Alicia Payne (Canberra, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to welcome the new appointments to the National Disability Insurance Scheme board, which were made by Minister Shorten this week. Australian Paralympic legend and disability advocate Kurt Fearnley has been appointed chairman of the board of the NDIA. He will be the first person with disability to chair the board, heralding a new era for the scheme. Mr Graeme Innes and Ms Maryanne Diamond have also been appointed to the board, and Mr Denis Napthine has been returned to the board. There are now five people with disability on the NDIA board, including current board members Leah Van Poppel and Meredith Allen, the largest number in the scheme's history. Having more people with disability in leadership positions is critically important to pivot the scheme and rebuild trust within the disability sector. After an extensive recruitment process, Ms Rebecca Falkingham has been appointed the new CEO of the NDIA. These appointments are so welcome.

In opposition, as a member of the NDIS committee and as a local member, I have heard far too many heartbreaking stories of people with disability left behind by the scheme, feeling ignored and not having its true promise of choice and control delivered. There were many reasons why this country desperately needed a Labor government, and fixing the NDIS was essential among them. It begins with a minister and a government that really understand why choice and control need to be central to the scheme. We're getting on with the job and putting people with disability back at the centre.