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Mr MIKE BAIRD (Manly) [6.34 p.m.]: Today I wish to share with the House the moving story of my constituents Phil and Michelle Cooper and their 16-year-old daughter, Georgia, who has cerebral palsy. Every time there is a report of millions of dollars being wasted by this State Labor Government, Phil and Michelle Cooper feel it acutely. Whether it be the $358 million wasted on the cancelled metro project, the $100 million wasted on the failed T-card project or any other examples we could give, there is a real cost in terms of what the funds could be used for. Phil and Michelle Cooper despair that this money could have gone to accommodation for disabled adults, of which there is currently none. In fact, Michelle said that she cried when she heard about the $358 million down the drain from the CBD metro. That $358 million would provide $1,000 each for the 356,500 additional people in New South Wales that will need access to home and community care or disability services by 2014.
Today I urge the State Government to stop the waste and step up to support carers such as Phil and Michelle and the 750,000 carers throughout the State. I say to the Premier and the Treasurer: waste matters. The fact that the story of Phil and Michelle Cooper is replicated among the 750,000 carers is testament to that.
When Phil and Michelle came into my office last October they were distressed but determined to do what they could to secure a future for their daughter. Like many parents they wanted to plan ahead for her. Their question was: What accommodation options are available for 16-year-old Georgia once she becomes an adult and they become elderly? As they feared and suspected, the short answer under this State Labor Government is none. My colleague the member for Bega and shadow Minister for Disability Services summed up this current crisis to the Sydney Morning Herald recently when he said:
"We have this ridiculous situation where if you're a mum or dad in your 80s and you have an adult child with a disability, you have to declare your child homeless or abandon them at a hospital or in a respite bed in order to get the state government to provide services. If ever there was a clear call for the government to increase the [carer] workforce it's around that area alone."
This week the Liberals and The Nationals will introduce the New South Wales Carers Recognition Bill 2010 into Parliament as an important way to support the 750,000 carers throughout New South Wales. The bill endorses the vision of Carers New South Wales that caring should be accepted as a shared community responsibility and all carers in New South Wales should be recognised, valued and supported by community and by governments. Michelle and Phil Cooper attended a forum held recently as part of the Liberals and The Nationals consultation on this bill and were uplifted by the bill, describing it as "positive" and a "step in the right direction". I acknowledge it is not the solution to the many problems that exist but it is a critical first step that has to be taken, and deserves to be taken, on behalf of every carer in this State.
Today I received an email from another constituent, John Shanahan of Fairlight, who supports the bill and makes the point that currently New South Wales has no carer legislation, which puts us behind Western Australia, South Australia, the Northern Territory, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory. John wrote:
"The Bill will recognise carers as individuals in their own right with their own need for assessment. Carers are at present the unsung and unrecognised heroes who do much to relieve the burden on governments of supporting the elderly, disadvantaged, frail and chronically ill. They are like the SES but without the government support and recognition. The Bill will provide legislation for proposed Commonwealth legislation to build on."
Every day Phil and Michelle Cooper suffer the effects of the New South Wales Government's lack of financial discipline. I would like to remind this Government of the fundamental point that every dollar matters. Despite the New South Wales Government's promise that it would freeze non-frontline public service positions, last year it advertised at least 180 of these positions in six months at a cost of $20 million. Just yesterday the State Labor Government moved a motion congratulating itself on its plans to build the $4.8 billion Western Express, but previously we were told the cost was $4.5 billion. Whether it is $4.8 billion or $4.5 billion, this lack of attention to detail and focus on financial discipline is costing the State millions of dollars every day. For people like Michelle and Phil Cooper, a fraction of this money could transform their daughter's future and the future of others like her.
Since the Liberals and The Nationals released our carers' recognition policy almost 200 people have signed the petition at caring4carers.com.au to urge the State Government to support our bill. Every member of this House should support the Liberals and The Nationals to provide an alternative to the current situation where carers must declare their loved ones homeless or abandoned in order to get help. It is not acceptable that the Government and we as members of Parliament let this situation continue. I pay tribute to Phil and Michelle Cooper and their determination to change things on behalf of their daughter and others with a disability whose future is currently so bleak. I would like to finish with some words from Michelle, which she emailed to the Minister for Disability Services three weeks ago. The Minister has yet to respond. Michelle said:
"There is a problem that needs to be fixed. Not in three years time, not in five years time, but now."
I join with Michelle in expressing those sentiments.
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