“No planner has ever listened to us, (my son) has told every planner that he wants to live a long and happy life and that he wants to only be cared for by mum and dad … no planner has ever taken that seriously.”
The National Disability Insurance Agency overestimated the future cost of the NDIS by more than $15 billion over just three years from 2017-18 to 2019-20, according to new figures released by the agency that suggest the future cost might not be as severe as projected.
This plan aims to put people with disabilities and their perspectives first in conversations about the future of the NDIS. It is meant to amplify the exceptional work already going on in the sector. Emerging themes voiced by NDIS Participants include trust in the NDIS needs to be restored by making vital changes to the Scheme. As part of this process, the NDIS must return to its original purpose, which includes providing community or “tier 2” supports. The experience of participants throughout the NDIS needs to be prioritised, meaningful choice and control must be provided for participants, and vulnerable participants need to get the support they deserve.
Yet the NDIS is not working for everyone. Many within the grass roots movement that created the NDIS have lost faith. First, interaction with the scheme must be made simpler. NDIS access is not needed for everyone seeking entry to the scheme, but for those with significant and permanent support needs, entry and ongoing access can be more customer centric and less red tape intensive.
NDIS minister Bill Shorten says the two-part review would report back to disability reform ministers by the end of October 2023, but said where consensus emerged around specific reforms, changes to the scheme could be enacted “well before” the final report is delivered.
The Independent Review Panel comprises of Co-Chairs Professor Bruce Bonyhady AM and Ms Lisa Paul AO PSM and Panel Members Mr Kevin Cocks AM, Ms Judy Brewer AO, Dr Stephen King, Mr Dougie Herd and Ms Kirsten Deane OAM. Part 1 of the NDIS Review, which will be led by Dr Bruce Bonyhady AM, will examine the design, operation and sustainability of the Scheme. Part 2 of the NDIS Review, which will be led by Ms Lisa Paul AO, will analyse ways to build a more responsive, supportive, and sustainable market and workforce.
A planned review of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is being brought forward to this year, with the federal government promising to work alongside people with disability after a significant breakdown of trust in recent years.
Despite the escalating costs of the scheme, Shorten told reporters the review was “not about a razor gang and cost-cutting” and he said any reforms would be grounded in the principle of co-design with people of disability.
Mr Bradley has been dealing with the AAT for two years and said his battle demonstrated the NDIA, through its legal teams which include in-house lawyers, corporate law firms and the Australian Government Solicitor, weren’t upholding this obligation.
“This new process will mean less red-tape for NDIS participants and their families, and faster access to minor works they need done to allow them to live safely and more independently in their homes,” Minister Shorten said. Eligible NDIS participants will no longer need to go through protracted NDIA processes for minor, non-structural modifications that cost under $20,000.
Commonwealth Bank (CBA) today announced a partnership with the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) to build a new claims at point of support channel for the National Disability and Insurance Scheme (NDIS). The new C-POS channel will be developed to improve the payment process, including by alleviating the need for participants to pay upfront using their own funds, while also reducing administrative burdens for providers.
She says the NDIA originally agreed to fund a wheelchair, but not a ramp to help her use it. Then, when her wheelchair was damaged in the flood, the agency agreed to fund the ramp, but not repair or replace the chair.
In an NDIS environment where plan cuts are commonplace, low- and mid-cost assistive technology (AT) is a secret weapon for saving money and increasing people’s independence. Done right: it’s a win-win-win scenario. And we’re not talking about small change either: the smart use of AT can reduce the need for (tens of) thousands of dollars’ worth of paid support.
Despite this, support for Australians with ADHD is only available through the NDIS if an individual qualifies for the NDIS via a primary condition of autism and they meet the requirements set out in the NDIS Act.
Australian of the Year Dylan Alcott has urged policymakers and the public to listen to people with lived experience when it comes to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). “For hundreds of years, people with disability were spoken on behalf of. Yet if you need to learn something about disability, listening to lived experience is the best way to do it.