John Cobb (Calare, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today was a great day for the east of my electorate and also for the Western Sydney Area Health Service, which goes from Penrith out to Lithgow, with the announcement of the early rollout of the NDIS in that part of our state.

It is expected that nearly 2,000 people and kids aged up to 17 will benefit from today's announcement, many of whom hail from my electorate—particularly around Lithgow and all the way through to Penrith. The rollout of the NDIS is, in this case, a year earlier than was anticipated. That is terrific to see.

The NDIS means that people with a disability will be empowered to decide which services and supports they receive, and who will deliver them. For too long they have not been able to make those choices. We are getting on the front foot and rolling out the NDIS earlier than planned.

And we are right behind it. We are 100 per cent committed to the full national rollout. This might only be a small target area, the Western Sydney Area Health Service, but it is a step in the right direction, particularly for those young people. Eventually, the NDIS will provide reasonable and necessary support for around 460,000 Australians with permanent and significant disabilities. I know that in Calare we have thousands of people who will certainly benefit from it. (Time expired)