Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Moore for her long-term interest in this issue. The Gillard government is absolutely committed to delivering a National Disability Insurance Scheme. An NDIS will make sure we are delivering the kind of care and support Australians expect for people with a disability, their families and their carers.

One year ago, we received and released the Productivity Commission's report into disability care and support in Australia. This showed that people with disability, their families and their carers were waiting far too long for the care and support they need. That is why the Labor government put people with a disability, their carers and their families first when we committed to an NDIS. The NDIS will end the cruel lottery that sees people with disability receive different support depending on where they live or how they acquired their disability, give decision making to people with disability, their families and their carers, and put choice in their hands so that they can make the most of their opportunities and fulfil their potential.

That is why we are getting on with the job of delivering the foundations of the scheme. We put $1 billion on the table to fund the first stages of the scheme. We have established a new launch transition agency to run the delivery of care and support people with disability, their families and their carers. Applications are open for the $10 million practical design fund. I can also inform the Senate that in the past fortnight the government has reached agreement with the governments of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the ACT for launch sites.

We regard this as a fundamental Labor reform, standing up for ordinary Australians. Like another great Labor reform, Medicare, the National Disability Insurance Scheme will provide comfort to every parent in the country. It will provide a solution to the very considerable neglect that people with disability have had to suffer for many years.