Fiona Martin (Reid, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

On 3 December we marked the International Day of People with Disability. As an educational and development psychologist who has researched and worked with people with autism spectrum disorder and people with intellectual disabilities, I feel privileged to contribute in this area, especially through my work on the Joint Standing Committee on the NDIS and as co-chair of Parliamentary Friends of Disability and Parliamentary Friends of Hearing Health and Deafness.

If we rewind the clock 20 years to when I first started my career we can see significant improvements to the lives of people with disability. It is incredible to see the way the NDIS has grown over the last seven years. The NDIS is now available to all eligible Australians no matter where they live. It is currently assisting over 400,000 participants. In my electorate of Reid 1,655 constituents benefit from this scheme, providing greater support and choice in their lives. I commend the Australian government on the successful rollout of the scheme. I would say that this is one of the most important social reforms in Australian history. I proudly note the bipartisan support for the NDIS, which will entrench the program into the fabric of Australian life for years to come. Within the next five years the NDIS will enable an estimated 500,000 Australians who have permanent and significant disability to access supports, many for the first time.

The theme of this year's International Day of People with Disability is 'Building Back Better: toward a disability-inclusive, accessible and sustainable post COVID-19 world'. The coronavirus crisis has disrupted every aspect of Australian life but it has especially impacted people with disabilities and their families. The coronavirus places people with disability at increased risk from the virus itself, and there's the serious impact of having routines and support services disrupted.

When coronavirus hit our shores the Morrison government acted quickly to protect the overall population and in particular our most vulnerable Australians. Australia was one of the first nations to have a special dedicated COVID-19 response plan for our disability community. In consultation with governments at all levels, disability and health sectors, academic and NDIS participants, we developed a plan that puts people with disabilities at the centre. Flexible approaches to service delivery such as telehealth, home medicines delivery and infection training meant that those in the disability sector had the best possible defence against the coronavirus. In this period the Morrison government made sure that our NDIS participants had a range of temporary measures to support them through the crisis. The NDIA made $666 million in advanced payments to more than 5,000 NDIS providers, ensuring much needed financial supports and continuity of services.

I also want to commend the carers, health workers and service providers for the work they do across my electorate of Reid to ensure that people with disabilities can reach their full potential and have the best possible quality of life available. For instance, Mr David Clarke, the Chief Executive Officer of ParaQuad New South Wales, located in Newington, makes sure that those living with spinal cord industry have the advocacy and support needed to live a life of choice and independence. MAX employment in Burwood works closely with clients who have a disability to help them engage in the Australian government's Jobactive program. They are one of the many services in our community that help to connect clients who have a disability to meaningful employment, which provides greater financial independence and a sense of purpose.

The Sir Rodan and Lady Cutler Foundation offer transport to members of the community who are disabled so they can attend medical appointments. This year I delivered on a 2019 election commitment to supply a $60,000 wheelchair-accessible vehicle for their use. I'm so pleased that the Morrison government could support their organisation in this way. Eurella Community Services in Burwood, led by CEO, Patricia Abraham, provides early intervention, in-home services, social programs and employment opportunities for people with disability. They do a great job and are always so welcoming to the wider community. And Aspire Early Intervention in Newington, led by Dianne Verstappen, provides early intervention programs to children with disability.

I could go on, because in Reid we have many organisations assisting people with disability. Our local service providers, carers and community groups put their clients at the centre of what they do. We owe them a debt of gratitude.

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