Libby Coker (Corangamite, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

On behalf of the Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme, I present the committee's report, incorporating a dissenting report, entitled Annual report No. 1 of the 48th Parliament.

Report made a parliamentary paper in accordance with order 39(e).

by leave—Deputy Speaker, the NDIS changes lives, it is a transformative reform—but we know it can always be better. That is the message at the heart of this report.

It reflects the experiences of people with disability and their families from right across the country. Their insights, their challenges, and their aspirations have guided the committee's work and shaped the recommendations we put forward today.

This report also demonstrates something important: a committee united in its commitment to deliver strong oversight of the scheme, and to workconstructively towards outcomes that improve the lives of people with disability.

I'd like to thank all members of the committee who contributed to this Annual Report.

In particular, I thank the deputy chair, Senator Kovacic, for her support and collaboration.

And of course, I want to acknowledge our secretariat—Dr Jane Thompson, Sarah Redden and Emma Wannell. The committee greatly appreciates the work you do.

Deputy Speaker, over the past year the committee has continued to engage closely with the disability community.

We held two public hearings, in Canberra and Sydney, and received 23 public submissions.

This builds on the significant evidence gathered through the committee's previous Inquiry into Rural, Regional and Remote community access to the NDIS.

On behalf of the committee, I thank everyone who appeared before us and who took the time to make submissions.

Your lived experience of the Scheme is invaluable, and it has directly informed the recommendations in this report.

The evidence we received makes one thing clear -the NDIS remains a world-leading initiative.

It is built on the principles of choice and control for participants, genuine co-design, and long-term sustainability.

This first Annual Report of this Parliament outlines a number of recent legislative and policy developments within the Scheme.

It also summarises the evidence the committee has received so far in the 48th Parliament through hearings and submissions. Across this evidence, a consistent theme emerged from Participants, carers, and representative organisations.

The need for clear and constant communication and support for all those navigating the scheme.

For that reason, the committee emphasises the importance of maintaining public confidence in the scheme and ensuring that reforms continue to reflect the NDIS's founding principles.

Deputy Speaker—in staying true to those principles, this report makes eight recommendations.

That is in addition to the more than 400 recommendations the committee has made since it first commenced its work.

So, to strengthen accountability and transparency, the committee recommends the National Disability Insurance Agency and the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission provide annual updates on the progress made in responding to the committee's recommendations since the 45th Parliament.

The committee also recommends extensive consultation and testing of the I-CAN assessment tool across a broad range of people with disability.

It is important that participants and those who support them understand how this tool works and how it will inform the participant's budget.

Clear public information should be provided by the NDIA, and participants should have the opportunity to review a draft plan before it is finalised.

The committee also notes that the NDIA has previously commenced work on a gender strategy.

We encourage the agency to continue this important work, to make information about the strategy publicly available, and to include a clear data strategy within it.

Finally, the committee makes recommendations aimed at strengthening safety within the scheme, including improving safe and confidential processes for victims-survivors of domestic and family violence who interact with the NDIS.

The NDIS represents a profound commitment by our nation and this government to support people with disability to live with dignity, independence and opportunity.

The committee's work—and the recommendations in this report—are intended to ensure the scheme continues to deliver on that promise.

I commend the report to the House.

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