Report on Government Services

At a glance
Media release
About report

The content below was current as at the time of preparing the 2004 report, released on 30 January 2004.

For the most up to date information and interactive charts visit the latest RoGS report.

This report was released on 30 January 2004. It has been produced by the Steering Committee for the Review of Government Service Provision (SCRGSP). The report has been published in two volumes. Also released with the report are attachment tables. These are not part of the printed report but are available on this web page.

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Preliminaries

Part D Emergency Management

Part E Health

Part F Community Services

Part F Community services preface (PDF - 72 Kb)

Part G Housing

Appendix A Statistical appendix

Errata

The following amendments were made to the Report after it went to print.

Chapter 3 - School education

Page 3.29, 6.4 per cent should be 3.9 per cent for government recurrent expenditure per full time equivalent student, government schools.

Chapter 13 - Services for people with a disability

Australian Capital Territory Government comments

The ACT has been progressing the reform agenda set for the delivery of disability services. This follows a major Inquiry into Disability Services undertaken in 2001 and the establishment of a new department - the Department of Disability, Housing and Community Services.

The agency responsible for disability services in the ACT - Disability ACT - was restructured. This included the engagement of a new senior executive team to drive the reform agenda, the establishment of a policy and planning team with responsibility for influencing the broader policy agenda, a specialised team responsible for sector development involving relationship management and a refocussed service delivery 'arm' - Individual Support Services - responsible for family and community support as well as direct accommodation support.

The ACT's reform agenda involves a partnership with people with disabilities and their families, service providers and the wider ACT community. This includes a new Disability Advisory Council established to advise the Minister for Disability and reform working groups set up to advise Disability ACT on the future directions for delivering services to people with disabilities in key areas.

While the major elements of the reform continue to be developed and will be implemented in the coming years, the ACT has already introduced a number of new and revised programs and services for people with disabilities, including:

The Access to Government strategy. This strategy requires ACT Departments to undertake access audits of their programs, services and facilitates to identify where people with disabilities may be excluded.
A new Taxi Subsidy Scheme. This updates the previous scheme that had operated in the ACT for the past 15 years.
An evaluation of the Individual Support Package program. This is the ACT's direct funding program to assist people purchase support services.
Audits of service delivery agencies in the ACT. This provided a profile on the strengths of existing service providers in the ACT and identified those areas where Disability ACT can work with and support agencies.
A Caring for Carers policy. This is focussed on the needs of carers in a variety of carer relationships.
" A review of the ACT's statutory oversight and community advocacy agencies. This followed recommendations in recent Reports to examine these systems as well as the roles and functions of the various agencies.
An Innovation Grants Fund. The ACT established this Fund to provide financial support to projects aimed at trailed new approaches to service delivery for people with disabilities.

In terms of its relationship with the Commonwealth, the ACT is pleased that the Commonwealth-State/Territory Disability Agreement was signed during the year.