Linda Reynolds (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Former Minister Shorten has left prematurely and left every single NDIS participant and their family with an almighty mess, which is impacting on their lives in the most profound of ways. But the biggest of so many things in the mess that he has left behind, which Labor are now scrambling to make sure doesn't come out before the election, is that they've cut $60 billion out of the scheme. They've forced tens of thousands of participants through reviews. They've delayed plans. They're still hiding budget figures. They commissioned Redbridge and spent an enormous amount of money on how to spin this through.

Let's have a look at what they're actually hiding. Total payments continue to increase due to both increased participant numbers and a higher average cost per participant—the two drivers of cost. That's despite everything they say—this mythical eight per cent, which is what is in the budget. Senator Hughes last week was talking about an $11 billion black hole. Well, I'll tell you what, when you have a look at the fiction of the NDIS figures you see it is far more than that. This is the fact: total payments continue to increase due to both cost drivers. In the first quarter it was $11.5 billion of expenditure. This total payment level is actually on track to exceed last year's expenditure on the NDIS, which has not been budgeted for in this year's budget.

So now the government are desperately talking to the states and territories: 'Can you give us a loan?' They've had 2½ years and there is no agreement with the states and territories on foundational supports. Why would there be? They vacated the field, as Senator Steele-John said, for nearly a decade. Not only are they not going to find the money but it's already a thin provider market. Where are these people going to come from?

Plan inflation also continues to rise, with the annualised inflation level at 12.8, not their mythical eight per cent. This is a fraud on people with disability and on all Australian taxpayers.

Question agreed to.