Gladys Liu (Chisholm, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Just last week we had the International Day of People with Disability, a day when we are all encouraged to focus on raising awareness and understanding of the issues experienced by people living with a disability. In the spirit of this important initiative, I would like to take this moment to talk about the crucial role played by the NDIS this year and the Morrison government's plan to deliver ambitious and much needed reform to the scheme. There are around 4.3 million people in this country who have a disability, and our government understands the importance of the NDIS to these Australians. But the NDIS does more than support those with a disability. It gives all Australians peace of mind: if an Australian, their child or a loved one is born with, or acquires, a permanent and significant disability they can feel safe in the knowledge that they will get the support they need.

Through the significant challenges of this year the NDIS's role has been critical, and the Morrison government has stepped in where necessary to ensure that people with disability remain safe and continue to receive the disability support they need. In March my good friend the Minister for Government Services, Stuart Robert, acted quickly to provide assistance to NDIS participants and providers, ensuring the viability of the latter through COVID-19. This included a one-month advance payment for registered NDIS providers, which saw $666 million of advance payments made to 5,161 eligible NDIS providers to provide immediate cash flow relief.

We are on track to deliver the most substantial reforms to the NDIS since its establishment. In August the government released its response to the Tune review of the NDIS, supporting in principle all of the recommendations. Unfortunately the coronavirus has delayed implementation of these recommendations, but we are now moving forward with an urgency that recognises the importance of the planned reforms. The reform package will deliver on the final elements of the Productivity Commissioner's original design for the NDIS and on the promise of the NDIS to provide Australians with a permanent and significant disability choice and control over their flexible support package to achieve their goals. Key changes include the introduction of independent assessments and the implementation of the Participant Service Guarantee, a core commitment the government made at the 2019 election.

Recently I had the opportunity to visit a fantastic local organisation supporting people living with a disability in my electorate of Chisholm. Waverley Helpmates supports, trains and employs people with disabilities in our community. They are committed to the belief that people with disabilities should have the same employment opportunities as any other person. Those whom I had the chance to speak with at Helpmates were positive about the recommendations of the Tune review and our governments acceptance of them. With the Morrison government looking to implement crucial reforms to the NDIS from mid-2021, I look forward to working with members of my community, including those involved with Waverley Helpmates.

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