The Minister for the NDIS Bill Shorten announced a reset to the National Disability Insurance Scheme. He said there would be more staff employed to do a better job for NDIS participants and a crackdown on fraud.
Two initiatives that are very worthwhile and will be appreciated by Scheme participants, families and carers:
- there would be longer NDIS plans so people won’t have to keep proving they still have a disability.
- the Government would try to make sure mainstream services like health, education, and transport work together with the NDIS.
Comment by Deafness Forum
The strategic issue is attaining universal inclusion of all people who need the support of the NDIS – only about 26,000 people with hearing difficulty are currently eligible according to the NDIS data reported in May. It means ongoing advocacy, policy changes, and the support of the taxpayer.
Jane from Tasmania said, “When it comes to hearing loss the bar for access appears far too high. People with a “moderate” hearing loss are extremely impacted by their hearing loss and unable to participate in the community without hearing assistance yet the severity of their disability goes without support as it is described as only a moderate disability. I’m wondering if the descriptors used are harming deaf people and preventing us from accessing the level of help that we need?”
Other concerns
NDIS supports cease when a person enters hospital, hospice or residential aged care.
If a participant becomes a prison inmate they lose NDIS supports at a time that they are probably most needed in their lives.
There is the gross unfairness of excluding people from the Scheme who acquire a disability after their 65th birthday.