Stuart Robert (Fadden, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment, Workforce, Skills, Small and Family Business) Share this | Hansard source

Before I respond to the previous speaker, let me respond to the member for Maribyrnong, from Victoria, who spoke prior to that. The member for Maribyrnong would have you believe the government is doing all sorts of nefarious things. The member for Maribyrnong has more front than Myer. He is coming out and saying the government is cutting the NDIS, after $17 billion extra has been put in. I dare the member for Maribyrnong to find that level of estimates variation and increased expenditure across two budgets across any government program in living memory in Australia. There is none. Silence over there; as always, silence.

I will also remind the member for Maribyrnong as to the reason for independent assessments. It came out of the 2011 Productivity Commission. John Walsh, appointed by the Labor government at the time—an excellent appointment; an incredible and deserving Australian; the father of the NDIS—is on the record as saying that independent assessments must go forward. I ask the member for Maribyrnong: do you disagree with your hand-picked member on the Productivity Commission?

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