LIN
5
I
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1986
THIS YEAR THE GOVERNMENT HAD BEEN ABLE TO ALLOCATE FUNDS TO PROVIDE FOR A NUMBER OF NEW DEVELOPMENTS.
THESE INCLUDED ADDITIONAL HOME HELP TEAMS, SPECIAL CHILD CARE CENTRES, DAY NURSERIES, DAY CRECHE PLACES, NEIGHBOURHOOD COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, SOCIAL CENTRES, HOSTELS
HOSTELS, A MULTI-SERVICE CENTRE FOR THE ELDERLY, HALFWAY HOUSES FOR THE MENTALLY ILL, AND CHILDREN'S AND YOUTH CENTRES.
TURNING TO VOLUNTARY AGENCIES, MR JACOBS SAID IN THE LAST FINANCIAL YEAR, SUBVENTION PAYMENTS TO 150 WELFARE AGENCIES TOTALLED SOME $449 MILLION AS MANY VOLUNTARY AGENCIES NOW DEPENDED ON THE GOVERNMENT, INSTEAD OF OVERSEAS ORGANISATIONS, FOR THE BULK OF THEIR FINANCIAL NEEDS.
THE FACT THAT EXPENDITURE ON SOCIAL WELFARE SUBVENTIONS HAD GROWN FROM $146 MILLION IN 1980-81 TO $449 MILLION IN 1985-86, OR A GROWTH OF 25 PER CENT OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, WAS A REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT, HE SAID.
+WE ARE OFTEN CRITICISED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL FOR NOT SPENDING ENOUGH ON SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES AND FOR DENYING VOLUNTARY AGENCIES ADEQUATE SUPPORT. I THINK THE FIGURES SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES,+ MR JACOBS SAID.
RECOGNISING THAT THE ULTIMATE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ENSURING THAT A SATISFACTORY STANDARD AND RANGE OF SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES WAS PROVIDED MUST REMAIN WITH THE GOVERNMENT, HE SAID IT WAS THE GOVERNMENT THAT ALSO HAD THE RESPONSIBILITY AND POWER TO RAISE THE NECESSARY REVENUE.
HE, HOWEVER, FELT THAT MORE MIGHT BE DONE TO ENCOURAGE NON-PROFIT-MAKING, SELF-FINANCING AGENCIES TO PROVIDE EXTRA SERVICES IN VARIOUS FIELDS, FOR EXAMPLE, CHILD CARE SERVICES AND THE RUNNING OF HOMES FOR THE AGED.
+ THE MORE THAT CAN BE DONE BY SOCIETY FOR ITSELF, THE MORE RESOURCES WE WILL BE ABLE TO DEVOTE TO OTHER FORMS OF SOCIAL WELFARE WHICH MUST OF NECESSITY FALL WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THE GOVERNMENT.
+ALSO IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE TO FURTHER ENCOURAGE SOME OF THE SUBVENTED AGENCIES TO MAXIMISE THEIR COST EFFECTIVENESS, + HE SAID.
16