U SA
FOR PRESS 18 MARCH 1.977
OPEN] Nx ; OF TE! K RI TAGri I NDUSTIRIES VOCAT] ONAL RElIA13ILITATTON CENTRE
This is an occasion which represents the culmination of an
i mporant cFort by the people of this community to provide
moun ngful assistance to the handicapped members of our society.
1 am particularly pleased that support for the centre has atso
come from Western ' Victori a, and from my own electorate.
This is very fitting because it reciprocates the assistance the
peop of Mt Gambier gave us when we were setting up the
sheltered worksh. ip in Hamilton. The people who were involved with
the Ilamilton workship, including Tamie, visi ted Mt. Gambier and
got some invluable advice on how to go about things.
This centre will make a major contribution to the lives of
the 120 handicapped persons it is designed to employ.
My Governmtent is firmly committed to equality oF opportunity for
all Austral ans. And we wholeheartedly support programmes
striving to enhance the security, dciganity, self rel: iance and
veoll being of the handicapped. She ltered workshops emal: n
essential contribution to those ends, giving handicapped peopi
the sense of purpose, and usefulness that is fundamental to
personal dignity, and self-esteem.
We aoe committed to the establishment of workships of h gh i; u : lity
and officioney, which will contract better typos of work, aod
increase handicapped empl oyees' opportunities to earn more income.
WoL1hops which will increase the morale of the handicapped workers,
and enable more people to acquire the confidence and work skills
nece; sary to graduate to outside employment. Workshops whicht
provide first and foremost, a practical moans by which peopl. e
with residual disabilities can progress at their own pace, towards
the day when they can compete wi. th others in the open employ: ient
market.
The sheltered workshop must also provide For those people who suffer
from severe c'ronic conditions, and depend upon the workshop
for Dermanen,. -thor than transitional employment.
In cTtering this latter group, the sheltered workshop must:,
at all coss . d any suggestion of stangnation. It scold give
long torn 2 with st. ructnyl pro'gr: Immes, an access to qualityv
w i tracl ; Ali wit ch' i'i vy" 1
t Ministe" for Social Securi announced Ge
s 21 mi . on three year programme under the
H.,.. cappe. sons' Assiistance Act. This will enable
el i-. ible ori,: i. sati. ons to establish and develop on a planncd
ba . s services for the handicapped, such as sheltered wor: hlops,
ac.'-vity therapy entres, and trairning cenLres and hostels.
The Act underlines the importance of the partnership of Governnment
and no; n-gover'ne'. ent bodies in the provi. sion of such facilities.
' On-G overnm: enn last year also carried out a survey of both
" Atefe!. w o,-orkshop.: s and act vI ity therapy centres, subs i di sed
. th: n' Hanndicapped Persons' Assistance Act.
The results of these surveys will aid in future government
planning cni wi ll also bring into clear focus the overall effort
of all the agencies and organisations involved.
The National Advisory Council for the Handicapped, is also
conducting research into matters which relate to handicapped
people, and their speciaJ. la needs.
The Government sees the partnership of voluntary agenci. es and
government bodies, as a central theme of rehabilitati. on in
Australia. In fact, t: he history of sheltered employment in
Au: ra. lia is the history of a working partnership between the
Coi: u:' onweal th Government, and voluntary organisations for the
handicapped.
Although the Commonwealth Government established its own
rehabi. li tat ion service for handicapped people some twenty-nine years
ago, i t has always refrained. from directly entering the field of
sheltered workshops.
The most obvious reason for this, is the fact that sheltered
workshops are more effective when conducted by voluntary
organisations with government funding and encouragement.
Community organisations are often better able to determine
community needs and prioriti. es andto respond to those needs with
more sensitivity and awareness than remote bureaucracies.
Before 1967 there had been comparatively little development of
sheltered workshops in Australia, although there were some in most,
if not all, of the States. In June 1967 the new Sheltered
Employment ( Assistance) Act came into effect. And the succeeding
ten years have seen amazing strides in sheltered workshops.
The number of sheltered workshops and activity, therapy centres
in Australia risen by over five hundred percent. By 1974
gross product income of sheltered workshops had risen from
$ 2.2 million ! a almost $ 1.7 million.
This Centre r-:-esents an excellent example of the cooperation
between a : n---:. cvernment organi sation, and the Commonweal. th
Governen rD. iding a service which benefits everyone. / 3
he sheltl ered n\ orkshop withi i ts cottage in dustry and mavke& t
ga udcn f iAiti es iloes no t only conrlU bute grcatl y to t' wol
bying Ot Ft c mplo 0. It will cnrich thc e ife of youl en ire
c : u': it an! can ser'o as a focus for furthcr endeavours
cn: ch c02--: I'nnitv i
thav yVOo u ) day's invi tatin w. hichi has gi. vofn me a welcome1
opnort~ niy to . wt w ih members of your communi ty' nnd to
at f. irws t hr: d, the results of your efEforts to provide for
sone of the less privilJeged in your community.
It g ives ne great pleasure to declare the Heritage I1ndustries
Vocation: X Rchabiiitation Centre, official; open.
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