Anne Webster (Mallee, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

Since its introduction, the National Disability Insurance Scheme, NDIS, has been supporting people with disability to achieve their goals and live life to their full potential. I rise to support this motion and congratulate the Morrison-McCormack government and the Council of Australian Governments Disability Reform Council for working together to improve the NDIS so that Australians are able to access the support that they need.

Since 1 October 2019, additional disability related health supports have been made available to purchase using NDIS funding. The NDIS is now funding specific disability related health supports where the supports are a regular part of the participant's daily life and the need for support results from a participant's disability. These supports are for participants who need help to manage a range of health matters, including those associated with continence, diabetes, dysphasia, epilepsy, podiatry, respiratory, nutrition, as well as wound and pressure care. The approach agreed to by the Disability Reform Council to fund these additional health related supports recognises that NDIS participants and their needs are at the centre of all government decisions.

We are committed to getting this right for Australians who live with disability. The government is ensuring a process of continual improvement for the NDIS, which is why Minister Robert commissioned a review of the NDIS Act 2013. The independent review, commissioned by Minister Robert and undertaken by David Tune, reaffirmed that, while many participants have had excellent experiences and are benefitting from the scheme, others have had frustrations with wait times, complexity of processes, and a lack of understanding of their needs. This review has assisted the government in developing the participant service guarantee. The review identified opportunities to make NDIS processes simpler and more straightforward, and to remove legislative barriers to positive participant and provider experiences with the NDIS.

The introduction of additional disability related health supports is another step toward delivering the government's plan for the NDIS. I'm committed to assisting Minister Robert in implementing the government's plan, which will ensure quicker access and quality decision-making, improved technology, equitable and consistent decisions, a financially stable NDIS and improved long-term outcomes for people who live with disability and for their families and carers.

These changes will be instrumental to many people who are reliant on the disability related health services in their daily lives. By December 2019, there were close to 340,000 active participants in the NDIS across the country and over 130,000 people receiving disability supports for the first time—evidence that uptake of the program is strong.

Another promising sign is that the diversity of participants in the NDIS is increasing. Of the 28,225 participants who joined the NDIS in the December quarter, there were more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, more culturally and linguistically diverse people and more people with psychosocial disability who entered the scheme than in previous quarters. This is a positive indication that the NDIS is working for all Australians, including those from disadvantaged or minority backgrounds.

There are also over 2,600 participants in my electorate of Mallee and 210 registered NDIS providers. I've been speaking with participants and providers across my electorate, gaining an appreciation for the operation of the scheme and how it is benefiting regional Australians. I understand that the NDIS has been transformative for many people living with disability in my electorate, and I'm thankful that these people will now be able to purchase additional disability related health supports—for example, the development and review of clinical care and daily maintenance for respiratory support; the implementation of a nutritional meal plan; epilepsy seizure monitoring; or even consumables related to wound and pressure care, such as dressings, gauze and bandages.

The NDIS is working for many thousands of people across the country, and these reforms will deliver outstanding benefits for many people. There are still challenges within the scheme that we have a duty to resolve, and I'm committed to working with the people of my electorate of Mallee to hear their stories, suggestions and feedback and to help in any way I can.

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