NDIS reform a welcome step for people with disability
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Leading non-profit organisation Settlement Services International (SSI) welcomes news from the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Minister Bill Shorten of six key areas of reform for the scheme.
Speaking at the National Press Club yesterday, Minister Shorten outlined a plan to improve NDIS participants’ experiences and make life easier for people with disability and their carers. The six points comprised:
- The NDIA workforce
- Long-term planning
- Eliminate unethical practices
- Supported Independent Living – SIL
- Addressing spiralling expenses
- Increasing community and mainstream supports
SSI General Manager Service Delivery, Community Andrew Baechle said the plan would put participants back at the centre of the scheme.
“The approach endorsed by Minister Shorten would ensure participants can access and receive the supports and services they need, and that their experience is positive and inclusive,” he said.
“It is particularly encouraging to see renewed focus on longer term planning for participants, and increasing community and mainstream supports so that people who aren’t eligible for NDIS can still get the support they need.
“As a provider of Local Area Coordination within the Scheme, we welcome the fact that providing connections to mainstream services and supports will also continue to be a high priority and key to the success of the NDIS.”
Baechle highlighted that it was also heartening to see renewed focus on the misuse of NDIS funds, including targeting fraud within the scheme and unethical providers pressuring participants into misuse of their funds.
“Unethical providers undermine what we as a sector are working so hard to achieve. But most importantly, they de-humanise and erode the faith of NDIS participants, who trust us to support them in achieving their goals,” he said.
“We welcome the introduction of more rigour to stamp out unethical practices and ensure that participants are protected from this conduct.”
SSI delivers the Local Area Coordination (LAC) services for the NDIS in two areas in NSW: South-West Sydney and Sydney.
Menchie Khairuddin is a writer Deputy Content Manager at Akolade and content producer for Third Sector News. She is passionate about social affairs specifically in mixed, multicultural heritage and not-for-profit organisations.
