4. SUE BRADFORD (Green) to the Associate Minister of Health: Does she accept that there is "evidence of chronic underfunding of the aged-care and disability sectors", as reported by the Health Committee; if so, what is she doing about it? Hon RUTH DYSON (Associate Minister of Health): Funding of the aged-care and disability sectors has been a longstanding issue. While this Government has injected extra funds into those areas, I accept that the issues are not yet resolved. However, I am committed to continuing to work with the sectors to see that they are resolved. Sue Bradford: What more is the Minister doing than that in the light of The Salvation Army's announcement last week it is pulling out of the sector, and given that there is an emergency community meeting taking place in Pahiatua tonight, where its charity-run 56-bed Waireka rest home faces imminent closure? Hon RUTH DYSON: The Salvation Army announced on Monday, 29 November that it was selling 12 of its residential centres as going concerns, that the residents would not be moved, and that the provisions it is putting in place would mean that all those residents, and indeed future residents, can be confident of the quality of their care. Steve Chadwick: What has been the rate of increase in Government funding in the aged-care and disability sectors over recent years, and how does that compare with previous years? Hon RUTH DYSON: In the 4 years from June 2000 to June 2004, disability support services funding, which includes aged-care funding, increased by an average of $73.4 million a year. That is an average of $13.5 million more extra funding per year than was provided in the previous 4 years during the late 1990s. Sandra Goudie: Why should people such as the Stephens, who are unable to get their son David the secure care that he needs, because of funding issues, or those people in the Hutt Valley who have had their respite-care hours slashed in half, have faith in this Minister to do anything for them when she has sat here on her hands for months while more problem occur? Hon RUTH DYSON: Unless the member has some extraordinarily new information, David Stephens is satisfactorily housed to both his level of satisfaction and that of his parents. Barbara Stewart: Does the Government intend to act upon the Health Committee's recommendation that the aged-care workforce be compensated for travel expenses and travel time; if so, when will this take effect, and if not, why not? Hon RUTH DYSON: We are still considering the recommendations of the select committee. Judy Turner: What progress, if any, has the Government made to fulfil the Health Committee's recommendation to ensure fully funded foundation skills training for sector caregivers, and what is the deadline for funding of this training? Hon RUTH DYSON: The Government is still considering the recommendations of the select committee. Sue Kedgley: Is the Minister aware that if travel time from job to job, and vehicle costs, are included, home-care workers get paid on average only $5.11 an hour, and why is a Labour Government allowing a situation to continue where about 20,000 mostly female workers are being paid significantly less than the adult minimum wage, and are effectively subsidising the cost of home-based care from their own meagre Third World wages? Hon RUTH DYSON: Yes, I am aware of that information but only because surveys of the workforce were instigated under the Quality and Safety Project. Prior to that we had no such information. Sue Bradford: What is the Minister's response to the Fair Share for Aged Care joint union campaign that is being launched in Wellington today, and what steps will she be taking to ensure that issues like staff turnover of up to 80 percent and a great disparity between hospital and residential-care wages are met before the industry simply collapses altogether? Hon RUTH DYSON: I welcome the input of unions, as I always have. Sue Bradford: Is the Minister concerned that the increasing reluctance of the community sector to provide residential care will leave the industry solely in the hands of private sector companies, which in some cases are more interested in capital gains from property than in the welfare of residents and staff, and what is her Government doing to stop the wholesale privatisation of this sector? Hon RUTH DYSON: No I am not, because I am confident that the standards that are required in the contract will ensure that regardless of the provider of the service, the appropriate level of care will be received by the residents. Sandra Goudie: I seek leave to table a press release dated 1 December 2004, "Hutt Valley families feel the strain of care cuts." Mr SPEAKER: Leave is sought to table that press release. Is there any objection? There is. Sandra Goudie: I seek leave to table "No place to turn for Kimberley resident", a press release regarding David Stephens. Mr SPEAKER: Leave is sought to table that. Is there any objection? There is. Sandra Goudie: I seek leave to table a letter from Mr and Mrs Stephens to the Hon Ruth Dyson, expressing incredible concern about the placement of their son. Leave granted.