Sharon Claydon (Newcastle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Last time I mapped out the shameful history of this Abbott-Turnbull government to frustrate, denigrate and in part put in jeopardy—or indeed, at the very least, raise serious doubts about—the NDIS, which is the single most important social reform that this country has seen since the establishment of Medicare. Thankfully, despite the government's best efforts, neither the crossbench nor the Australian people have fallen for this shoddy divide-and-conquer trick. In fact, the response to the government's cynical ploy has been swift, decisive and completely appropriate. The inaugural Chair of the NDIS, Mr Bruce Bonyhady, has rightly labelled the government's behaviour as 'deeply cruel'. Jo Briskey, the Executive Director of the lobby group The Parenthood, said she had had no concerns about NDIS funding prior to the government's implied funding threat. She delivered a very clear warning to the government when she said:

I hope that the Turnbull government sees that they have made a mistake here, they have made a misjudgment, that the NDIS should be above party politics, should be above the petty politics that is happening at the moment and every politician in Canberra should be getting behind the future of the NDIS.

Despite the government's best efforts to undermine the NDIS, it is very clear that the Australian people understand just how important this scheme is for our nation.

Sadly, whilst the government has had some opportunities to revisit its strategy, it would seem that it has taken the path of simply doubling down on former Prime Minister Abbott's strategy of locking in concessions for the wealthiest individuals and companies while loading up all the pain on the most vulnerable in our community. I will leave the final words to Kurt Fearnley, who is not only a top Australian Paralympian but a strong advocate of the NDIS. Indeed, his words rang loudly in my community when he said about the NDIS:

I wish the Government would fight for it with as much vigour as fighting for its $50 billion business tax cut, because they believe both are benefits for our community.

Touche, Mr Fearnley. Let us hope the government will listen.

See this speech in context