Susan Templeman (Macquarie, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Chad Graham is 27 years old and lives in the Blue Mountains. He was a typical teenager, going to school, playing sport, a keen water skier and a competitive motocross rider competing at state level. Eleven years and one month ago, he was riding his week at a friend's property when had an accident and was left a C5-C6 incomplete quadriplegic. Chad went to primary school with my daughter. My memory of him is as a likeable kid with a bit of mischief in his smile. His injuries didn't dampen his enthusiasm for life or sport. He finished school, completed a traineeship in business management, got his driver's licence and got a job. He also tackled an across-Australia journey on a motorised buggy.

No-one is smiling in Chad's home today because Chad is now housebound. In October, a request for modifications for his car was submitted to the NDIA but nothing happened for months. When the car quoted on broke down, he and his family purchased a newer vehicle. The amended request was submitted to the NDIA in January, but despite regular follow-up calls from Chad, his mum Wendy and my office, including a letter to the assistant minister earlier this month, there has been no resolution. Wendy broke down on the phone with me today. As she said, 'No-one should go through this torture with the NDIA just to get basic equipment. No-one should be left in limbo for this amount of time.' For all the good intentions, the system is failing people like Chad and Wendy. This is not the system that NDIS was meant to be.