Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme) Share this | Hansard source

Members of this House know that the National Disability Insurance Scheme is changing lives. It is perhaps one of the best achievements of our parliament in the 21st century. There are now 650,000 people receiving individual packages of support and there are now about 400,000 people who say that they earn their main income working in the NDIS. It is an achievement of all sides of politics. It started via bipartisan consensus and we intend to try to keep that.

However, it is true that the scheme is moving off track. The experience recorded by participants is that it isn't always consistent, it's not always equitable and it's not always transparent. There are some unethical service providers—a minority—who are taking advantage of participants in the scheme,. Indeed, it also faces the risk of becoming the only lifeboat in the ocean. What I mean by that is that the NDIS is now viewed as trying to solve issues for all people with disability in Australia. As a result, it's been growing faster than projected.

Since the election, we've been getting on with improving the scheme. We've created a fraud taskforce, we've put people with disability in leadership positions in the agency and also we've commenced a root-and-branch review, which concluded in December of last year. Significantly, our National Cabinet—the Prime Minister and premiers—agreed to achieve eight per cent target growth in three years. Also, the National Cabinet has agreed that one way that we improve the future of the scheme is to build services for Australians with disabilities outside the NDIS and that we would introduce legislation in the first half. I'm pleased to advise the House that today we have introduced the draft bill.

This bill is the result of a year and a half of consultation and of talking to people about how the scheme can be best improved, and I acknowledge the interests of members of the House in the scheme, because I've received 782 individual matters from MPs about issues to do with the NDIS. The bill contains a series of initial measures: how we can have better planning, better assessment and better cost controls and build supports outside the scheme. The bill is important, but it is not a fait accompli, and we don't put it forward on the basis that we don't want to hear the voices of the opposition and people with disability in coming weeks.

There will be anxiety amongst people with disability whenever you talk about changing the scheme. The scheme, for all its imperfections, is the best chance that many families and people have of having a better life. So, in adopting the process of change, I want to reassure participants in the scheme, people who work in the area and the broader Australian people that we will work through these in a consultative and collaborative manner, but I also say that the option of doing nothing is not an option. We say to people with disability: we won't seek change in fear, but we shouldn't fear to change. This scheme's too important for future generations. (Time expired)

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