Jason Falinski (Mackellar, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

It is always distressing to hear stories of people who had bad experiences with the NDIS or Centrelink, especially when it involves a child. The contribution of the member for Dobell to this debate was very moving and, if there is anything that I could do to assist that family, I would be more than willing to try. I don't know that I would succeed, but what has happened to them is not good enough.

Having said that: the people working at the NDIS are doing the best they can. This is an audacious program and an audacious system that we have set up. It was the idea of those opposite and came out of a Productivity Commission report, but what it is trying to achieve is a national scheme that looks after some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in our society, whose vulnerabilities and disadvantage are specific to each case. This was one of the bravest things that any federal government has attempted to do, and I am proud of the efforts of this government, whether it be under the Abbott prime ministership or the Turnbull prime ministership, to bring the scheme into being. It was announced by those opposite, but it has fallen to those on this side to bring it about.

In that regard, I congratulate the member for Hughes and the member for Menzies for their contribution to this debate. I also wish to note the contribution of the member for Oxley, who has always given his full-throated support advocacy to those he represents; and the member for Dobell, who brought so much passion and a personal story to this chamber. No doubt the member for Lalor will later give us her usual self-effacing contribution to this debate, and we look forward to that, as is appropriate.

Today the member for Higgins gave her first speech in the main chamber. She is a paediatrician. She has seen some of the hardest and toughest cases that our society has to throw at any doctor. She made this point that stuck with me. As a doctor—I know that in a previous life you too were a doctor and I am sure you share the sentiments—she never wanted to stand at the bottom of the cliff, waiting for the bodies to arrive. She would much prefer to be at the top of the cliff, stopping them from falling off. And I think that's what the government's program in early childhood intervention is all about. It's about keeping people away from the edge. This approach is evidence based. It's not new. The analogy is the best I have heard, but the approach is evidence based and not new. It is best practice. It is the best-practice approach to early childhood intervention for children aged zero to six years with development delay or disability. The member for Hughes and the member for Menzies both spoke at length about the contribution that any program can make when they reach someone before the problem escalates. The member for Menzies pointed to someone whose hearing may be impaired and noted that, if we can observe that sooner rather than later, we as a community and as a society can help that person live the fullest life that they can possibly have by early intervention.

There have been some challenges—there is no doubt about that—and many members in this chamber have spoken of them. There have been some challenges with rolling out the ECEI approach. In some areas, there have been longer than ideal wait times for children. These wait times are obviously unacceptable. We as a government have made it a clear priority to turn this situation around, and it is being turned around. We have started work on a six-month recovery plan, announced by the minister on 26 June, with key initiatives, including working with partners to secure additional resources to ensure children are able to receive early childhood supports in a timelier manner. For children who are experiencing significant waiting periods for a plan—that is, where the period between an access decision and getting a plan is greater than 50 days—the NDIA will provide a standard interim plan for six months. These initiatives are what will make this better.

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