To the Honourable the Speaker and members of the House of Representatives assembled in parliament:

The petition of certain electors in the Division of Oxley draws to the attention of the House that:

Many people with a disability and families living with a disability in this electorate are going to lose what little support funding they receive if the Federal Government goes ahead with its plan to reduce its recurrent spending for disability services.

Recently, the Federal Treasurer released figures that the Government plans to reduce its spending on disability support under a third Commonwealth State Disability Agreement (to be signed in June 2002), by $100 million.

This funding was announced on 25 July 2000 with an assurance from the Honourable Larry Anthony MP, the then Minister for Community Services, that this additional funding would be built into the base of a third Commonwealth State Disability Agreement. The Federal Treasurer's figures indicate that the Government plans to renege on its commitment to Australians with a disability and their families.

It is estimated that in Queensland alone, over a thousand individuals and families will lose their support funding as a result of this proposal.

Your petitioners therefore:

Request the House to ensure that the Federal Government honours the funding commitments its Minister for Community Services made in July 2000—that the additional $100 million provided by the Commonwealth to address `unmet need' is included in the 2002 Budget's Forward Estimates and in the `base funding' for a third Commonwealth State Disability Agreement.