FED: Government gives $150 million to carers

AAP General News (Australia)
08-04-1999
FED: Government gives $150 million to carers

By Rob Taylor

CANBERRA, Aug 4 AAP - The federal government today moved to end a long-running dispute with
the states over carer support with a $150 million funding injection the opposition slammed as
woefully inadequate.

Family and Community Services Minister Jocelyn Newman said the two-year commitment would
top up the existing commonwealth-state disability agreement.

Struck in 1991, the agreement gives the commonwealth responsibility for disability pensions
and employment services, but leaves responsibility for accommodation, respite care and day
care centres largely to the states.

But Senator Newman said cabinet agreed yesterday to boost the scheme and end a damaging
rift with the states over the level of federal support to the disabled and their aging carers.

"We're contributing because we recognise with the other governments that there has been a
level of unmet need in that area which has been building up over a couple of decades," Senator
Newman told ABC Radio.

"It's going to need cooperative work between the states and the commonwealth in order to do
something about that.

"I don't think the disability organisations and the people with disabilities have taken too
kindly to seeing an argy-bargy between the states and the commonwealth over who should
contribute to doing something about it."

Opposition community services spokesman Wayne Swan said the government's offer would go
nowhere near meeting the level of unmet need for carer support.

"The unmet need in this area is estimated at a minimum of $294 million a year and they're
providing $150 million over two years. That is a quarter of the unmet need," he told AAP.

Mr Swan said the announcement had been prompted by the likelihood of a hostile community
services meeting with the states in Canberra tomorrow.

"This latest offer is just one step forward after taking four steps back, I think," he
said.

Senator Newman denied the government was seeking to repair the damage done by years of
federal budget cuts to disability services and she challenged the states to now do their part.

"There's no way you can say we walk away from people with disabilities," she said.

"The commonwealth is putting its money on the table. We're yet to see the offers from the
states. I want to see that. I want to work with them so we get better outcomes for people with
disabilities."

AAP rft/sc/jm/br

KEYWORD: CARERS NIGHTLEAD

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