James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Families and Social Services, Senator Fifield. Will the minister update the Senate on the rollout of the National Disability Insurance Scheme in my home state of Queensland? How does the Liberal-National government's strong economic management help to create a strong economy that allows it to deliver the essential services—like the NDIS—that Australians rely on without raising taxes?

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for Communications and the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator McGrath, for the question. The Liberal-National government is delivering the NDIS to give people with disability choice and control. We're able to deliver these essential services without raising taxes on Australian families because of our strong economic management. I can advise colleagues that there are now more than 200,000 participants receiving supports under the NDIS, and over 60,000—or almost one in three—are receiving supports for the very first time. In Queensland, there are more than 25,000 people who are currently receiving support.

Delivering this reform to improve outcomes for Australians with a significant and permanent disability will involve challenges. With a venture of this scale, that is inevitably the case. But the important thing is to address those issues quickly and efficiently as they arise to ensure the management of the scheme into the future. The National Disability Insurance Agency, with the support of the Commonwealth and all states and territories, has a number of projects underway to improve the NDIS. From 1 October, a new general participant pathway will be rolled out. NDIS participants will have face-to-face planning meetings that deliver easier-to-understand plans supported by a single point of contact. The new pathway was designed with a lot of input from participants and was successfully piloted in Victoria, with more than 1,000 participants. Other improvements include: updating the myplace portal; the implementation of the Independent Pricing Review; an enhanced provider finder; and specialist pathways for participants with particular disabilities. These are significant improvements and they are delivering the supports that Australians with disability are entitled to.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McGrath, a supplementary question.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As the NDIS supports individual choice and control for people with a disability, how is the government supporting growth in the disability service market to support this outcome, including by delivering landmark funding without raising taxes?

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for Communications and the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In the full scheme, 460,000 Australians are expected to be NDIS participants, and demand for disability services is projected to require up to 90,000 additional full-time equivalent workers over the next five years. In the September 2018 quarter, the number of active registered providers increased by 15 per cent, from 8,457 to 9,693 providers. The government recognise the need to support providers to transition to a new market model and help grow the disability workforce. Our supports include: investing $45.6 million through the new NDIS Jobs and Market Fund, announced in the 2018-19 budget, in targeted projects to grow the provider market and workforce; providing $33 million through the Boosting the Local Care Workforce Program for regional coordinators and specialist coordinators; and business transition advice and grants to assist providers to meet the expanding workforce requirements.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McGrath, a final supplementary question.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

How is the government sustainably funding essential services like the NDIS without raising taxes?

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for Communications and the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Our strong economic management is driving jobs, investment and economic growth and underwriting the provision of services that Australians rely on. We're delivering a strong economy, with over 1.1 million new jobs since we came to government, the strongest growth in youth jobs in recorded history and economic growth the envy of the developed world. Also, the proportion of working-age people on a welfare payment is at its lowest point in 25 years.

Because our economy is strong, because our economy is growing, we're investing record funds into health and schools. Because our economy is growing, more families get the support they need through the National Disability Insurance Scheme. We are delivering these services without increasing the tax burden on working families, which is in a direct contrast to the approach of those opposite. They want to increase taxes dramatically. We're able to deliver services without increasing taxes.