Emma Husar (Lindsay, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today, I am very happy to be able to stand here and present the joint standing committee's report into the provision of hearing services under the National Disability Insurance Scheme. It is an interim report and comes off the back of months and months of work by the committee. I'd like to thank the chair, the member for Menzies, and the deputy chair, Jenny Macklin, the member for Jagajaga. I also thank all the people who presented evidence to our committee and ensured that we got a good outcome. It is anticipated that approximately 16,000 to 20,000 people with hearing impairments as their primary disability will join the NDIS by 2019-20. This will represent a small cohort within the scheme—less than three per cent of NDIS participants.

The introduction of the NDIS has had a disruptive effect on what is broadly recognised as international best practice in the support provided to the deaf and hearing impaired. In fact, we have managed to see successful numbers around the world with our infant screening tests. Hearing impairment has been reduced significantly in this country.

Some concerning issues emerged from our hearings and need to be resolved to ensure deaf and hard-of-hearing people continue to receive world-class services. In March 2017, the committee delayed finalising its report, pending the release of the NDIA key operational guidelines for access criteria to the scheme for deaf and hard-of-hearing people and the baseline reference packages to guide planned development for early intervention services. The NDIA indicated to the committee that it would release these guidelines and packages by the end of April 2017. While the NDIA released guidelines for access criteria on 1 September, 2017, the early intervention packages remain outstanding. Without definitive information about the early intervention packages, the committee cannot report and make considered recommendations. This is a cause of great concern for many families, the hearing sector and, obviously, our committee.

The committee has decided to release an interim report while it awaits the release of the packages. The interim report focuses on the access criteria to the scheme and the issues pertaining to access and delivery of early intervention services. Until now, there has been a clear lack of access criteria to determine eligibility to NDIS services for deaf and hard-of-hearing people. This has caused uncertainty for future access to services and supports, especially for newly diagnosed infants and children. The committee is relieved that clear guidance to determine access to the scheme has been articulated and publicly released by the NDIA. However, the committee is frustrated that it has taken so long. I assure you that many of the people giving evidence were equally frustrated.

Based on the evidence received to date, the recently released access criteria for early intervention requirements for deaf and hard-of-hearing people aged zero to 25 appear to be technically consistent with the current practices of Australian Hearing and are therefore broadly welcomed by stakeholders. With regard to the access criteria for those who are 26 years or older, the committee is concerned that the requirements may leave some people ineligible for the scheme, despite their need for reasonable and necessary supports. I will run through the recommendations in this report:

Recommendation 1

2.57 The committee recommends the NDIA monitors eligibility rates for adults with hearing impairments to build a clearer picture of the number and needs of the people who have been found ineligible for NDIS services and reports on its finding in 12 months.

Recommendation 2

2.58 The committee recommends the NDIA reviews immediately the cases of people with hearing impairment who were previously found ineligible and tests their eligibility against the revised guidelines.

Recommendation 3

2.59 The committee recommends the Australian, state and territory governments clarify and make public how they will provide services for people who are deaf and hard of hearing who are not participants in the NDIS.

Recommendation 4

3.83 The committee recommends Australian Hearing be formally appointed as the independent referral pathway for access to early intervention services under the NDIS and funded appropriately to take on this new role.

Recommendation 5

3.87 The committee recommends the NDIA ensures that the early intervention packages take a holistic approach to the needs of participants and include:

•   scaled funding, depending on need;

•   funding provision for additional services beyond core supports, depending on need; and

•   retrospective payment of the costs borne by approved service providers for the provision of necessary and reasonable supports between time of diagnosis and plan enactment.

Recommendation 6

3.90 The committee recommends the NDIA urgently finalise, publish and introduce the early intervention reference packages.

Many other MPs in this building would certainly be in the same position as me—and members of the committee certainly are—in taking on a lot of questions about the NDIS and exactly what's happening with it, and they are absolutely hoping to get the best outcomes for their constituents, particularly people who need those reasonable and necessary supports. So I'm hoping that this report that we put a lot of work into is actually accepted and looked upon favourably by this government and they are able to fund those things that need to be funded and continue with those recommendations that we have diligently sought to make.

This is an interim report. The committee is currently looking at other areas of the National Disability Insurance Scheme, including the transitional period and the early intervention, early childhood, approach. It is with great pride that I hand over the work that's been done by this committee on the biggest social reform that this country has seen since Medicare. It is an important and vital part of legislation for our country and for people who rely on it.

Debate adjourned.