing.

AnsweredQoN 516Legislative Council
Asked
12 August 2010
Portfolio
Disability Services

QuestionView source ↗

DISABILITY SERVICES — AGEING CARERS
The 2010–11 budget contains no explicit initiatives to prioritise services for people with disabilities who are supported by ageing family members. What steps has the minister taken to ensure that this group is treated as a priority? I am referring to aged parents looking after adult children with a disability. Hon SIMON O’BRIEN

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the honourable member for her question and recognise her ongoing interest in the disability sector. The question of ageing carers is viewed very seriously by our community and we have sought to tackle it in a number of ways. A number of members, but specifically Hon Sue Ellery, would be aware that through the combined application process, the Disability Services Commission produces data about the profile of applicants. That extends to the data on the profile of not only the person with a disability, but also the person’s carer, including the age of the carer. I would not attempt off the top of my head to give the Leader of the Opposition the number of carers aged over or under 70, for example, in the last round. However, I will undertake to provide to the member over the next few days that information and some more information about related matters. If the member wants any further information, I would be more than happy to organise to give her a detailed briefing.
Hon SIMON O’BRIEN replied: I thank the honourable member for her question and recognise her ongoing interest in the disability sector. The question of ageing carers is viewed very seriously by our community and we have sought to tackle it in a number of ways. A number of members, but specifically Hon Sue Ellery, would be aware that through the combined application process, the Disability Services Commission produces data about the profile of applicants. That extends to the data on the profile of not only the person with a disability, but also the person’s carer, including the age of the carer. I would not attempt off the top of my head to give the Leader of the Opposition the number of carers aged over or under 70, for example, in the last round. However, I will undertake to provide to the member over the next few days that information and some more information about related matters. If the member wants any further information, I would be more than happy to organise to give her a detailed briefing.
I thank the honourable member for her question and recognise her ongoing interest in the disability sector. The question of ageing carers is viewed very seriously by our community and we have sought to tackle it in a number of ways. A number of members, but specifically Hon Sue Ellery, would be aware that through the combined application process, the Disability Services Commission produces data about the profile of applicants. That extends to the data on the profile of not only the person with a disability, but also the person’s carer, including the age of the carer. I would not attempt off the top of my head to give the Leader of the Opposition the number of carers aged over or under 70, for example, in the last round. However, I will undertake to provide to the member over the next few days that information and some more information about related matters. If the member wants any further information, I would be more than happy to organise to give her a detailed briefing.

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