Posted December 10, 2020
More than 75% of people with disabilities across Australia last year did not have legal representation at their NDIS appeals, according to data obtained under freedom of information from the AAT, which reviews government administrative decisions. While people with disabilities are attending their NDIS appeals without any legal representation, the NDIA uses up to three lawyers to represent it in one tribunal hearing.
Posted October 16, 2020
A disability advocate has detailed harrowing stories of abuse against some of Australia’s most vulnerable people – from physical assaults to being put in cages – by those paid by taxpayers to care for them.
Posted October 2, 2020
Closing date: October 1, 2025
The initiative includes $10.6m in the 2020-21 Budget for a national network of system coordinators to help younger people find age-appropriate accommodation and supports to allow them to live independently in the community. The Australian Government is committed to ensuring no younger person (under the age of 65) lives in residential aged care unless there are exceptional circumstances.
Posted September 25, 2020
Is the disability support sector due for a shake-up? Social entrepreneur and product designer Melanie Tran wants to disrupt traditional models of support. And she’s helping bring together young people from around the country to help make that happen.
Posted September 22, 2020
These resources are designed to support NDIS providers to meet their obligations under the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 and to develop effective incident management systems. They provide information on the benefits of effective incident management, reportable incident obligations and timeframes, and incident management system requirements.
Posted September 22, 2020
The Hon. Alan Robertson SC was appointed to conduct an independent review into the NDIS Commission’s regulation of the provider of NDIS supports and services to Ms Ann-Marie Smith, an NDIS participant who died on 6 April 2020 in appalling circumstances.
Posted September 18, 2020
The scandal-plagued disability sector will get $22 billion from the federal government this financial year, but an independent review found the system left vulnerable people open to harm and neglect. Mr Shorten said NDIS Minister Stuart Robert had presided over a “toothless and sleepy” watchdog that in reality is “more like a very expensive purse poodle”.
Posted September 15, 2020
Have you ever wondered how planners decide how much Support Coordination funding goes into a plan? At times the process seems about as random as throwing a dart at a board and seeing where it lands. Now an internal NDIA Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) titled “Include Support Coordination in a Plan,” has been obtained under Freedom of Information (FOI), and sheds some light.
Posted September 3, 2020
The Support Coordination Discussion Paper is asking the sector to respond to a question that has long circulated the NDIS: should providers be allowed to deliver Support Coordination and direct supports to the same people? This is a question the NDIA is being forced to turn its attention to.
Posted August 30, 2020
The report found Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living with a disability are 1.6 times more likely to report racism than those without a disability and are almost twice as likely to avoid certain situations because of past experiences of discrimination.
Posted August 30, 2020
A Melbourne woman who has been on the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) for three years says it is too easy for money to be incorrectly taken from participants.
Posted August 18, 2020
The evacuation of all the residents from a special accommodation facility at the centre of a COVID-19 cluster has prompted warnings that disability services will face more outbreaks without immediate intervention.
Posted August 7, 2020
A carer for disabled Adelaide woman Ann Marie Smith has been charged with manslaughter over the 54-year-old’s death. She is expected to appear in Adelaide Magistrates Court on Thursday or Friday.
Posted June 20, 2020
The National Disability Insurance Scheme’s watchdog failed to immediately investigate the rape of a disability care recipient “by one or more care workers”, Federal Parliament has been told.
