Bert Van Manen (Forde, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I congratulate the member for Robertson for moving this motion. While this was first debated in February this year, obviously there have been some major changes since then. It is important to reflect that more can always be done to assist the nearly four million Australians living with disabilities so that they do not feel isolated, secluded and left out of the opportunities that many of us take for granted. We all have a basic need and desire to live with dignity and to feel important, valued and respected.

We all want to play active roles in our families, in our working lives and in the broader community. Support for people with disabilities is not welfare; it is support to assist people to participate in the everyday life of our communities and our country. As I mentioned earlier this year, when speaking on the introduction of the NDIS legislation to this House, I would like to praise the people who were involved in the grassroots campaigns for people living with disabilities—their families, their friends, their carers and the support organisations—for their many years of hard work and effort, getting us to where we are today.

The Every Australian Counts campaign now has more than 155,000 supporters—and it is great to see Australians showing their commitment to people living with disabilities. The initial funding commitment in the recent federal budget through the increase in the Medicare levy of 0.5 per cent has been well received by Australians across the board, particularly those who have long campaigned for this kind of support. John Della Bosca, Every Australian Counts campaign director, said:

The Budget rights a wrong that has existed for decades. Australia has failed people with a disability and those who care for them. Tonight's Budget demonstrates that we are a nation that does what is right. Tonight's Budget makes the dream of the NDIS a certainty.

Over the past few years, I have spoken with a number of people in my electorate about the NDIS and I can remember having that discussion prior to being elected. Earlier this year I attended an afternoon tea forum on the NDIS at Lifestyle Solutions in Beenleigh. Lifestyle Solutions is a not-for-profit organisation, founded in Newcastle in 2001 with a vision to provide person-centred, flexible and responsive support services to people with disability. Over time, their support has extended beyond disabilities to include a range of support services for children, young people and adults across Australia.

At the afternoon tea there were a number of carers and people with disabilities who were eager to find out more about the NDIS and how it would assist them. I took the opportunity to speak with a number of constituents who told me they were looking forward to the extra support they envisaged would be provided by an NDIS. They said that they hoped the extra support and recognition might assist them to spend more of their time contributing to our community. They do not want to be recognised as somebody with a disability; they want to be recognised for their abilities.

Without the right support our workplaces and community organisations are missing out on some very bright and able individuals. The coalition supports this legislation from the beginning. We supported the work of the Productivity Commission, we supported the funding in the last budget and we supported the launch sites. In the future I look forward to hearing positive stories as a result of this historic change to the way Australians support their fellow citizens who live with these disabilities.

For the individuals in Forde: on 8 May this year an agreement was made between the Commonwealth and Queensland governments for the full scheme to be implemented from July 2019, with the transition to commence in 2016. Along with my coalition colleagues, I support the NDIS and will continue to place the NDIS above politics.

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