• HOME
• MEET MARY
  • About Mary
  • Maiden Speech
  • Photo Gallery
  • Mary's Video Clips
  • 
• ABOUT DONCASTER
  • The Electorate
  • Campaigns
  • Local Results
  • How Can I Help?
• MEDIA & SPEECHES
  • Portfolio Media
  • Portfolio Speeches
  • Doncaster Media
  • Doncaster Speeches
  • Mary in the Media
• GET INVOLVED
  • Volunteer
  • Join the Liberal Party
  • Enrol To Vote
• CONTACT
  • Mary's Office
  • Useful Links

Back to Previous Page...

Vulnerable Victorians Living in Fear

Friday, October 16, 2009

Frail older Victorians and other vulnerable people with a disability or mental illness are living in fear inside lousy facilities with inexperienced staff because of Labor’s failure to reform and invest in appropriate supported accommodation, Shadow Minister for Community Services Mary Wooldridge said today.

The Community Visitors Report 2009 written by independent watchdogs within the Office of the Public Advocate exposes the plight of vulnerable Victorians after ten years of Labor’s inaction and neglect.

The report reveals that:

• many supported residential services (SRS) residents are living in fear of violence and abuse from those they share accommodation with due to the inappropriate mix of residents as a result of a lack of suitable accommodation;
• residents are afraid of speaking out or complaining about conditions for fear of retribution from SRS proprietors; and
• women feel unsafe due to the gender imbalance in mental health accommodation.

"Year after year, Community Visitors have warned of chronic and disturbing problems with accommodation for people with a mental illness or a disability and the frail aged, but Labor has ignored these warnings and failed to take the action which is needed to reverse this dreadful situation," Ms Wooldridge said.

"The Brumby Government’s failure to invest in suitable alternative accommodation has left people with a disability or a mental illness abandoned in inappropriate housing."

The report also reveals that:

• living conditions in some facilities are ‘substandard’, lack privacy and security, and negatively impact on the lives of vulnerable residents;
• many people are inappropriately and inadequately housed in supported residential services due to the lack of supported living options in the community, as well as a lack of affordable or public housing;
• people with a disability are shunted off to respite facilities where they miss out on accessing the full level of support and services to which they are entitled; and
• people with a mental illness are spending years locked up in secure accommodation because of a lack of community housing and support.

"Residents are also endangered by Labor’s failure to recruit and train appropriately qualified staff, resulting in inadequate staff-to-resident ratios and leaving people with high needs without the support and care they need," Ms Wooldridge said.

"It is an absolute disgrace that vulnerable Victorians are left living in fear after ten years of Labor’s inaction and neglect."