The latest documents, released under freedom of information laws, show that NDIA officials inserted an entire chapter into the latest review of the scheme legislation. That chapter recommended the introduction of independent assessments for everyone who is a part of the scheme, a change likely to take place by the end of the year.
Addressing the National Press Club, Mr Shorten blamed “big consultancy cronyism and a stultifying staffing cap” for poor service delivery in the NDIS, accusing the Coalition of putting compliance measures ahead of improving the lives of Australians with a disability.
Commonwealth, state and territory disability ministers met on Thursday 15 April 2021 by telepresence.
Emails and draft copies of the 2019 report, written by former senior public servant David Tune, show National Disability Insurance Agency officials inserted an entire chapter into the review of the scheme’s legislation, and made substantial changes to almost every part of the document.
Queensland disability groups have welcomed the state government’s decision to extend advocacy funding, with $8.1 million committed over the next two years. The QLD Disability Advocacy Alliance thanked the government for the pledge, but noted it was more of a stop-gap measure to support the sector until an ongoing funding model for advocacy was developed.
The Queensland government currently provides $4.9 million to fund independent disability advocacy services, but funding is set to end on 30 June with no further commitment on offer.
Minister for Disability, Ageing and Carers Luke Donnellan today awarded more than $1.6 million for advocacy funding, to help Victorians with disability and their families continue to access timely and targeted advocacy support when they need it.
The Government supports, or supports-in-principle, 26 of the recommendations made in the Committee’s report. Given the ongoing reforms to the planning process being progressed by the NDIA, the Government notes the Committee’s remaining 16 recommendations and provides information on the key initiatives underway and planned to address them.
Let’s be clear about one thing: in the conversation about NDIS legislative reform, sex work is a red herring. Redrawing the lines of reasonable and necessary would impact every single decision on what the NDIS will or will not fund. But if the Minister successfully makes this a conversation about sex work, he might manage to get a whole host of legislative changes passed in the Senate. It’s quite a clever—albeit transparent—strategy, and it could work.
We’ve all been worried for a while now about what changes were going to be made this year to the legislation that governs the NDIS. Well yesterday the Minister for the NDIS Stuart Robert gave an interview on talkback radio in Sydney – and let slip some of what he has planned. And in the process pretty much confirmed what we were all so worried about.
The Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) has announced it will conduct an inquiry into independent assessments under the NDIS. “Through its other inquiries, the committee has heard that many stakeholders—particularly in the Tdisability and allied health sectors—have strong concerns about the independent assessments process, and about how assessments will be used to inform access and planning decisions,” says Committee Chair, the Hon Kevin Andrews.
As a first step to demonstrating all governments commitment to better collaborating and engaging with people with disability, Disability Ministers from across Australia have agreed to work together to establish a new National Disability Strategy Advisory Council. The Advisory Council will be developed in close consultation with people with disability, and commence alongside the new National Disability Strategy in 2021.
Closing date: March 31, 2021
As part of the committee’s role to inquire into the implementation, performance and governance of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), the committee has decided to conduct an inquiry into independent assessments under the NDIS. An independent assessment is an assessment of a person’s functional capacity, which will be used to inform decisions about eligibility … Continued
This report relates to the committee’s ongoing inquiry into general issues regarding the implementation and performance of the NDIS. The report provides an update on the committee’s recent activities and makes 10 recommendations to improve the NDIS for participants, providers and other key stakeholders.
This is an interim report which makes 14 recommendations to address key issues facing the NDIS workforce. The committee will continue to consider these issues next year and intends to present a final report on the NDIS workforce to Parliament in 2021.