Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Minister representing the Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme, Senator Ruston. Today is International Day of People with Disability, a day we celebrate the achievements of people living with a disability and reaffirm our solidarity to work with them to overcome their barriers which prevent them engaging fully in society. The Morrison government continues to go slow on the implementation of the NDIS, using so-called underspends to prop up the budget bottom line, claiming $4.6 billion in the last financial year. When will the Morrison government finally unlock this funding that Australians living with a disability so desperately need?

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Brown for her question and I also thank Senator Brown for the opportunity to sponsor her motion this afternoon recognising people who live with disability and celebrating their day today. We recognise the amazing contributions that they make to our society. So, Senator Brown, I thank you very much for that opportunity.

The NDIS is a demand driven model, which means that the amount of money that is spent on providing the supports and services that people who live with disability require through the NDIS is based on demand. I acknowledge that the scheme has not rolled out as quickly as was originally forecast, but we're very pleased to see that 311,000 Australians are receiving supports and services through plans with the NDIS to enable them to fulfil their life goals and dreams.

To come in here and suggest that the government has somehow created a budgetary saving on the back of the NDIS is blatantly not true. It is a demand driven system. I'm sure that over the coming years, as we accelerate the rollout of the NDIS, we will start to see the full expenditure of the budget for the NDIS. But let me be very, very clear: it is a demand driven system. The government is committed to provide the funding in order to support every Australian who is eligible for an NDIS plan and who seeks to have one. We stand absolutely committed to, and side by side with, all Australians with disability—particularly on this the International Day for People with Disability—to make sure that this once-in-a-lifetime and groundbreaking opportunity that the NDIS is is delivering for all Australians who live with a disability.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Brown, a supplementary question?

Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The NDIA originally estimated its staffing level would be 10,595 by 2018-19. But the Morrison government has imposed a staffing cap of 4,000 employees. As a result, participants are missing out on the support they need and $430 million was spent on consultants and contractors in 2018 alone. When will the Morrison government unshackle the NDIS by lifting this artificial staffing cap?

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Brown for her follow-up question. The government is absolutely committed to making sure we roll out the NDIS and provide the supports and services that Australians who live with disability can rightly expect from this amazing once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

As Senator Brown would be aware, we have already made the announcement that we are intending to add an additional 800 public servants—APS positions—capable of exercising delegations under the NDIS over the course of 2019-20. We also acknowledge that one of the great challenges in moving forward—and we are working on this as we bring providers on—is understanding the workforce that is going to be required to support the rollout of the NDIS. We are going to have to work side by side with NDIS and disability service providers to make sure services are able to be delivered in a timely and appropriate manner to people who live with disability.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Brown, a final supplementary question?

Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On Friday, Minister Robert announced that he would build an 'ontology of capabilities' across government. What did the minister mean? Given that the government's approach to digital transformation has delivered the illegal robodebt scheme, what hope do Australians living with a disability have that the minister will deliver a nirvana for accessing the services they so desperately need?

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Whilst I'm not going to deliver a dissection of exactly what the minister said, what I can say is that this government is absolutely committed to making sure that the rollout of the NDIS is fit for purpose and is delivering the best possible outcomes for the people who we seek to assist with the NDIS. They are people who live with disability, the very people whose amazing contributions to Australia—particularly to our society—we celebrate internationally today.

This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity will require a very integrated rollout across the whole of Australia. This is not just for people who live in cities. We are ensuring that we reach people with disability who live in regional, remote and rural communities, which is something we are absolutely committed to.