Source: The La Trobe Valley Express [STEPHANIE CHARALAMBOUS]

FEDERAL Minister for Families, Jenny Macklin heard the plea of Gippsland Carers Association (GCA) "loud and clear'' during her visit to the Latrobe Valley last Friday.

Ms Macklin was not present at the bi-annual Gippsland Caring Matters Forum last Wednesday but met with GCA representatives to discuss their concerns on Friday.

Before the meeting with Ms Macklin, GCA spokesperson Jean Tops said carers were "desperate for change to happen".

"They're getting tired of being told 'no'," she said.

"Carers have never been political people but they are beginning to realise this is the only way."

Some of the issues raised during the meeting with Ms Macklin were the 25 hour work, study and volunteering rule on the carer payment which is currently being reviewed by the government and the establishment of a national family carers network.

Ms Tops said carers were also "demanding purpose-built nursing level of care facilities for people under 55".

She said these should be "universally available" in the same way as aged care facilities.

Ms Tops asked Ms Macklin to fund the GCA as the pilot project for the establishment of a national family carers network.

"Eleven years of credibility make us the perfect pilot target," she said.

Ms Tops said the group had a "very good hearing with the minister".

"I believe she heard our message very clearly.

"We made it plain that 24,000 Gippsland carers have only one right and that's the right to vote."

Ms Tops said the minister indicated she would respond to the group's concerns, including looking into means testing of the carer payment.

But she was disappointed there was no commitment by the government to provide increased funding for carers.

"We made it very clear that disability families resent not having a place at the planning table and are no longer willing to tolerate that situation.''

Ms Macklin did not say whether the GCA would be the pilot group for the establishment of a national carers network.

"That is something they would like to have happen and I can assure you they were very strong advocates and we got the message loud and clear about a number of things,'' she said.

"They want support for advocacy, they want to be able to advocate particularly for parents who have been caring for a long time.

"What I suggested to them was that they really make that case to a major parliamentary inquiry that has just been established into looking at how we can increase support to carers.

"I have no doubt that the very active group here in Gippsland will do exactly that."

Ms Macklin described the Gippsland carers as "fantastic women".

"Each and every one of them are doing a fabulous job to support their adult children, all caring for children with severe and profound disabilities for a very, very long time.

"I was certainly able to indicate a number of things to them by announcing the $1.9 billion program with states and territories to improve provision of support and accommodation and provision of respite services to give people a break to make sure families get the care and support that they need when providing care to their children," Ms Macklin said.

She said the government had made dramatic changes to the carer payment for children.

"Up until now only 3500 children have been eligible for this payment.

"With our announced changes we will increase eligibility for that payment and about 19,000 children will be eligible."