XN000022-1994-11-08 — Page 10

9

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1994

"WE WILL TRAIN AN ADDITIONAL 400 HEALTH WORKERS AS WELL AS PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO THESE PRIVATE HOMES FOR THE ELDERLY SO THAT THEY CAN SATISFY THE MORE STRINGENT STAFFING AND SAFETY REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE NEW LEGISLATION," HE SAID

NOTING THAT NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS PLAYED A VITAL ROLE IN SERVING THE COMMUNITY, MR STRACHAN SAID THE GOVERNMENT WOULD SET UP A $200-MILLION ELDERLY SERVICES DEVELOPMENT FUND TO ASSIST THESE ORGANISATIONS IN ESTABLISHING SELF-FINANCING WELFARE PROJECTS FOR THE ELDERLY.

ON

SERVICES TO HELP OTHER DISADVANTAGED MEMBERS OF SOCIETY, THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE SAID THE COMPREHENSIVE SOCIAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE SCHEME HAD BEEN PROVIDING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO THE NEEDY AND OVER THE YEARS THE SCHEME HAD SEEN IMPRESSIVE IMPROVEMENTS,

"SINCE 1985, SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS HAVE GONE UP SUBSTANTIALLY IN REAL TERMS, BY 62 PER CENT FOR A SINGLE PERSON AND 104 PER CENT FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR.

"TODAY, THE SCHEME PROVIDES AN AVERAGE MONTHLY PAYMENT EQUAL TO 30 PER CENT OF THE MEDIAN WAGE OF A SINGLE PERSON AND 83 PER CENT OF THE MEDIAN WAGE FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR, MR STRACHAN SAID.

THE AT

ACKNOWLEDGING THE HARDSHIP FACED BY SINGLE PARENTS AND THEIR CHILDREN, MR STRACHAN SAID AS FROM APRIL 1 NEXT YEAR, A NEW SUPPLEMENT OF $200 A MONTH WOULD BE PAID TO EACH SINGLE-PARENT FAMILY, STANDARD RATES FOR CHILDREN WOULD BE INCREASED BY $205 AND THE AGE WHICH THE STANDARD RATES FOR CHILDREN WERE PAID TO FULL-TIME STUDENTS WOULD BE EXTENDED FROM 18 TO 21.

"UNFORTUNATELY,

IN SPITE OF OUR CONTINUAL EFFORTS TO UPGRADE OUR SYSTEM, WE ARE STILL RECEIVING CRITICISMS REGARDING OUR PRESENT SOCIAL SECURITY SCHEME.

"CRITICS, HOWEVER, RARELY TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE WHOLE PICTURE. A CONCRETE FACT IS THAT 90 PER CENT OF OUR CLIENTS ARE RECEIVING SPECIAL GRANTS FROM US.

"THERE ARE 24 BROAD CATEGORIES OF SPECIAL GRANTS COVERING ITEMS

WHICH SUCH AS RENT, SCHOOL-RELATED EXPENSES AND SPECIAL DIETS,

HE CONTRIBUTE SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF OUR CUSTOMERS, SAID.

WOULD

MR STRACHAN SAID TO BETTER SERVE THE COMMUNITY THE GOVERNMENT CONDUCT A DETAILED EXAMINATION OF THE CURRENT SOCIAL SECURITY

OVER ARRANGEMENTS

THE NEXT 18 MONTHS то SEE IF ANY FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS SHOULD BE MADE.

TURNING TO THE NEED OF THE DISABLED, MR STRACHAN SAID BESIDES FINANCIAL SUPPORT, TRAINING, EMPLOYMENT, REHABILITATION, TRANSPORT AND OTHER SUPPORTIVE SERVICES WERE ALSO OF VITAL IMPORTANCE TO SOME 286,000 PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY.

"THIS YEAR, WF WILL SPEND $6 BILLION FOR THE ADULTS WITH A DISABILITY, WE WILL PROVIDE EXTRA PLACES WORKSHOPS, DAY ACTIVITY CENTRES AND RESIDENTIAL UNITS.

DISABLED. FOR

IN

SHELTERED

/"FOR CHILDREN

•

Page 10Page 11