Minister launches access project

MINISTER for Community Services and Children Sherryl Garbutt officially launched the Upper Beaconsfield MetroAccess project last Wednesday.
Ms Garbutt said the access project was aimed to ensure people with disabilities had easy access to community facilities.
“This is about bringing together expertise,” she said.
“People will participate by having access to a broader range of activities.”
Cardinia chief executive Don Welsh welcomed the project to the region.
Mr Welsh said the council was conscious of the fact that people with disabilities, their carers and service providers were the best people to inform the council about their needs.
“This led to a community mapping process involving interviews with more than 50 community-based disability support agencies and service users,” he said.
“We devised five key project and partnerships from the discussions.”
The projects were the Cardinia Disability Advisory Committee, the Educational Transition Project, Community solutions, Public Forums and the Accommodation Project.
Mr Welsh said the disability advisory committee formed in May was rewriting the council’s disability, access and inclusion policy.
“Committee members are also involved in intensive community consultation to ensure that the committee is truly representative of the needs of people with a disability,” he said.