Alan Tudge (Aston, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This morning I attended the Every Australian Counts breakfast here at Parliament House. The Every Australian Counts campaign is in support of the concept of the National Disability Insurance Scheme. The scheme has the potential to revolutionise the funding and support provided to people with disabilities. I formally pledged my support for the campaign last Friday in front of Gemma Holleran and her brother Adam from Ferntree Gully in my electorate. Adam suffers cerebral palsy and agenesis of the corpus callosum. He has learning difficulties and cannot speak or see clearly.

Gemma and her parents have been caring for Adam for 18 years, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They do so out of love and will continue to provide this care, but in a wealthy country like Australia we should be able to better assist people like Adam and his family with greater government support. The NDIS promises to do this. It would be a scheme that would provide assistance regardless of how the disability was obtained or where it was obtained. It will not be implemented overnight, but I pledge my support to work towards it. As the campaign motto says, 'Count on me.'