An important part of our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania's Future is to help develop stronger communities for all Tasmanians.
That’s why a re-elected majority Liberal Government will:
- Provide an ongoing commitment to the NDIS and services for Tasmanians outside the Scheme.
- Deliver additional funding for New Horizons Tasmania.
- Build the new North-West Support School in Devonport and upgrade the North-West Support School in Burnie.
- Fund Young Leaders of Tasmania to deliver its school buddy system for inclusive education.
- Provide Square Pegs with funding to support students with dyslexia.
- Subject to Australian Government funding, support St Giles' Good House project to deliver services for children with disability.
- Legislate a new Disability Inclusion and Safeguarding Bill in 2024, and establish an Office of the Disability Commissioner.
- Develop a Sustainable Transport Solution to improve accessible transport.
- Improve accessibility for people with disability across Parks and local communities.
- Deliver a new GP specialist service for children with ADHD.
Ongoing commitment to the NDIS and Tasmanians with disability
Since 2014, there has been significant change in the disability sector.
The Tasmanian Liberal Government has advocated strongly on behalf of Tasmanians with disability and the service providers that support them and will continue if re-elected.
Since 2014, we have invested $2.62 billion to the national scheme, the NDIS, which is now supporting more than 13,700 Tasmanian participants.
Last year, we invested $274.6 million as our State's contribution to the NDIS.
A re-elected majority Liberal Government will continue to support the NDIS to ensure that this national scheme delivers the best possible outcomes for Tasmanians.
We remain committed to providing continuity of support for those outside the scheme - almost 130,000 Tasmanians.
That includes funding for children's therapy services, advocacy services and other disability support like in health, education, justice, transport and across all Government agencies.
Ongoing commitment to the NDIS and Tasmanians with disability
A re-elected majority Liberal Government will provide an additional $150,000 per year over the next two years to support New Horizons Tasmania.
New Horizons Tasmania delivers vital sport, recreation and social activities to people living with a disability around Tasmania.
These school-based programs will be delivered during school hours on school grounds to limit the barriers to participation, as it has been identified that students based in regional locations have minimal access to activities in their communities.
Students with Disability
A re-elected majority Liberal Government will ensure that every single government school has the resources and capability to meet the needs of all students, including those with a disability.
We were the first Tasmanian Government to introduce needs-based funding to schools for students with a disability, and this has resulted in additional support for 3134 students with a disability and 80 new full-time additional support teachers.
We have also facilitated dual enrolment for children with disability for the first time, offering students access to both mainstream and support schools to address their needs.
A re-elected majority Liberal Government will:
- Invest $45m to build the new North-West Support School in Devonport and upgrade the North-West Support School in Burnie. The Tasmanian Liberal Government invested $8.25 million to redevelop the Southern Support School, which was completed in 2022. A re-elected majority Liberal government will commit an additional $45 million to construct a new, purpose-built North-West support school in Devonport and deliver significant upgrades to the North-West Support School in Burnie. This funding is on top of the $17.15 million already committed to the North-West Support School by the Tasmanian Liberal Government. The redevelopment will provide new purpose-built learning facilities for students and staff, including an onsite hydrotherapy pool and additional space to meet growing enrolments.
- More funding for Young Leaders of Tasmania. Young Leaders of Tasmania (YLOT) commenced under the Liberal Government in 2018 and since then has grown significantly, helping young Tasmanians of all abilities to reach their full potential. A re-elected majority Liberal Government will increase our support for YLOT by committing $310,000 per year for the next five years, to extend their school buddy program state-wide. This funding will help to ensure that our young people are educated and aware of their peers living with disability and that young people living with disability feel accepted and included in their communities.
- Provide Square Pegs with partial base funding of $800,000 to support students with dyslexia. Square Pegs has provided support to families, children and young people withdyslexia and related learning differences for over 10 years. A re-elected majority Liberal Government will commit $800,000 over four years to provide Square Pegs with partial base funding for the first time.
Invest in long-term support for children with disability
A re-elected majority Liberal Government will help to redevelop and transform disused education infrastructure into a multi-purpose hub for community and health services for Northern Tasmania.
St Giles' liprini nayri Good House project will revitalise the site and contemporise the hydro-therapy pool at the site, delivering enhanced services for children with disability in northern Tasmania, including services for children not eligible for the NDIS.
Subject to confirmation that St Giles has been successful through its grant application to the Australian Government's Growing Regions Program, we will provide funds of up to $3.73 million for this important project.
A lifelong playing field for Tasmanians with disability
A re-elected majority Liberal Government will ensure that our $10 million investment into playgrounds across our schools and Child and Family Learning Centres are accessible to all Tasmanian children, students and local communities, including those with disability.
Driving a Disability Transport Solution
There are insufficient wheelchair accessible vehicles in Tasmania and parts of the State have access to none. Taxis and ridesharing services are not available in many areas.
A re-elected Liberal Government will develop a Sustainable Transport Solution to improve the lives of the one in four Tasmanians who live with disability.
The program will build a road map of need and capacity within the available private fleet of accessible vehicles and trained drivers operated by independent disability service providers.
We will also investigate the development of an online booking system. Collaboration on this solution will begin within the first 100 days across the Government and disability organisations to determine the level of unmet transport demand.
Legislate a new Disability Services Act, and establish the first Disability Commissioner for Tasmanians
A re-elected majority Liberal Government will table the new Disability Inclusion and Safeguarding Bill in Parliament in 2024.
The legislation was informed by extensive consultation from people with disability and other stakeholders and will formalise the Office of the Disability Commissioner.
The Tasmanian Liberal Government appointed an Interim Independent Tasmanian Disability Commissioner in 2023 for two years. A re-elected majority Liberal Government will appoint a Tasmanian Disability Commissioner and establish an Office of the Disability Commissioner. This is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2024.
The Office will ensure people with disability and their families receive the inclusive and accessible support services they need.
Disability Royal Commission Recommendations
Like other States, a re-elected majority Liberal Government will provide a formal response to the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability.
We have welcomed the Final Report and its 222 recommendations for improved laws, policies, structures and practices to ensure a more inclusive and just society that supports the independence of people with disability.
Work has commenced internally and with the Australian and other State and Territory Governments regarding the next steps in responding to the recommendations.
Given the scale and complexity of reform recommended and the importance of consulting widely and understanding implications, all governments have determined they will now respond to the joint recommendations by mid-2024.
Tasmania is supportive of this position.
Improving accessibility for people with disability
We recognise that we need to continually invest in our Parks to keep the competitive advantage we have in our natural environment, but also ensure inclusive tourism and improved accessibility for people with disability.
A re-elected majority Tasmanian Liberal Government will:
- Review the provision of disability access, facilities and mobility equipment at key Parks and Reserves sites, including popular beaches throughout the State.
- Implement a prioritised program of infrastructure and mobility equipment provision to ensure accessibility to a broad range of people, including mobility-impaired, vision-impaired, elderly, infirm and people with prams.
- Explore the scope of providing additional opportunities for TrailRiders away from these key areas, in particular on popular beach sites used by locals. TrailRider all-terrain wheelchairs are available at Cradle Mountain, Freycinet and Mt Field National Parks and visitors with mobility limitations to explore more rugged tracks where conventional wheelchairs would not be suitable.
- Install disability access to make the Scottsdale Military Museum more accessible and improve disability access for the Channel Junior Football Club, the Tasman Ex-Services Club, and the Chauncy Vale Wildlife Sanctuary.
- Install new shading at the Somerset all-ability playground.
- Upgrade wheelchair access and decking for the Glenorchy City Bowls and Community Club, and install a disability ramp at the Margate Hall.
- Provide disability toilets at the Kingborough Junior Football Club, the Lindisfarne Sailing Club, the Claremont Football Club, Blackmans Bay Hall, Kettering Hall, the Southern Midlands Council and the Orford Bowls Club.
Deliver a new GP specialist service for children with ADHD
A re-elected majority Liberal Government will establish a new service to give families across Tasmania faster access to GPs with Special Interests who can diagnose and manage children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
This will be run by two GPs with Special Interests through our public outpatient clinics and enable collaboration with paediatricians where appropriate.
To enable these reforms, we commit to bringing legislation to Parliament which will allow GPs with the appropriate training to prescribe the necessary medication.
Net Cost: $300,000 over two years
Some policies costed elsewhere