Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party, Minister for Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for her question and for her support of the National Disability Insurance Scheme. It wasn't long ago that we were visiting the new site for the NDIA, and it was a very important visit. She is right that the NDIS is an essential service being provided to Australians with a disability, but, more than that, it is life-changing. It is the biggest social reform that any of us will see in our lifetime. In the member's electorate of Corangamite over 2,800 people now have access to the scheme. Half of these people have never had access to any support in their lives. These Australians are just some of the 180,000 people who have now begun accessing the NDIS—and over 55,000 are getting support for the first time in their lives. These are not just numbers. They are all individual lives that are being changed by the NDIS. It is allowing Australians with a disability to live life to the full.

Before the NDIS, Shelly Lynde was uncertain about her future and her son's. At six months, her son Alex had already had numerous surgeries and a diagnosis of neurofibromatosis and autism. This combination means Alex needs one-on-one attention, weekly speech therapy, occupational therapy and physiotherapy. Through the NDIS, Shelly and Alex are now receiving funding to cover his needs. As Shelly said, 'Before the NDIS, I found it frustrating. If I can't pay for it, how am I supposed to do it? The NDIS has alleviated the financial pressures. To go from nothing to Alex having all of his therapy costs paid for means so much to our family. Without all this, we would not have been able to start school.'

As Shelly Lynde knows, the NDIS is giving people with a disability, like Alex, a chance they never thought possible. We would not be able to do this without fully funding the NDIS. It is why this government is committed to fully funding the NDIS and providing the essential services Australians with a disability rely on. At full scheme, there will be over 460,000 people who rely on the NDIS, and nearly 90,000 jobs will be created to provide support. We are working hard to complete this life-changing social reform— (Time expired)

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