Kristina Keneally (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to place on the record that Mr White's mother, Karen White, has advised Senator O'Neill's office—Senator O'Neill cannot be here this morning; I have also been in contact with Mrs White—that she is at crisis point. She has had to take time off work. The last time she spoke to an NDIS planner regarding Rory was on 9 September. She was advised it would take only three weeks. She has heard nothing since and had to chase it up herself. She advises Senator O'Neill that the NDIS is still insisting that Rory has cerebral palsy, when in fact his disability is an acquired brain injury. I understand and can appreciate that the minister may not be briefed here this morning on the particular details of one particular client, but Mr White's situation has been ongoing now for several months. It has involved several senators in this chamber seeking to get a satisfactory outcome through the NDIS, and still today this situation is yet to be resolved. This has placed significant stress on Mrs White and the White family, and on Rory White who is attempting to live independently in the community.

While I appreciate that this bill is not directly about individual clients, I think it is useful for the chamber and for the community to understand that when the NDIS is not working it is really not working for those people who have a disability and who are seeking to live independently in the community. What is disappointing is that we do not see in this legislation any progress or change in the governance arrangements that would facilitate people with a disability's direct participation in the governance and the implementation of this scheme. We are disappointed that this legislation does not do particularly much to allow for people to improve the implementation of the NDIS to assist people like Mr Rory White. So I thank the minister for her answers today, and I look forward to her answers on notice.