Michelle Landry (Capricornia, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Social Services. Will the minister update the House on the government's commitment to the rollout of the National Disability Insurance Scheme in Queensland, especially in my electorate of

Christian Porter (Pearce, Liberal Party, Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for her question and also for her advocacy on behalf of NDIS applicants in her electorate. As the member knows, we now have over 80,000 people in the scheme and the Commonwealth and Queensland governments have very recently agreed to bring forward the start date in the next three NDIS regions in Queensland. That means state disability clients in Ipswich, Bundaberg and Rockhampton will have earlier access to the scheme. This change makes the most of unused capacity in the bilateral agreement. It also brings Queensland clients into the scheme sooner, which also means we can grow the provider market by generating demand and creating jobs.

Very importantly, this budget includes the 0.5 per cent increase in the Medicare levy from 1 July 2019, which will once and for all ensure the scheme is fully funded. I am asked about alternative approaches. Labor's approach is to oppose this very fair increase in the Medicare levy and thereby oppose fully funding the NDIS. The question arises: why on earth would they adopt this position? As of last night, we can now see three reasons why Labor opposed filling the funding gap by the very measure they have long argued was fair. First, Labor say there is no funding gap. Second, they say there are better ways to fund the NDIS—that is, better ways to fill the funding gap that they also say does not exist! Third, last night, from the member for Ballarat, we had this absolute gem of a reason why they will not fill the funding gap: 'The funding gap was actually created by the coalition'! Let's all have a think about this. The funding gap that Labor sometimes says does not exist, Labor now says does exist but was caused by the coalition. When asked on Lateline last night whether Labor had double counted savings, the member for Ballarat responded: 'The NDIS was fully funded by Labor. This coalition government took the savings for the NDIS and spent them on something else.'

Consider the Labor savings from private health insurance. The Labor savings from private health insurance were first announced on 22 October 2012. They were originally spent on Labor's dental healthcare reform package. They were also spent on budget repair and much, much later they were spent on the NDIS. And now the member for Ballarat says that we spent them a fourth time—on something un-nominated. Member for Ballarat, the reason that we have not created this gap and the gap exists is the same reason we cannot spend it four times, the same reason you cannot spend it twice and the same reason you cannot spend it three times. So get the tinfoil hat off, get off the grassy knoll and pay for the NDIS. (Time expired)