Pat Conaghan (Cowper, National Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

Over the past month, I've been inundated with messages from my constituents describing the negative changes that have recently been announced in relation to the NDIS and what impact they will have on regional allied health practitioners and their patients. While the current NDIS model is unsustainable and plagued with rampant waste, the changes that came into effect this month are not the solution. I've met with members of the Australian Physiotherapy Association as well as passionate allied health providers to discuss what these changes will mean for the outcomes of their patients most in need of regular treatment to manage their condition. In short, these cuts have already begun to negatively impact the industry's ability to assist those high-needs patients. Concerningly, the 50 per cent travel cut has already severely eroded practices' ability to maintain in-house visits for those unable to travel—in other words, those with the most severe disabilities in electorates such as Cowper. Despite urgent pleas from every National Party MP and senator, peak industry bodies, allied health providers and thousands of affected NDIS participants calling for a hold on these changes, no official response has been provided by the minister. I ask the ministerial teams for a reversal of this decision until appropriate consultation has been completed.

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