FOR PRESS. MR CARMODY,.+
26 SP'TEIBRR 1977-
ADDRESS AT. Q0PENING OF' COMM4ONWE. ALTH REHABILITATION CEI# TRE, TARINGA:
it is very good to be.-heze today to participate in the official:.
. opening of this centre. . Of course, in the great tradition of
-official openings, the centre is already well and trigy operating.,'
But this is still a good occasion for us to mark the notable
achievements which have been made by all involved in rehabilitatio
of the handicapped, and the challenges which still lie ahead.
This centre is a fine example of what can be. achieved with modern,.-'
planning and technology -and.$ 3.5: million of your funds as taxpayers.
* The -rebuilding programme has-significantly increased the capacity
of the centre. Some eighty people can now reside here,. anl
further eighty can train and be treated here on a day-attendance
basis. This enlarged centre and another like it at present being
structed in Townsville will greatly improve the capacity of the:-.
Commonwealth Rehabilitation service to assist handicapped people-"
in Queensland.
Another centre is being built in Hobart, and when that is complete
the sexvice will be operating at least one major training and trea
ment centre in every state, as well as rehabilitation casework tea
in thirteen provincial centres such as Rockhampton and Town. sville'
in all, the service assists some 3,000 handicapped people every
year.+ But of course it is only part of the overall services an4' d
facilities, subsidies, pensions and benefits which the comwiity.:
provides to those of i-ts members who are handicapped.
The Commonwealthb provides a comprehensive scheme of pensions and
benefits to maintain minimum incomes for handicppped people, and.-*
each of the state governments provides a range of services. An-.
essential link is provided by voluntary agencies.
My Government firmly believes that voluntary social welfare-agenol
have a vital role to play a role complementary to that provided..,
by Government. Frankly, there are many axeas in which Goverxnent,' / can.-
ican never match the service which voluntary agencies can.
provide. Voluntary agencies have an inherent flexibility,
dedication and sense of personal commitment which makes them
Vixigularly well able to provide warm and compassionate help to
those who are in need of help. A.
,::, TheComzivnwealth Government is seeking to give maximum assistance
. to voluntary agencies which provide training,' residential care,
~ g~: activity therapy anid sheltered workshop facilities for handicapped
people.--,. For the three year period 1976-79 we have committed
ourselves to provide subs idies of $ 121 million to such agencies.
. TeCommonwealth, the States and voluntary agencies are not
:-. competitors but partners in the chaliengp-of providing effective
and. prompt help. to all disadvantaged and underprivileged in our
community.
~--What-we must do. is to achieve the most effective co-operation and
-interaiction between us, and to do this, we must all be prepared
constantly to, re-examine, our programmes to see whether we are
.~ doing. enoug h, whether our programmes are really helping those
nmsot, in need, whether long established programmes which we are
used to, require fundamental redirection to meet changing
*-Comunity needs.
The Government In the past two years has been undertaking this
_:.... challenging and difficult task. In many instances, we have made
fundamental changes and extensions ixn our programmes to. ensure
_-. that effqctive assistance actually reaches those who most require
-orhelp. We have done this in the area of children' s services,
in-legal aid, and with such innovations as the Famly Allowance.
In the area of care for the handicapped, when we calne to office
we-found that levels of assistance were quite inadequate, and we
have moved to Increase our assistance sharply. Even though this
has been a period of severe restraint in Governtment. spending, we
w. Service by 24%, raised subsidies to voluntary agencies under the
hanicapedpersons assistance scheme by 301 and allocated a
further l8 million for the handicapped childrens allowance
that is a rise of
First, we have amended the rules to make more parents of handi--
capedchildren eligible to receive the handicapped child's
allowance. Previously it was necessary to show that the childwas
severely handicapped within the meani-ng, of strict criteria
laid down In the Social Services Act. -We have now authorised
the Director-General. of Social Security at his discretion to pay
the $ 15 a week allowance to low income earning parents of less
.7 . handicapped children If the expense of care is causing the family
financial hardship.
Second, we have widened the scope of the Commonwealth Rehabilitation
Centre. F~ or some thirty years, the service has been training
handicapped people to enable them to take on jobs and become
independent merabers of the workforce. ut thia system discriminated
against women who did not want to take-a job but wished to stay at
/ home
home,. to look-after-their family, and needed training to be.
able-. to dothis with greater ability and independence. . We
have D.. OW decided.. that--the service . will be extended toinld.
disabled housewives. and mothers, to increase their capacity to,.
* lead-an. independent or semi-independent life at home.
This. decision' iS-in: line with -recommnendations m~ ade inte
.,-. third _ main report of. the Poverty Xnquiry, and with advice
given. to us-from the. National A~ dvisory Council . on the Eandicapped,-
Ladies and gentlemien,. th is Rehabilitation Centre offers to the.
many:-people-who will pass through it, a renewal, a fresh sense.
of hope and-purpose, of achievez~ ent and independence.-
If that can be achieved, then the community'sa support-in..*.
creating this new larger centre is an excellent investmnt-
Indeed.. it gives me great pleasure to declare open these major
extension~ s to the Cc'nmnwealth Rehabilitation Centre for.
Brisbane..