Anne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I move:

That the Senate take note of the report.

The progress report on the Implementation and Administration of the National Disability Insurance Scheme was written by the Joint Standing Committee on the NDIS, of which I am a member, and I commend the secretariat for their assistance. I also want to commend the staff of the National Disability Insurance Agency, service providers, carers, and of course the people with a disability who have worked so hard to see the NDIS dream become a reality.

The NDIS represents a milestone in Australian history. It was designed and launched by the previous Labor government in recognition of the fact that people with a disability deserve a fair go. They deserve the opportunity to actively take part in work, school and community life, and they deserve the individual support needed to do this. This is exactly what NDIS offers—a unified system that identifies and prioritises the needs of the individual; a system that promises Australians with a disability, their families and their carers more control over their lives, more certainty over their care and more opportunities to contribute productively to the nation.

The NDIS report before us today logs the first steps toward the full rollout of this landmark initiative and gauges how we are progressing. It is the result of evidence the committee gathered from public hearings in the Barwon, Hunter, South Australian and Tasmanian trial sites in April and May. Today, I would like to talk about the progress of the rollout in Tasmania, which on 31 March was on track to support 1,000 Tasmanians with a disability aged between 15 and 24 in its first year. This is a particularly important trial that will inform future NDIS rollouts across the country on how we can best support our young people with a disability as they transition from school to work or further training. From 2016, the rollout will be opened up to other people with a disability. It is predicted that it will support more than 10,000 Tasmanians in the future.

The report notes the success of the Tasmanian rollout in effective planning, objectives being met, dramatically reduced waiting lists and great feedback from participants. It also recognises that the groundwork for these great outcomes was laid very early on. This was helped by comprehensive data from both the state government and the gateway service for people with disabilities. It meant that tailored consent processes and early planning measures could be devised well in advance of launch.

Another great strength of the Tasmanian rollout has been its effective engagement strategy which has resulted in strong relationships with a wide range of stakeholders. In fact, the committee believes the Tasmanian engagement strategy offers a good model for other areas to replicate. The report also notes that, with the exception of those seeking housing and respite services, there are no waiting lists for the Tasmanian trial site.

The most worthwhile achievement outlined in the report is that the Tasmanian rollout is meeting the needs of its participants. In fact, 95 per cent of those surveyed indicated strong satisfaction in the process and outcomes they have had to date through the trial. This is an impressive statistic indeed, but perhaps the words of Mr John Coyle tell the more important human story. Mr Coyle is the father and full-time carer of three children, two of whom have severe intellectual difficulties. Here is what he said about the experience of his family with the NDIS rollout in Tasmania:

With the advent of the NDIS we are given a lot more individual control.

We go armed with the funding; so, when we approach a service provider, we are spoken to differently, we can tailor our situation and my children's development can be targeted … That was non-existent before …

The NDIS is probably a godsend for us and I hope it continues. Now I have one-on-one support for my daughter, I can be the carer for my son.

I commend this report to the Senate, congratulate all involved with this rollout and acknowledge what a superb success it has been. By the time the full scheme starts in 2018, more than 460,000 Australians with disability will take part in the National Disability Insurance Scheme—and all Australians will benefit.

NDIS is a groundbreaking program that will ensure a more inclusive, more productive Australia for all of us. To my colleagues on the other side, I urge that you maintain your support for this vital initiative into the future.