Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Trade) Share this | Hansard source

Just so I can be precise: the 12- to 18-month period is about the co-design process of the new framework. Once that is determined, then it is, in the government's view, going to take circa five years as each individual participant goes through that process and new applications for the scheme are assessed consistent with the new process. In relation to the question that you asked me prior to this last question: that means, for clarity's sake, 12 to 18 months. There are two classes of participants. Current participants can expect that it will take in the vicinity of five years to move through that cohort of participants. That process will be set out in the co-design framework process.

In relation to new applicants, it sounds to me desirable that all new applicants would come through on the new process at the commencement, but the government are not committing to that. We will work through that with the disability community, with experts and with organisations, as part of the co-design process, to see whether some additional streamlining or prioritisation process is desirable. And some of those workforce and capability issues that you've referred to will have to be attended to in determining whether, on day one, it is ready to go in terms of new applicants to the scheme.