Led by public administrator David Richmond, the report that carried his name is a foundation document for reforms that continue today.

The Richmond Report recommended closing large institutions that had accommodated people with mental illnesses and developmental disabilities for many decades, and their integration into the community, supported by community-based care networks.

The Richmond Report emphasised the critical importance of adequate funding and the need for trained front-line staff. It foresaw the need for coordination across government departments and agencies.

It made clear the proposed changes, which were revolutionary after centuries of institutional care, were not about reducing costs but acknowledging the rights of thousands of people to live in homes in the community.

The Richmond Report was hailed as a landmark document for the rights of people with disabilities and mental illnesses but its implementation across NSW caused considerable angst for some residents who had lived most of their lives in institutions.

The high-profile closure of one of the best known institutions, at Peat Island on the Hawkesbury River, caused controversy for years because of the idyllic setting, the advanced age of many residents and concerns about the kind of housing and support that would be available.

The last of Peat Island's elderly residents are now living at a 100-bed Central Coast facility while Property NSW is working on a plan to rezone Peat Island for residential, commercial and tourist use.

There is no doubt facilities like the Kanangra Centre at Morisset Hospital are showing their age and residents with developmental disabilities who have lived there for decades should be living in homes that feel like homes and have modern facilities.

But the relocation of residents from Kanangra, the Stockton Centre and Tomaree Lodge is going ahead as Australia experiences a 21^st century shift in the provision of support for people with disabilities under the National Disability Insurance Scheme. And history shows reality can fall short of even the most well-intentioned plans.

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