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

Thanks, Mr Speaker, and congratulations on your election. My question is to the Prime Minister. Eligibility for the National Disability Insurance Scheme requires that a person have a profound and severe lifelong disability, but today on the front page of the Australian his NDIS minister says that the scheme was never intended to function as a welfare scheme for life. Does the Prime Minister agree with his minister that Australians living with a lifetime of profound and severe disability should expect a lifetime of NDIS support?

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

The member may not be aware, but that reference in that article has actually been withdrawn by the Australian because, the minister was able to establish—that's what I'm advised—that that statement was not made about referencing welfare. The member may not be aware of that, so I can understand why he would ask that question on that basis.

I don't believe that the NDIS is welfare. I do believe the NDIS is provided to ensure people with permanent disability have, as much as we possibly can, the same opportunities as other Australians. I have been a supporter of this initiative from the outset. I have supported it in opposition when it was brought forward by those opposite when they were in government. I have supported it as a social services minister. I have supported it as a Treasurer, and I have supported it as a Prime Minister. I support it because it provides—

Andrew Wallace (Fisher, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister will resume his seat. On a point of order, the member for Maribyrnong?

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

On relevance: I just checked the updated Australian reference and the updated Australia reference says the minister did call it welfare. The Prime Minister is saying it's not welfare. Who's right: you or your minister?

Andrew Wallace (Fisher, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This is not an opportunity to ask a supplementary question, but the point of order is on relevance. The Prime Minister is being relevant. The Prime Minister has the call.

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

In the previous article, just to assist the member, the statement 'welfare scheme for life' was put in inverted commas to indicate a quote. That is not in the updated document. There are no quote marks in relation to that statement, and so the suggestion the member has made based on this is incorrect.

Regardless, let me be very clear: the NDIS is not welfare.

Opposition members interjecting—

Andrew Wallace (Fisher, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister will resume his seat for a moment. The level of interjections is too high on my left. The Prime Minister has the call.

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

The NDIS is not welfare. I've never believed it is and I never will. I've supported it every single day I've been here since it was brought into this chamber many years ago by those opposite, and I believe it should be a matter of bipartisan support, continuing as it was when it was introduced. That is certainly the approach I have taken in opposition and in government, as a minister, a Treasurer and a Prime Minister, and I will continue to. It is providing Australians with disabilities with opportunities that, when people of our generation were growing up, we would never have dreamed of, and I think that says marvellous things about our country. It is a very demanding scheme in terms of its fiscal cost. Australians are bearing that cost and we will continue to. We need to ensure that it's run efficiently and we need to ensure that it isn't subjected to any form of abuse, because, by protecting it against abuse, we are protecting the people who it is intended to support. So let there be no doubt that my government believes in the NDIS. We've demonstrated that by fully funding it every single day and we will continue to.