PWDA has made a submission to the Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme (JSC on the NDIS) inquiry into Current Scheme Implementation and Forecasting for the NDIS. We commend the Joint Standing Committee on it’s decision to launch the inquiry.
The NDIS is an integral part of Australia’s committment to The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
One key objective of the NDIS Act is to ‘protect and prevent people with disability from experiencing harm arising from poor quality or unsafe supports or services provided under the National Disability Insurance Scheme.’
PWDA has long supported a sustainable and fully funded NDIS that provides supports and services equitably for people with disability in Australia.
In our submission, we highlight four key recommendations:
- As intended, Tier 2 NDIS supports and Department of Social Services Information, Linkages and Capacity Building grants should support people with disability to access mainstream services, not deliver more research funding to universities.
- As planned, there should be a singly funded, fully underwritten National Disability Insurance Premium Fund. People with disability have the right to a fully funded sustainable NDIS to ensure their supports and services are delivered equitably.
- The financial and actuarial modelling and forecasting of the NDIS being relied upon by governments must be accessible, completely publicly available and transparent, and available for full probity under Australian freedom of information (FOI) laws.
- The NDIS must be a strong scheme for people with disability.
Following this submission, we will also undertake a full consultation with our members and the disability community on all aspects of the terms of reference of the inquiry.