Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Of late, I've been spending time talking to music therapists who operate within my local community and are genuinely very concerned about their future servicing people through the NDIS. Before Christmas, without notice—in fact, via a leak—they were advised that they would be crossed off the list of those who could provide therapy support for NDIS participants. I want to make the point that these are masters-qualified professionals. They are providing tailored therapies to people who genuinely need it. Just to cross them off the list as the government has done is a genuine failure.

For some of the people these therapies are supporting, music is their only language. For others, music is how they learn to communicate. It can actually enhance the work of a speech therapist to work in tandem with a music therapist. For others, it's how they get their language back. And for some, it helps them regulate and manage their everyday lives. The government clearly got this wrong, but they don't seem to have gotten the message that they should fix it, despite telling the sector that things would continue to operate as they were until a decision from the review was brought down.

There is already evidence that people are having music therapy cut from their programs. Before the inquiry is completed, the government needs to get this one right. This is an important therapy that supports people, and it's important that the government does the right thing.