Pat Conroy (Shortland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Hansard source

The government's independent assessments are continuing to ruin the lives of my constituents who are participating in the NDIS. The new minister's so-called pause on these ridiculous assessments is not much comfort to the single mother of a son who has a rare genetic disorder. His core support package has recently been cut from 35 hours a week to just three hours. This is a reduction from $100,000 a year to just $8,000. If this is not exhibit A that these assessments are about cost-cutting and nothing else, I don't know what is. The reason given to this young man's mother for the reduction, by the service who did the assessment, was that he was at school full-time, and this amounts to respite for his mother. This explanation was given verbally and, obviously, not in writing—given the nature of it. This is beyond ridiculous. In fact, it's insulting. In what world do these people live—assuming that parents have respite when children are at school? This does not take into account that this mother is actually doing her best to work as a casual teacher. The government should carefully consider what is happening here. It is not moral to be attacking our society's vulnerable in this way. There are really no words to describe my anger. Fancy that: cutting the NDIS package of a child with a rare disorder from $100,000 to $8,000. Shame on this government. I call on the minister to intervene. I call on everyone to reconsider these offensive and ridiculous assessments.

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