Joel Fitzgibbon (Hunter, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to highlight the growing hardship suffered by vulnerable people in our community who are attempting to negotiate the National Disability Insurance Scheme. I'm proud that in government Labor built the NDIS. It offered hope and was seen as a circuit breaker for many. However, the implementation of the NDIS over recent years has been a very sad failure. Nearly 10 years on from its formation, it is heartbreaking to see such poor outcomes. Exacerbated NDIS providers and clients describe the NDIS as much worse than the system it replaced. Problems stem from a lack of consistency, untrained and inexperienced planners and a non-functioning complaints system.

More troubling, errors in the planning stage have resulted in extensive delays, with little or no communication between the NDIA and the scheme's participants. The real-life impact of these delays is that real people are suffering, and they are suffering regularly. A local provider in Cessnock, for example, has documented many heartbreaking cases of people's basic everyday needs not being met for months on end due to basic errors in the planning process. In October 2017, a client with a spinal cord injury requested a commode chair. Due to an error made by a planner she did not receive this vital piece of equipment, and despite two complaints it still has not been delivered to this date. Similarly, a powered wheelchair was approved in 2016, but due to her plan not being correctly certified by the NDIA she was unable to get out of bed, move around the house or go outside until it was finally delivered, in March the following year. That is unacceptable. Another Hunter man completed a plan in January. The NDIS funded him for supported living, even though he lived with his mother, yet they did not fund any core support for social activities and funded his employment incorrectly, meaning the provider was unable to make the claim. Despite a review, numerous complaints being lodged and an assurance by NDIA staff that his case had been escalated, a new plan review was not booked until six long months later. The impact of these mistakes on this local man's life and his independence have been devastating for him and those close to him.

Passionate advocates and providers are spending more time filling out paperwork and devising ways to manipulate the failing system than ever before. The NDIA has also developed its own isolating bureaucratic language. If people don't say the right words they don't get what they desperately need. There are many people in our community who do not have someone to advocate for them and are simply unable to work their way through a confusing and broken system.

Sadly, advocates and providers with overwhelming knowledge, skills, experience and history working in this area have described the NDIS's vision and principles as 'just words on a document'. Providers in my electorate have fears that the NDIS has narrowed people's lives down to a dollar figure, failing to see the lives and people behind the plans. The system has created an environment lacking in the much-needed relationship between clients and the NDIS planners to ensure that plans reflect their basic needs, let alone what's required for them to thrive in life.

Too many people in my community are feeling pain, are feeling frustrated and feel like they are not being heard. This government has spent too long treating the NDIS like a political football instead of focusing on getting the rollout right. The task for us all is to ensure that the NDIS fulfils its promise to so many Australians with disability who have their hopes for a better life pinned on the NDIS.