Jenny Macklin (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Disability Reform) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Corangamite very much for his question and for his advocacy for a National Disability Insurance Scheme—and particularly to see a launch of the scheme in his area in and around Geelong. I take this opportunity to also thank the member for Corio for his advocacy as well.

What both of these members know is that the National Disability Insurance Scheme is being built by this government, and we are very pleased that it is going to start in the area of Geelong. We know that a National Disability Insurance Scheme is very important—very important for people with a disability, very important for people who are caring for those with disabilities.

Mr Hockey interjecting—

We are hearing interjections from the member for North Sydney, who can only say negative things about the National Disability Insurance Scheme. On this side of the parliament we know how important a National Disability Insurance Scheme is. That is why we asked the Productivity Commission to do the major inquiry that it delivered to us just one year ago. The Prime Minister released the report, and of course it showed that the system of care and support for people with disabilities in this country is broken, badly broken, and leaving people with disabilities and their carers to just wait and wait and wait—wait for a wheelchair, wait for a place in respite, wait for the care and support that they need. We are determined to end that wait. That is why, in the most recent budget, the Treasurer announced $1 billion to start the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

As a result of our commitment we will see the end of a cruel lottery that has existed for far too long right around this country—a cruel lottery that says to people with disability, 'It depends where you live and how you got your disability as to what level of care and support you will receive.'

I can announce to the House that, in the last fortnight, we have seen New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory agree to be part of the launch of the National Disability Insurance Scheme. People who live in these parts of Australia will see this Labor government deliver a National Disability Insurance Scheme. Just like we delivered Medicare, this government will deliver the National Disability Insurance Scheme. (Time expired)

See this speech in context