Background
Commonwealth State Territory Disability Agreement
The Commonwealth State Territory Disability Agreement (CSTDA) provides the national framework for the delivery, funding and development of specialist disability services for people with disability.
Under the three agreements signed so far (the first in 1991) all parties are responsible for funding specialist services for people with disability:
- the Australian Government has responsibility for the planning, policy setting and management of specialised employment assistance;
- state and territory governments have similar responsibilities for accommodation support, community support, community access and respite; and
- support for advocacy and print disability is a shared responsibility.
Through the Agreement, the Australian, state and territory governments strive to enhance the quality of life experienced by people with disabilities through assisting them to live as valued and participating members of the community.
Senate Inquiry into the Funding and Operations of the CSTDA
An examination of the appropriateness of the current Commonwealth state/territory joint funding arrangements was completed by the Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs in their Inquiry into the Funding and Operations of the CSTDA. The final report was released on 8 February 2007 and included an analysis of the levels of unmet needs and, in particular, the unmet need for accommodation services and support.
The primary recommendation of the Senate Inquiry identified the need for the Commonwealth and state/territory governments to commit to substantial additional funding to address the identified unmet need for specialist disability services, particularly accommodation services and support.
Many submissions to the Senate Inquiry expressed concern about what would happen to a son or daughter with disability when their older carer died or had to enter residential aged care.
The Senate Inquiry also found that funding through the CSTDAs has not improved the outcomes for people with disability by reducing unmet need, particularly in the area of accommodation and support services, despite significant injections of funding by the Commonwealth and the states and territories.
Disability Assistance Package
On 28 June 2007, in recognition of the contribution made by older carers and in response to the above recommendation of the Senate Inquiry, former Prime Minister, the Hon John Howard, announced the Disability Assistance Package of $1.8 billion in new funding over five years.
The aim of the package was stated as being to give practical support and peace of mind to older carers of people with disability as well as deliver assistance to families of children with severe and profound disability and provide further assistance to disability business services.
In announcing the package, the former Prime Minister highlighted the concerns of older carers who have been looking after their middle aged children with disability for many years.
Under the Disability Supported Accommodation measure in the Disability Assistance Package, over half a billion dollars over five years was intended to supply around 1,750 new supported accommodation places across Australia. The funding was in addition to funding provided by the Australian Government through the CSTDA to assist state and territory governments to provide accommodation.
The Rudd Government has committed to bring the $962 million allocated by the former government for accommodation, respite and in home support back into the CSTDA and to make this funding available to the states and territories on a dollar for dollar matching basis. This approach would result in an injection of $1.9 billion in funding for people with disability and their carers.