Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. For eight months before 23-year-old Liam Danher choked to death during an epileptic seizure in his sleep, his family fought the government for a $445 seizure mat which they say would have saved his life. Given what the government knows now, including that the legal and administrative cost of fighting the family was much more than the cost of the seizure mat itself, would it have handled things differently and just accepted the claim?

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question. I will ask the Minister representing the Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme to respond.

Stuart Robert (Fadden, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment, Workforce, Skills, Small and Family Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question. I note that a similar question was asked of the responsible minister in the Senate. She has said that she will come back to the Senate with specific details around the legal costs. Notwithstanding that, the responsible minister will come back to the Senate and we will ensure that response is given to the member as well.

I think it's important for all of us to recognise that the death of any participant is absolutely tragic, especially in circumstances where deaths can be largely preventable. We all in this House, and especially the Morrison government, are committed to a nationally consistent set of quality and safeguard systems across Australia, and we've implemented a number of major reforms over the last 12 months to consistently deliver a strong and consistent protection for every participant in the NDIS. That includes, on a rolling rotating basis, calling 78,000 vulnerable participants each year, especially during the pandemic, to ensure that Australians feel supported and have the necessary supports they need.

The minister will continue to work with the state and territory disability ministers to ensure we can strengthen the issues, especially as we connect with states and territories on health care, justice, out-of-home care and, indeed, for participants who are at significant risk of harm—the intent being that there is a no-wrong-door approach to identifying vulnerabilities or supports that are needed.

In late 2020, all disability ministers discussed this critical work on how we would strengthen the support and protections for people with disability to ensure that those who are vulnerable or at harm, or who need supports, can get them quickly. There will be ongoing work with the disability ministers right across the states and territories that we will continue to do to ensure we maximise the support for participants, especially those who are vulnerable participants.