❓ Mr. Cook questions the Minister for Health about potential funding cuts to the Telethon ear bus program, which serves Aboriginal children. The Minister denies any cuts, highlighting ongoing funding and additional investments in Aboriginal ear health.
AnsweredQoN 771Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
EAR BUS PROGRAM — SOUTH METROPOLITAN AREA
771. Mr R.H. COOK to the
Minister for Health:
I refer to the
announcement by Telethon Speech and Hearing that the very successful ear bus
program in the south metropolitan area will be discontinued when funding runs
out at the end of this year.
(1) Can the minister
confirm that funding will not be available for the ear bus program in
2014?
(2) If yes to (1), how can the minister
possibly justify this cut when the ear bus provides such an important service
that helps predominantly Aboriginal children to get a better start to their
education and life?
(3) What will Indigenous communities across
WA do if the minister cuts funding to the one service that helps children to
overcome glue ear and to learn properly?
771. Mr R.H. COOK to the
Minister for Health:
I refer to the
announcement by Telethon Speech and Hearing that the very successful ear bus
program in the south metropolitan area will be discontinued when funding runs
out at the end of this year.
(1) Can the minister
confirm that funding will not be available for the ear bus program in
2014?
(2) If yes to (1), how can the minister
possibly justify this cut when the ear bus provides such an important service
that helps predominantly Aboriginal children to get a better start to their
education and life?
(3) What will Indigenous communities across
WA do if the minister cuts funding to the one service that helps children to
overcome glue ear and to learn properly?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3) That would be an excellent question if there
were any truth in it. Sadly for the member, there is not. I was hoping that the
member would ask me about Perth Children's Hospital and the great new
day care centre that we have moved across. I saw it in his press release.
Mr R.H. Cook : What is happening with the ear bus?
Dr K.D. HAMES : I was hanging out for that question.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : Get a dorothy, then. Hurry up!
The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
Dr K.D. HAMES : It is very disappointing that the member
has now asked a different question.
Mr R.H. Cook : You'd better sort out your
backbench, then.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Dr K.D. HAMES : As luck would have it, yesterday I had a
meeting with my staff about funding for non-government organisations. This
government provides in the order of $70 million to $80 million of funding to
non-government organisations for a range of things. I am sure that the
Treasurer will be interested to know that we fund lots of things that we should
not.
Mr T.R. Buswell : That is news, is it?
Dr K.D. HAMES : For example, all the Aboriginal medical
services across this state are supposedly funded by the commonwealth, because
it is its responsibility—our responsibility is to look after houses. However,
those services also get significant amounts of money from the state government.
In fact, 10 to 20 per cent of their money comes from the state government. The
problem is that if we were to cut that money, which has been provided for a
long time—it is the same with environmental health services—there
would be no money for them to do those things. That would be a disaster in
terms of providing proper health services in those communities, and we would
then have to fund it ourselves. In going through the funding for NGOs, funnily
enough, one of the things that came up was the Telethon ear bus contract. I did
not notice when the contract runs out—it may be that the time is coming
up shortly—but in reviewing it there has been no suggestion from me or
my staff that that funding should not continue. So, firstly, there are no cuts—that
section has not been cut, but gets a CPI increase every year. Secondly, I have
given no indication that I will cut that service. In fact, I think it is a
fantastic service. The member will know that on top of the funding we provide
for that program, we provided an additional $6 million to put a 0.2 or 0.3
Aboriginal health worker in a large number of remote Aboriginal communities
specifically to do ear health work. They will be running around those
communities with tympanometers to measure ear pressure, checking ears and
linking through iPads to consultants to make a diagnosis and to provide ongoing
treatment of children's ears. The member for Eyre yesterday talked
about the huge number of children in those remote communities with hearing
loss. This will actively address that. On the one hand, we will have the
Telethon ear bus going out to provide its fantastic service; on the other, our
health workers will be in the community to check and fix the ears of Aboriginal
children at risk.
were any truth in it. Sadly for the member, there is not. I was hoping that the
member would ask me about Perth Children's Hospital and the great new
day care centre that we have moved across. I saw it in his press release.
Mr R.H. Cook : What is happening with the ear bus?
Dr K.D. HAMES : I was hanging out for that question.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : Get a dorothy, then. Hurry up!
The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
Dr K.D. HAMES : It is very disappointing that the member
has now asked a different question.
Mr R.H. Cook : You'd better sort out your
backbench, then.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Dr K.D. HAMES : As luck would have it, yesterday I had a
meeting with my staff about funding for non-government organisations. This
government provides in the order of $70 million to $80 million of funding to
non-government organisations for a range of things. I am sure that the
Treasurer will be interested to know that we fund lots of things that we should
not.
Mr T.R. Buswell : That is news, is it?
Dr K.D. HAMES : For example, all the Aboriginal medical
services across this state are supposedly funded by the commonwealth, because
it is its responsibility—our responsibility is to look after houses. However,
those services also get significant amounts of money from the state government.
In fact, 10 to 20 per cent of their money comes from the state government. The
problem is that if we were to cut that money, which has been provided for a
long time—it is the same with environmental health services—there
would be no money for them to do those things. That would be a disaster in
terms of providing proper health services in those communities, and we would
then have to fund it ourselves. In going through the funding for NGOs, funnily
enough, one of the things that came up was the Telethon ear bus contract. I did
not notice when the contract runs out—it may be that the time is coming
up shortly—but in reviewing it there has been no suggestion from me or
my staff that that funding should not continue. So, firstly, there are no cuts—that
section has not been cut, but gets a CPI increase every year. Secondly, I have
given no indication that I will cut that service. In fact, I think it is a
fantastic service. The member will know that on top of the funding we provide
for that program, we provided an additional $6 million to put a 0.2 or 0.3
Aboriginal health worker in a large number of remote Aboriginal communities
specifically to do ear health work. They will be running around those
communities with tympanometers to measure ear pressure, checking ears and
linking through iPads to consultants to make a diagnosis and to provide ongoing
treatment of children's ears. The member for Eyre yesterday talked
about the huge number of children in those remote communities with hearing
loss. This will actively address that. On the one hand, we will have the
Telethon ear bus going out to provide its fantastic service; on the other, our
health workers will be in the community to check and fix the ears of Aboriginal
children at risk.
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