Posted May 13, 2022
The election special features interviews with Minister for the NDIS Linda Reynolds, Shadow Minister for the NDIS Bill Shorten and Greens spokesperson on Disability Rights and Services Jordon Steele John. The series concludes with a special panel providing commentary including former Disability Discrimination Commissioner Graeme Innes, PWDA President Samantha Connor and Bruce Bonyhady and Kirsten Deane from the Melbourne Disability Institute.
Posted May 6, 2022
With the Federal Election on 21 May 2022, the major parties have been out making promises, promises to voters. Here is a comparison of the disability announcements and policies of the major parties made to date.
Posted April 26, 2022
However, Dr Charlton now reckons it has far too much independence from government, which has far too little control over its spending. Unlike most other taxpayer-funded agencies, the NDIA sets its own budget and reports to a board, not to a federal minister. “The fatal flaw in the NDIS: It cries wolf but has no shepherd to control its spending,” he wrote in The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age last year.
Posted April 26, 2022
We need more people in Parliament with lived experience of disability; who understand what the disability community needs because they’re literally a part of it. We need the disability minister to be a disabled person.
Posted April 26, 2022
As disabled people, we are too often overlooked, underestimated and dismissed by non-disabled people. Too often we’re met with a “good on you champ”, or there’s a unique type of wide-eye, raised-eyebrow stare that comes when strangers realise the kids you are picking up from school are yours.
Posted April 26, 2022
The announcement is welcome news to voters with disability and their families. Currently they face many problems to become an NDIS participant and to keep the support they need.
Posted April 26, 2022
Australians with disability could look forward to a fairer NDIS should Labor win the upcoming election, the opposition has said. At the heart of the announcement was a promise to co-design changes to the NDIS with people with disability and the sector, and to boost the number of people with disability on the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) board.
Posted April 26, 2022
Labor has promised an overhaul of the national disability insurance scheme’s appeals process as Bill Shorten launched a stinging attack on the leadership of the agency’s current boss, Martin Hoffman. Unveiling the opposition’s vision for the $30bn scheme on Tuesday, Shorten said if elected the party would hire another 380 agency staff and crack down on rorting providers and the NDIA’s use of consultants and private law firms.
Posted April 25, 2022
On 30 March 2022 the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Participant Service Guarantee and Other Measures) Bill 2021 (Bill) was passed by Parliament. The Bill will amend the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 (NDIS Act). In this Explainer, we aim to assist participants and advocates by summarising and analysing the major changes to the NDIS Act.
Posted April 8, 2022
The Australian Government has today delivered the most significant improvements to participant experience since the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) was established in 2013. Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme, Senator the Hon Linda Reynolds CSC said the passage of the NDIS Amendment (Participant Service Guarantee and Other Measures) Bill 2021 will reduce red tape and increase flexibility for participants, their families and carers.
Posted April 7, 2022
The Morrison Government will invest $100 million over three years to ensure people with disability continue to have access to advocacy and legal support. From 1 July 2022, more than $73 million in grants will enable 59 organisations across Australia to deliver the National Disability Advocacy Program (NDAP). Minister for Families and Social Services Anne Ruston said the program provided people with disability access to advocacy services to promote their interests and protect their welfare.
Posted March 24, 2022
This program reveals the reality of the lives of many Australians with disabilities, who say they’ve been virtually abducted by the state, stripped of their assets, and stopped from speaking out – until now.
Posted March 4, 2022
Carers Australia’s election campaign is asking for equitable access to respite, a review of the financial support system for carers and funding of advocacy services to help carers understand their rights, so that all carers can have the same quality of life as other Australians.
Posted February 21, 2022
Given his physical struggles, Mr Patterson said he was shocked when his application for a disability support pension (DSP) – backed up with doctor’s letters – was rejected by Centrelink in October last year because his impairment did not meet the 20 assessment points required.
Posted February 18, 2022
Influenza, polio and more have shown that infections can change lives even decades later. Why the complacency over possible long-term effects of COVID-19?