THE nearly $2 billion in additional funding for the disabled and their carers is just a start, says the Federal Government.
An extra 24,500 disability services will be available in Australia from next year, federal and state disability ministers announced in Sydney today.
The $1.9 billion in funding, announced last year, will provide 2300 additional places in supported accommodation and the same number of home-support packages.
The funding also allows for 10,000 places in respite for carers and an additional 9900 individual support packages.
The details of the funding were announced at the Disability Services Ministers` Conference.
Federal Community Services Minister Jenny Macklin said the funding was only the start for helping an estimated 600,000 Australians with severe or profound disability.
"The fact that we are allocating money ... will certainly go some way to addressing what has been a very serious level of unmet need," Ms Macklin said.
More to come
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