That the House

(1)   notes that:

(a)   many ageing parents and carers of disabled children are in:

(i)   crisis, or face crisis due to the lack of accommodation for their disabled children; and

(ii)   need of aged care accommodation for themselves;

(b)   ageing parents of a child with a life long disability are commonly required to provide care for the duration of the child’s life—in many cases over 50 years of care responsibility without a break;

(c)   due to limited available accommodation options for disabled people, many aged carers of disabled people are significantly disadvantaged;

(d)   there is an urgent need to assist ageing parents and carers of disabled children with accessing longer term accommodation options for their children;

(e)   families unable to provide financially for the future care of their child with a disability not be disadvantaged by their lack of financial capacity; and

(f)   in October 2005 the then Prime Minister the Hon. John Howard announced a $200 million package to assist parents establish private trusts for the future care of their disabled children;

(2)   calls on the Government to advise the House on the action taken to progress the establishment of these private trusts; and

(3)   calls on the State, Territory and Federal governments to work together to urgently resolve these accommodation and care crises.