Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The coalition is supporting the DisabilityCare Australia Fund (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2013. This bill is another step in implementing a national disability insurance scheme. The coalition has long been on the record as supporting the establishment of a national disability insurance scheme.

This bill contains a series of consequential amendments which will enable the effective operation of the DisabilityCare Australia Fund. The fund has already been established to hold revenue from the increase in the Medicare levy from 1.4 per cent to two per cent. This enables reimbursements to the states and territories for DisabilityCare activities through the COAG Reform Fund. The bill also extends the Future Fund's guardianship to the management of the DisabilityCare Australia Fund. It is anticipated that the fund will hold $11.4 billion over the forward estimates from the Medicare levy increase commencing in 2014-15 and an estimated $20.4 billion through to 2018-19. The coalition support the passage of this bill in extension of our support for a national disability insurance scheme.

David Feeney (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Cormann for his contribution and for his support for this very important Labor initiative. I commend the bill to the Senate.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.