Anne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme, Senator Farrell. Can the minister outline to the Senate what the Albanese Labor government is doing to clean up the mess left by the Liberals and the Nationals and get the NDIS back on track?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Urquhart for her question and for her deep interest in this area of policy. The National Disability Insurance Scheme is a great Australian success story. It's a scheme that exists only because of a Labor government. The NDIS is a scheme that will be protected by a Labor government.

The NDIS is an essential investment that supports those people living with disabilities and their families. The NDIS provides support for over half a million Australians with significant and permanent disability. Despite this, the Liberal and the National parties, through active disinterest, left the NDIS to wither on the vine during their long nine years of mismanagement and neglect of this position. They failed to do anything about cost increases; instead, they kicked the can down the road, as they did with so many difficult issues. They shuffled seven ministers through the portfolio over a decade and broke trust with the people and with the disability sector. And they let fraud and criminal activity sneak into the NDIS. Labor is committed to putting people with disability at the centre of this scheme. By establishing an independent review led by a panel of experts and people with disability, the Albanese Labor government is starting to rebuild this trust and get this scheme back on track.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Urquhart, a first supplementary?

Anne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister tell the Senate what the Albanese Labor government is doing to reduce fraud and criminal activity in the National Disability Insurance Scheme?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Unfortunately, Senator Urquhart, I can. Under the Liberal government, fraud and criminal activity became a significant contributor to waste in the National Disability Insurance Scheme. Under the watch of those opposite, and I'm pointing at this mob over here—

Anne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, over there.

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, that's them. There is evidence that the scheme has been targeted by serious organised crime. Currently, there are $213.9 million of NDIS funding being investigated for fraud. The Albanese Labor government has zero tolerance for fraud and is committed to stopping the waste of NDIS participant funding that should be used to give individuals choice over their lives. Earlier this year, the CEO of the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, Michael Phelan, noted that 15 to 20 per cent of the scheme's funding could be—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Farrell, your time has expired. Senator Urquhart, a second supplementary?

Anne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister explain to the Senate how the establishment of a fraud fusion taskforce will restore integrity and responsible economic management in the National Disability Insurance Scheme?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Urquhart for her insightful question. Yes, I can explain the answer to that question. The Albanese Labor government made an election commitment to restore trust in the NDIS and ensure a better future for Australians living with disability. The establishment of a fraud fusion taskforce complements this commitment by strengthening fraud detection and by better safeguarding the National Disability Insurance Scheme from serious organised crime and other fraud. The fraud fusion taskforce will better enable intelligence sharing, identification and response by the NDIS, the National Disability Insurance Scheme Quality and Safeguards Commission, Services Australia, other departments, law enforcement agencies and regulators. The Australian government will continue to investigate and prosecute to the full extent of the laws those found to be committing fraud.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Farrell, the time for this answer has now expired.