Senator ELLISON (Special Minister of State) (10:20 PM) —On 3 December this year we celebrated International Day of People with a Disability. As this is the first opportunity I have had since that day, I thought it appropriate to mention a scheme that I have recently become involved with. It involves a family with a disabled member adopting a politician—commonly called `Adopt a Pollie'. The scheme is administered by the Disability Development Council of Western Australia, and it is designed to give an insight into the impact on a family when one member of the family is disabled. The scheme provides for first-hand contact between the member of parliament and the adopting person and their family. It allows the member of parliament to investigate assistance which would make life easier for the family and the person concerned, and it provides an opportunity to visit disability service providers and to get in touch with other people with disabilities and experience their needs.

I have had the privilege of being adopted by Stephen Franklin, a delightful young man in his early 20s with Prader-Willi Syndrome. Stephen, who lives at home with his father Norm, his mother Carol and his sister Kristy, is confined to a wheelchair and requires constant care and attention. It has indeed been a privilege to be invited into their home to see how they cope with Stephen's day-to-day needs. At the recent adoption ceremony, it was somewhat moving to hear what Stephen's mother Carol had to say. At that adoption ceremony, she said:

My life began the same as many and for all my early years my life seemed to take the path of the innermost band of the rainbow. I could see the pot of gold at the end. I was married, had a career and one lovely child. A few years later my life took an unexpected turn, with the birth of my second child Stephen. With his birth, my life took a new path. I could still see the pot of gold but it seemed a bit further away. It was as if I had stepped from the red band onto the orange.

As Stephen grew up, the pot of gold seemed to be getting further away and I seemed to be stepping across all the colours of the rainbow, from orange to yellow to green and so on. It seemed impossible for me, let alone Stephen to reach the pot of gold. Then almost eight years ago a Local Area Coordinator asked me to think of what we could see in the future for our son. We had difficulty picturing that pot of gold for Stephen. Then we asked what the future held for our other two children. We then realised that Stephen had a pot of gold too. He would just need some assistance to get there.

So we began to plan for Stephen to reach the pot of gold and he began to move toward the inner bands and his path seemed to be lessening. But several times along the way doors began to shut and again he seemed to be moving outward and backward.

When the opportunity was given to our family to adopt a politician, we took it with great hope. It was a chance for us to show that person that our family just wanted what other families take for granted.

It is our hope through this scheme that we all can raise the awareness of politicians to help every disabled child reach that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

I think those words are somewhat telling, and I would use them in recommending this scheme to other members of parliament. In my home state of Western Australia, there are a number of state and federal politicians from across the political spectrum who have become involved in this scheme. It is a scheme which places a member of parliament in touch with the reality of the problems faced by the people who are experiencing them. With the contact that I have had with Stephen and his family, it has certainly been an eye-opener for me.

Some people perhaps approach this with some trepidation. I know that my association with people with disabilities prior to this had been minimal. It is for that reason that I would urge my colleagues across the political spectrum to become involved with this program. It is a thoroughly worthwhile program. I want to acknowledge the efforts of Liz Pretsel from that council, who is absolutely unswerving in her efforts to get politicians adopted. I also want to take this opportunity to thank Stephen Franklin and his delightful family for adopting me and bringing me into their home to see the challenges that lie ahead for them. I only hope that I can use my position to assist them to meet those challenges.