Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme) Share this | Hansard source

I begin by saying that it is a great honour to hold this portfolio. I have really relished getting to grips with the brief over the last couple of months. I sat down, of course, with the department and with the NDIA and the commission—as you would expect. I've been making my way through the thousands of pages of analyses and reviews that have been produced, and I have spoken with my state and territory counterparts. I've been out and about, talking with advocates and speaking with service providers, regulators, academics and workers in the sector and their representatives, but the most important conversations that I've had have been with people with lived experience of disability—the people who participate in the NDIS. I want to thank the sector and the disability community for how generous they have been with their time and their knowledge.

For decades, people with disability have told policymakers: nothing about us without us. I understand the need, I understand that call and I understand my responsibility to make sure that their voices are heard and that they carry weight. As Minister for the NDIS, I have a responsibility to ensure the NDIS is not done to or for participants without their input. The scheme must be designed, overseen and implemented in partnership with the people who have a lived experience of disability. This will continue to be the government's position going forward.

I also want to make it clear that the NDIS is part of the unique Australian social safety net. It stands alongside Medicare as one of Labor's great achievements, so Labor will continue to make changes to improve the NDIS. We know that the scheme has been life-changing; we know it isn't perfect. We want to ensure that the scheme delivers on the vision as originally set out. We want to protect the safety and uphold the rights of every single participant in the NDIS. We want to ensure that the scheme delivers consistent and fair decisions, and we want every dollar allocated to NDIS participants to reach them and to be spent in a meaningful way that makes a difference to their lives so that people with disability can continue to live with dignity and exercise control over their future. We will pursue these things in line with this very clear principle: if you are a person with a disability, your interests deserve to be at the centre of the policies and the government decisions that affect your life. This is how I'll approach this portfolio as the minister, and it will be at the heart of the Albanese government's approach to the NDIS. We know how important it is to make sure that the NDIS is there for long haul.

In relation to the order being discussed, the government has previously outlined that we have claimed public interest immunity over the requested documents, as disclosure would prejudice relations between the Commonwealth and the states and territories. The government continues to reiterate our view that we cannot agree with this motion. We do, however, acknowledge the interest in the chamber in continuing to reform the NDIS to get it back on track and ensure its sustainability for future generations of Australians, and I thank those Senate colleagues who have reached out to offer support for that broad objective.

On 8 February 2024, the government tabled the final report of the Independent Review into the National Disability Insurance Scheme, and that was publicly released on 7 December 2023. The review delivered 26 recommendations and 139 supporting actions to respond to its terms of reference. In delivering its recommendations, the review provided exhaustive analysis and proposals to improve the operation, effectiveness and sustainability of the NDIS. The independent review panel has said that its reforms can improve the scheme and meet National Cabinet's annual growth target of no more than eight per cent growth by 1 July 2026. The National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Getting the NDIS Back on Track No. 1) Bill 2024was the first legislative step by our government towards ensuring this annual growth target is achieved. The Minister representing the Treasurer has already tabled key documents for the benefit of the Senate, in addition to the aforementioned review.