Meryl Swanson (Paterson, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

The National Disability Insurance Scheme is something that as a member of the Labor government I am particularly proud of. It's interesting to note that this concept of an insurance scheme for people with disability in our country was first mooted in the 1970s when Gough Whitlam was Prime Minister. But, like all prime ministers, he had to make choices and he decided that he would put his efforts at that time into Medibank and then what we now know as Medicare. It was actually modelled on a system from New Zealand. Decades later, an independent submission was made to the government by a group called the Disability Investment Group. That reported on the state of disability support in Australia. It deemed that disability was being treated as an economic issue and not a social one and people with disability were seen merely as numbers pumped into a spreadsheet. It was really a substandard way for anyone, quite frankly, to be treated in a modern, liberal, wealthy democracy.

We know that, thanks to the work of our predecessors, Medicare has been, on balance, a huge success in our country when we step back and take a look at the health care broadly of our nation. Like with any big system there are always improvements to be made. But we know that, if you are in dire need of medical help, you can go to a hospital and receive the assistance that you need and you don't need to be able to pay for it. You can rely on your Medicare card. That is a good thing.

The original concept for the NDIS was a similar idea in that it would be not just another government program but a seismic shift in the way Australians with a disability live in our country. It wasn't just about supports and services. I remember this so clearly having worked in radio at the time when all of this was being discussed very broadly and very passionately across the community. I remember interviewing people and taking many, many calls on talkback radio about this. The premise of this was that, for the first time in the history of our modern nation, people with disabilities would be given choice and control over their lives and the government would have a sophisticated system of offering that choice and control. I still get goosebumps describing that because I remember thinking, 'This is a seminal moment in the history of our nation.'

I was particularly interested at that time in listening to the now minister who is responsible for it, Bill Shorten, and the then member for Jagajaga, Jenny Macklin, talking about this and saying how important it was and what a difference it would make to our country. It took the efforts of former prime minister Julia Gillard to make this a reality. Labor gave birth to this incredible baby that was the NDIS; however, sadly, we weren't in a position to care for it in its early years. Another government came along and made choices about that system. I think some of those choices weren't the best choices. However, the NDIS did prevail.

Now we have found ourselves a number of years—over a decade—down the track, and we are now looking at a system that has made incredible changes to people's lives. Again, with all large-scale government changes, platforms and seismic shifts in the nation, there's often work that needs to be done after it's been in operation for a number of years. We have seen that there have been disappointments with the NDIS—absolutely categorically. I think anyone who was being honest about that would say that that is true. However, the benefit, on balance, far outweighs the difficulties.

Notwithstanding that, this system does need to have an eye to the future. It needs to be able to be sustainable so that we can continue to provide that all-important insurance for people with disabilities to have choice and control over their lives. In listening to the minister today I felt really interested in and very supportive of the notion that we are providing more funding. He described it as a 'fraud fusion team' who are really looking to make sure there is not fraudulent behaviour in the NDIS. I think that's incredibly important. You do hear stories of outlandish behaviour and people charging princely sums for supports, and that, quite frankly, is not on. I am again proud to be part of a government that is calling this out and not only doing so but also putting in place the laws and the detection systems to say: 'No. We're not having fraud in this system. We're going to have a well-run, well-organised, self-sustaining NDIS.' That's really the nub of the entire issue. It is about continuing on with this seismic shift in Australian life for people with disabilities.

Whilst I in absolutely no way can really understand what it would be like to have a life with a disability, I have had an injury in recent months which forced me to be in a wheelchair for some time and then on an e-scooter. Let me say that even just that tiny glimpse into not being able to potentially move around as freely opened my eyes and, more importantly, my heart and my head about people with disabilities in Australia and moving around, the supports and the ease of life. It is difficult. Therefore, the more choice and control we can give to people, the more sophisticated we can make the system, the more robust we can make the system, the better. That's why I do think it is important that we look very seriously at this legislation that is now being put forward.

One of the things that I think is very interesting about this is the concept that every participant is able to live an independent life, fully embraced also by their community, and a scheme that is centred around the individual, unlike previous schemes in the past where people were either treated poorly or just cast aside. This scheme is certainly not like that. The other concept that I think is very important is providing early intervention and lifelong support. That's the difference in the new and modern NDIS.

Some of the kinds of disabilities that impact participants, including autism spectrum disorder, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries and cerebral palsy, are incredibly challenging, but people who live and participate very actively in our communities have a right to do so and have a right to be afforded that choice and control. It is a lifelong journey for them, and every day poses new challenges. However, with the support of the NDIS, many of these challenges can be replaced with opportunities. I think that's something that we need to really think about as well in relation to people with disability. It's not just about centring their lives on that disability; it's actually about the contribution that their lives make and the thoughts and dreams and aspirations that they have for their lives and the contribution that that makes to our country as a whole. I think that's a very valuable one and often one that really can't be put into dollars and cents, but I'm very proud to say that we're part of a government who recognises those people as people who are complete and make a very wonderful contribution to our society.

In my electorate of Paterson, there are 7,352 NDIS participants who receive support from the NDIS. My office works diligently with many people. We have a number of stories of people who have contacted our office, and we have a good number of wonderful success stories as well.

I just want to say that I am in support completely of the NDIS. I am in support of making it a robust and lengthy institution in this nation. It does need to be well funded. It does need to be closely and properly scrutinised. The departments that are responsible for it do need to have enough staff to do that properly, and I really do look forward to it lasting for many decades to come and being the absolute choice and control vehicle for many people in Australian society, none more so than the people of Patterson.

Debate interrupted.

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