General issues around the implementation and performance of the NDIS

Submission 70

I am aware that the committee collect information on an ongoing basis.

I don’t know if you have seen this information yet however it is quite concerning that the NDIA are using their financial framework to incentivise people being provided with congregate support.

In the 17/18 price guide the assistance to access community pricing was:

• 1:1 – 45.54
• 1:3 – 15.18

3 x 15.18 is 45.54, so in that sense, there was no financial incentive to congregate people together because you still make the same per hour whether it’s one or three people.

Now, in the 18/19 price guide the same area is priced as follows:

• 1:1 – 49.02
• 1:3 – 20.26 (x3 =60.78)
• 1:5 – 14.51 (x5 = 72.55)

Now that is a financial incentive if ever I’ve seen one. A service provider could now take 5 people out in the community with the same single staff member and effectively earn $23.53 per hour more!

This seems to be in line with the constant rhetoric that we hear about scheme sustainability that I have been told planners are told to tell people as justification for why they won’t fund things. This is completely at odds with the principles which are the cornerstone of the NDIS legislation.

It is easy to say that supporting more people with disability possibly involves more work and that is why the rate is higher, but is the actual staff member doing the support getting a higher rate of pay? And what is the outcome for the participants? Sometimes groups outings can be great but not all or the majority of the time. Always doing congregate or group activities with other people reinforces that people with disabilities are separate and different and can’t be involved with non-disabled people.