Dr. Hames questions the necessity of a new recommendation for homemaker services for Aboriginal children in dysfunctional families, given similar recommendations from past inquiries. Minister McHale responds that the services were implemented and are being reviewed for potential expansion.

AnsweredQoN 889Legislative Assembly
Asked
23 November 2006
Portfolio
Indigenous Affairs

QuestionView source ↗

ABORIGINAL CHILDREN
I acknowledge students and teachers from Ocean Road Primary School, with whom I enjoyed lunch today. I refer to the latest report of the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research that found that 6 620 Aboriginal children live in dysfunctional families in Western Australia and recommended that a proactive homemaker service be implemented. (1) Will the minister explain why this recommendation was necessary, given that the Gordon inquiry and the State Homelessness Taskforce both made the same recommendation four years ago? (2) When will the minister make sure that all the recommendations from the Gordon inquiry are implemented? Ms S.M. McHALE

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the member for Dawesville for his question. He and the member for Darling Range are very good local members. Both members have a lot in common. (1)-(2) I was privileged to be with the Minister for Community Development at the launch of the report to which the member referred. I commend the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research for the fourth report in the series, which has been examining the plight of Aboriginal people in Western Australia. The report was funded by a number of agencies, including the Department for Community Development. The Gordon inquiry recommendations on homemaker services were implemented. Homemaker services were reintroduced as a result of the Gordon response and, indeed, the State Homelessness Taskforce. The homemaker service has been acknowledged as being useful and helpful. The Minister for Community Development made a commitment that the report released yesterday would, once again, underpin the policies and services that our government is keen to roll out. As the minister acknowledged, there may be some reorienting of services - Dr K.D. Hames : What is the report recommending - the same thing that is already in place? Ms S.M. McHALE : I think it is recommending an acknowledgment that the homemaker services work and that we should be looking to extend them. As the minister said, we will examine those principles and recommendations and seek to improve upon what we are doing.
I refer to the latest report of the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research that found that 6 620 Aboriginal children live in dysfunctional families in Western Australia and recommended that a proactive homemaker service be implemented. (1) Will the minister explain why this recommendation was necessary, given that the Gordon inquiry and the State Homelessness Taskforce both made the same recommendation four years ago? (2) When will the minister make sure that all the recommendations from the Gordon inquiry are implemented? Ms S.M. McHALE replied: I thank the member for Dawesville for his question. He and the member for Darling Range are very good local members. Both members have a lot in common. (1)-(2) I was privileged to be with the Minister for Community Development at the launch of the report to which the member referred. I commend the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research for the fourth report in the series, which has been examining the plight of Aboriginal people in Western Australia. The report was funded by a number of agencies, including the Department for Community Development. The Gordon inquiry recommendations on homemaker services were implemented. Homemaker services were reintroduced as a result of the Gordon response and, indeed, the State Homelessness Taskforce. The homemaker service has been acknowledged as being useful and helpful. The Minister for Community Development made a commitment that the report released yesterday would, once again, underpin the policies and services that our government is keen to roll out. As the minister acknowledged, there may be some reorienting of services - Dr K.D. Hames : What is the report recommending - the same thing that is already in place? Ms S.M. McHALE : I think it is recommending an acknowledgment that the homemaker services work and that we should be looking to extend them. As the minister said, we will examine those principles and recommendations and seek to improve upon what we are doing.
(1) Will the minister explain why this recommendation was necessary, given that the Gordon inquiry and the State Homelessness Taskforce both made the same recommendation four years ago? (2) When will the minister make sure that all the recommendations from the Gordon inquiry are implemented? Ms S.M. McHALE replied: I thank the member for Dawesville for his question. He and the member for Darling Range are very good local members. Both members have a lot in common. (1)-(2) I was privileged to be with the Minister for Community Development at the launch of the report to which the member referred. I commend the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research for the fourth report in the series, which has been examining the plight of Aboriginal people in Western Australia. The report was funded by a number of agencies, including the Department for Community Development. The Gordon inquiry recommendations on homemaker services were implemented. Homemaker services were reintroduced as a result of the Gordon response and, indeed, the State Homelessness Taskforce. The homemaker service has been acknowledged as being useful and helpful. The Minister for Community Development made a commitment that the report released yesterday would, once again, underpin the policies and services that our government is keen to roll out. As the minister acknowledged, there may be some reorienting of services - Dr K.D. Hames : What is the report recommending - the same thing that is already in place? Ms S.M. McHALE : I think it is recommending an acknowledgment that the homemaker services work and that we should be looking to extend them. As the minister said, we will examine those principles and recommendations and seek to improve upon what we are doing.
(2) When will the minister make sure that all the recommendations from the Gordon inquiry are implemented? Ms S.M. McHALE replied: I thank the member for Dawesville for his question. He and the member for Darling Range are very good local members. Both members have a lot in common. (1)-(2) I was privileged to be with the Minister for Community Development at the launch of the report to which the member referred. I commend the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research for the fourth report in the series, which has been examining the plight of Aboriginal people in Western Australia. The report was funded by a number of agencies, including the Department for Community Development. The Gordon inquiry recommendations on homemaker services were implemented. Homemaker services were reintroduced as a result of the Gordon response and, indeed, the State Homelessness Taskforce. The homemaker service has been acknowledged as being useful and helpful. The Minister for Community Development made a commitment that the report released yesterday would, once again, underpin the policies and services that our government is keen to roll out. As the minister acknowledged, there may be some reorienting of services - Dr K.D. Hames : What is the report recommending - the same thing that is already in place? Ms S.M. McHALE : I think it is recommending an acknowledgment that the homemaker services work and that we should be looking to extend them. As the minister said, we will examine those principles and recommendations and seek to improve upon what we are doing.
Ms S.M. McHALE replied: I thank the member for Dawesville for his question. He and the member for Darling Range are very good local members. Both members have a lot in common. (1)-(2) I was privileged to be with the Minister for Community Development at the launch of the report to which the member referred. I commend the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research for the fourth report in the series, which has been examining the plight of Aboriginal people in Western Australia. The report was funded by a number of agencies, including the Department for Community Development. The Gordon inquiry recommendations on homemaker services were implemented. Homemaker services were reintroduced as a result of the Gordon response and, indeed, the State Homelessness Taskforce. The homemaker service has been acknowledged as being useful and helpful. The Minister for Community Development made a commitment that the report released yesterday would, once again, underpin the policies and services that our government is keen to roll out. As the minister acknowledged, there may be some reorienting of services - Dr K.D. Hames : What is the report recommending - the same thing that is already in place? Ms S.M. McHALE : I think it is recommending an acknowledgment that the homemaker services work and that we should be looking to extend them. As the minister said, we will examine those principles and recommendations and seek to improve upon what we are doing.
I thank the member for Dawesville for his question. He and the member for Darling Range are very good local members. Both members have a lot in common. (1)-(2) I was privileged to be with the Minister for Community Development at the launch of the report to which the member referred. I commend the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research for the fourth report in the series, which has been examining the plight of Aboriginal people in Western Australia. The report was funded by a number of agencies, including the Department for Community Development. The Gordon inquiry recommendations on homemaker services were implemented. Homemaker services were reintroduced as a result of the Gordon response and, indeed, the State Homelessness Taskforce. The homemaker service has been acknowledged as being useful and helpful. The Minister for Community Development made a commitment that the report released yesterday would, once again, underpin the policies and services that our government is keen to roll out. As the minister acknowledged, there may be some reorienting of services - Dr K.D. Hames : What is the report recommending - the same thing that is already in place? Ms S.M. McHALE : I think it is recommending an acknowledgment that the homemaker services work and that we should be looking to extend them. As the minister said, we will examine those principles and recommendations and seek to improve upon what we are doing.
(1)-(2) I was privileged to be with the Minister for Community Development at the launch of the report to which the member referred. I commend the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research for the fourth report in the series, which has been examining the plight of Aboriginal people in Western Australia. The report was funded by a number of agencies, including the Department for Community Development. The Gordon inquiry recommendations on homemaker services were implemented. Homemaker services were reintroduced as a result of the Gordon response and, indeed, the State Homelessness Taskforce. The homemaker service has been acknowledged as being useful and helpful. The Minister for Community Development made a commitment that the report released yesterday would, once again, underpin the policies and services that our government is keen to roll out. As the minister acknowledged, there may be some reorienting of services - Dr K.D. Hames : What is the report recommending - the same thing that is already in place? Ms S.M. McHALE : I think it is recommending an acknowledgment that the homemaker services work and that we should be looking to extend them. As the minister said, we will examine those principles and recommendations and seek to improve upon what we are doing.
Dr K.D. Hames : What is the report recommending - the same thing that is already in place? Ms S.M. McHALE : I think it is recommending an acknowledgment that the homemaker services work and that we should be looking to extend them. As the minister said, we will examine those principles and recommendations and seek to improve upon what we are doing.
Ms S.M. McHALE : I think it is recommending an acknowledgment that the homemaker services work and that we should be looking to extend them. As the minister said, we will examine those principles and recommendations and seek to improve upon what we are doing.

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