Mr. McGowan questions the Premier about the closure of the LEARN Foundation for Autism Centre and the support for affected children. The Premier assures assistance and explains the Foundation's lack of government funding due to not meeting due diligence requirements.

AnsweredQoN 218Legislative Assembly
Asked
16 May 2012
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Premier

QuestionView source ↗

LEARN FOUNDATION FOR AUTISM CENTRE —
CLOSURE
218. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. What is going to happen to
those children and will the government roll up its sleeves and make sure their
needs are taken into account?

AnswerView source ↗

Yes, those children and their families will be assisted and
the Minister for Disability Services is acting on that immediately.
Mr M. McGowan : Doing
what?
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Acting on it to make sure that they are catered for and that they can be found
alternative places in alternative organisations. Can I again state that I have
heard only complimentary comments about the programs offered by the LEARN
Foundation for Autism, but it has not been government funded and it has not
sought government funding. It has been advised on several occasions and offered
assistance to ensure that it meets due diligence, that it qualify for funding,
because we are talking about the disbursement of taxpayers' funds.
Indeed, any organisation, no matter how worthy it might be, must go through the
requirement of due diligence, as the 115 other organisations have done. For
some reason, despite several approaches by the Disability Services Commission,
it has refused to do this and to this day it has not applied for government
funding. I do not know why—I cannot answer that—but that is the
truth.

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