Andrew Charlton (Parramatta, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme. How is the Albanese Labor government helping the sustainability of the NDIS, including through cost-of-living support for NDIS workers, and are there any threats?

Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Congratulations to the 90,000 Parramatta taxpayers getting a tax cut. But there's also good news for the over 400,000 people, the therapists and the disability support workers, who look after participants, who will all be getting tax cuts and have just got them. A disability support worker on $75,000 is going to get about $1,500 in tax cuts this year. An occupational therapist on $120,000 will get about a $2,700 tax cut. So that's good news. Plus, award wages have moved for disability carers, about 15 per cent, since Labor got elected. There's the $300 energy supplement and there are cheaper medicines, and super's going up to 11½ per cent. So, literally, the NDIS workforce is getting to earn more and keep more of what they earn.

But there are some threats to the relief of cost-of-living pressures for people on the scheme and for the people working in it. There are vital NDIS reforms to get a better deal for participants that are stuck in the Senate until mid-August. This is bad news, because the actuary of the scheme has said that an eight-week delay on this bill is going to add a billion dollars in inflated costs to the NDIS. The Senate has had 12 weeks to look at this matter, but, puzzlingly, the coalition members of the Senate have got some more questions they need answered.

I explained last week that personal budgets are getting overspent before the expiry of people's plans, and that's a loophole we need to stop—the automatic top-ups. But there's another change I'd like to let the House reflect upon. Currently the act only excludes supports that are supposed to be funded by other service systems, but it doesn't rule out specific services in the primary legislation. The courts have taken a very broad interpretation about what NDIS money is allowed to be spent on. They've been rolling successive governments on NDIA decisions. There's a new section 10 which will exclude some of the specific decisions which shouldn't be being funded because they're not true to the purpose of the scheme.

But remember I said that the Liberals haven't made up their mind? I want to put this to the House: what is so difficult that it will require eight weeks and a billion dollars? At the moment we want to rule out the payment of strata fees; fines; steam rooms; gambling; legal cannabis; cruises; trips to Japan; non-assistance animals; taxidermy; weddings; gift cards; the Liberal favourite, sex toys; crystal therapy; cuddle therapy; clairvoyance and tarot—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Hasluck and the member for Lyons will cease interjecting.

The minister for the environment. No, we're going to deal with this in a professional way. I want to hear from the Manager of Opposition Business.

Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is unparliamentary, and the minister should withdraw.

Government members interjecting—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, members on my right. I agree with the Manager of Opposition Business. I'm going to ask the minister to withdraw so we can just continue.

Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Okay, I withdraw. The other things—some opposite will probably have to look them up—we want to ban are somatic therapy, mastermind coaches and cryptocurrency. Quite frankly—

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Who's the architect?

Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition says, 'Who's the architect?' Why are you keeping these rorts on the scheme? It is all on the head of the coalition. You couldn't run the NDIS. We're fixing it.

Honourable members interjecting—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order. Is the member for Deakin seeking a point of order?

Michael Sukkar (Deakin, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am asking a question.

Honourable members interjecting—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme will cease interjecting. The member for Kennedy has been waiting patiently for his question. He now has the call.