Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

I am delighted to advise colleagues that the Abbott and Baird governments have agreed on a plan to roll out the NDIS to western Sydney, from 1 July this year, a full year ahead of schedule.

The rollout in the Penrith, Hawkesbury, Lithgow and Blue Mountains areas will, as I say, commence from 1 July. It will cover metropolitan, urban and regional districts. Senator Payne in particular knows that western Sydney is an area of high need when it comes to early intervention services for children with disability. This plan will bring the NDIS to 2,000 children and young people with disabilities, aged nought to 17, in these areas.

Senator Conroy interjecting—

I hear Senator Conroy's delight at that. Initially, from 1 July, children with disability and their families will be able to access information linkages and capacity-building supports from the NDIS and then, from September, participants will be able to access funding for the individualised NDIS plans. The Commonwealth and the returned Baird government will work with the NDIS agency to settle the finer details of the implementation, including establishing an NDIA office in the Penrith area, which I know Fiona Scott is very happy about.

We will continue to work with the New South Wales government on a rollout schedule for the NDIS across the rest of the state, from 2016. Both the Abbott and the Baird governments are very committed to a better deal for people with disability. We are committed to increasing choice and control, and this plan will see young people with disability in a high-needs area, such as western Sydney, get the vital support that they need sooner. I should in particular acknowledge the advocacy of Fiona Scott, Louise Markus and John Cobb.