PWDA welcomes NDIS funding levy announcement

People with Disability Australia (PWDA) welcomes the announcement by the federal government of an increase to the Medicare levy to fund DisabilityCare Australia, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

“Although only providing for $3 billion of the estimated $8 billion a year required, this is a step in the right direction to safeguard NDIS funding for all Australians,” said Craig Wallace, President of People with Disability Australia.

PWDA also welcomes the announcement there will be no further changes to the disability support pension in the coming Budget.

“The government is wise not to link changes to DSP to the NDIS,” said Mr Wallace, “many people with disability are mired in long term unemployment because they lack precisely the kinds of supports that are now going to be funded under the NDIS. There isn’t one solution and the sequencing is important.”

With more than 800,000 people with disability mired on DSP and more than 600,000 people with disability on the poverty line, the NDIS is an investment to shift some of that disadvantage. With NDIS supports, PricewaterhouseCoopers point to an increase in the employment participation by over 370,000 people with disability by 2050.

Craig Wallace will be at the Press Gallery Boxes at 10.30 am giving a doorstep press conference.