Ann Sudmalis (Gilmore, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

No, my dear, it was not. This was back in 2013. The theory was that he could have a fast election and possibly save Labor. Instead of saving the future of the NDIS, they callously called an election before passing that very, very important legislation to make the funding possible.

Now in this House we hear, 'We're funding the NDIS and there's no shortfall!'. Good grief! Do the maths. If you do not pass legislation to generate the income, there is a funding shortfall. The facts are that there is a $4.1 billion annual shortfall in the NDIS funding, but we are all committed to making sure this is filled. The shortfall has been recognised by disability groups and independent commentators throughout this whole debate. By 2019-2020, the Commonwealth, states and territories will jointly be spending around $21.4 billion to implement the NDIS. Not one of us resents one cent of that amount, because we know how critically important this is. We have heard stories throughout this House where we know this is essential.

The Commonwealth will fund approximately 52 per cent of the scheme, which will be about $11.1 billion in the 2019-2020 year. Labor claims it clearly identified enough savings specifically assigned to pay the other half of the Commonwealth funding requirements, which will be $4.1 billion in 2019-2020. As I have explained, this is untrue. Labor's actual budget papers did not link the savings to the NDIS, and that proposition only appeared in a 2013-2014 budget glossy. When savings measures were announced, Labor was still committed to a surplus, and it committed the funds to reducing the deficit, not merely to more spending. When the savings were announced, Labor did not mention the NDIS at all. Savings Labor now claims it made to help fund the NDIS went into consolidated revenue and were never set aside to fund the NDIS.

Any serious allocation of savings in an area of such significant social need, and such a large part of the budget spend in regard to the NDIS, requires a specific fund to be created to protect any savings from other uses, such as deficit reduction. This protects the funds from being washed away in growing deficits that were not predicted at the time the savings were made. In other words, a different government at any future time cannot take the funds and use them to pay off the 'government mortgage', rather than saving them for the needs of the people who the NDIS will cover. On this point, it is notable that at the time the NDIS first appeared in the federal budget, in 2012-13, the Treasurer of the day, Wayne Swan, predicted a surplus of $1.5 billion in 2012-2013 and that actually turned into a deficit of $18.8 billion.

The National Disability Insurance Scheme Savings Fund Special Account Bill 2016 will establish a new, ongoing special account known as the National Disability Insurance Scheme Savings Fund Special Account. My gosh; I am sure they are going to get a smaller title eventually! We have to meet our future spending. It is so important. The new NDIS Savings Fund Special Account—hopefully they are going to limit that to 'savings fund'—will collect underspends and savings to help meet the Commonwealth's contribution to the scheme. We will be able to pool these underspends and savings from across government over future years and lock them in as major contributions to the NDIS.    The NDIS is due to become the full scheme in 2019-2020, which will inject $21.4 billion each year into the Australian economy and improve the lives of around 460,000 Australians with a disability.

In Gilmore we have showcase organisations that either are working within the NDIS rollout right now or will be initiating such connections after July this year. One of those showcase organisations is Yumaro. Yumaro employs people with disabilities and is located in Moruya. Mark Brantingham, who has been a fabulous CEO, has put together amazing projects in that organisation, and you could not wish to meet happier people than the people who are working there. So far we have committed a small amount, $20,000, to help Yumaro expand and provide new opportunities for their ongoing business directions, but they also have part funding for some disability respite accommodation.

I have to applaud Yumaro. They are doing a fabulous job. They employ over 100 people who have a permanent disability. They have secured a major contract to manufacture and supply cleaning cloths to Bunnings Warehouse stores all around Australia. Next time you see those white packs in the painting section, you will know that they contain torn-up towels from hotels, overlocked by young people with a disability, packed into bags and shot out to Bunnings all over Australia. The $20,000 funded part of an extension valued at over $100,000 and it will deliver an additional 65 jobs, both during construction and for people with a disability.

Jindelara is one of my favourite disability projects in the seat of Gilmore. Last week I turned first sod for the project, which had been a promise during the election. There were tears that day, because the Lions Club, the Rotary club and all the people in the community had tried to fundraise for this enterprise—they had scraped together money; we had had a gala ball put on by the mayor of the day; and they had had a special grant of about $358,000 from America—but they could not get to what they needed, which was well over $700,000. The government matched them dollar-for-dollar, and we have now turned the sod on that cottage. Ultimately, it will have accommodation for six young people or children who need respite care so their carers can have a bit of a break. Last Friday I joined that community again, after we had announced Jindelara Cottage way back in June last year, and the Ulladulla Milton Lions Club President, Brian Thompson, and I turned the sod. Uncle Fred Carriage did a wonderful welcome to country, effectively a blessing for the site.

Jindelara Cottage will be a purpose-built five- to six-bedroom cottage with lots of modern facilities to accommodate young people living with a disability in our local community. It will enable families to access vital services in our region without the expense of travelling long distances, which stresses the families and means that children may be taken away from Budawang, which is the school that is based just two blocks from this respite place. The cottage is expected to be able to be accessed by over 60 children and young adults staying there over the year.

The cottage was inspired by a meeting at the Dunn Lewis Centre in Ulladulla, where the whole community gathered together and said: 'We need to have this respite facility. We do not want to take our young people out of school.' A young man, Eric, who had quite significant disabilities, was quite vocal at this gathering. He was being looked after by his custodial grandparents, so he is one of these special young people. He needed to not have to be taken to Batemans Bay or to Wollongong to give some respite, because that took him away from his school and his whole behaviour pattern changed because he was out of sync with his daily pattern. The appeal from his grandmother on the day was, 'This has to happen, but I don't believe it will happen in my time.' Well, I am happy to say that Eric's grandmother is still alive, although Eric will not be accessing this as much as he might have, because he is now mature enough to go to a group home. I was told that on Friday, so there were smiles all round.

Another organisation in my region which has done spectacular work for people with disabilities is Slice of Life Australia, or SOLA. It is a Shoalhaven based not-for-profit organisation that supports employment for people with disabilities in the hospitality, retail and horticultural industries. It also takes on young Indigenous people with disabilities. On this day after the Closing the gapreport, it is actually achieving that—closing the gap—bringing in young Indigenous people with a disability, mentoring them and helping them to move into part-employment. It operates a general store and a sustainable garden, which is now under the auspices of a fabulous Indigenous group called Waminda, who are doing an outstanding job as well. SOLA also runs Reflections Cafe at the local crematorium and it has a second-hand clothing store which is a bit better than normal, in the main street. SOLA is a sustainable company and it has been going for quite some time. It employs eight dedicated volunteers and over 30 full-time and casual employees, about a third of whom have a disability. SOLA has done some amazing things. It has even run a certificate II course in food handling, in conjunction with TAFE, in its preparation kitchen. So it really is achieving well.

All these organisations are disability providers. They are part of the NDIS system of right now and of the future. As we see the potential of the NDIS, there are increasing numbers of organisations that are changing the lives of so many people who have a disability, and these people are now able to choose the provider that best suits their needs. The NDIS is welcomed. It should be a great outcome for those with a disability, their carers and their families, not an unfunded brilliant program that can only partially deliver on its potential. Our plan will have a funding model that works not just now but well into the future so, when those amazing custodial grandparents who are looking after the children of their children pass, they will know that those children or young people with a disability will have a place to go; they will have a system of care; they will have people who are there to support them and surround them as they move on for the rest of their lives, even if their grandparents have passed.

I am proud of the system that has been brought in. It has, to date, been well supported by both sides. We really need to get on board with this, make sure we get it through, get the funding sorted and make sure these people with a disability are looked after.

See this speech in context