Gillard Commits Funds for Disabled Accommodation
4 April 2012 at 11:23 am
The Federal Government will commit $60 million dollars over three years to help build community-based accommodation for adults with severe or profound disability.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard said that twenty-one organisations across Australia will share in the funds through the Supported Accommodation Innovation Fund, which will help address a shortfall in supported accommodation and respite for people with disability.
Gillard said that people with disability need access to a range of supported accommodation models that will allow them, and their carers, to participate as valued members of their communities.
“Some of the places will be provided for people with ageing carers or people in rural and remote communities, and there are specific projects that will be provided for Indigenous communities,” she said.
Negotiations for funding agreements are in progress with the successful 21 organisations, which will be responsible for 27 projects, providing 169 new supported accommodation and respite places.
The initiative is said to also help reduce the number of young people with disability who are cared for in nursing homes, or those at risk of placement in residential aged care.
Gillard said the new accommodation will include a vertical village with an accessible gym, and homes designed with leading edge technologies based on world’s best practice in sustainable housing.
“These projects, which are to be completed by June 2014, build on the Australian Government’s $100 million capital injection in 2008 to build more than 300 supported accommodation places, which are on track to be delivered this year,” Gillard said.
