National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Getting the NDIS Back on Track No. 1) Bill 2024

Submission 232

National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Getting the NDIS Back on Track No. 1) Bill 2024

submission to Community Affairs Legislation Committee

Dear Committee

Thank you for extending the submission date and allowing time to consider the current amendments to the proposed Bill.

I am a person with a disability who has been a NDIS participant for the past seven years. I am one of the more fortunate participants who have had many positive outcomes from well-tailored and funded plans. The current planning system to determine my funding has served me well. The evidence of support needs and information that was provided with my access application, allied health reports provided on regular basis and review of how current supports are working well all provide a comprehensive picture of my impairments and support needs.

I am very concerned about the proposed needs assessment and the complete lack of detail on how these will be implemented. There has been no co-design or consultation on this issue. There is no information regarding who is to conduct these assessments or what qualification these people will require, if any. Will the assessor accept allied health reports or participant input? What form will the assessment take and how will these be conducted? There has been no reference to a right of review of the assessment outcome.

I have fears that I could be assessed by someone who does not know me, has little knowledge of my conditions or situations. I fear being subjected to, often very stressful and degrading questioning every time my plan is renewed. At present this would be every two years. It behoves the NDIA to determine my support needs at access, which they have, I should not need to subject myself to the same questioning and explanation over and over, something Mr Bill Shorten has already assured participants and their families would not happen. I am a participant because of my permanent disability, my current and documented support needs will not change. The only appropriate situation for a new needs assessment for someone like myself will be initiated by myself due to deterioration. These fears highlight the need for this issue to be removed from the Bill, co-designed and reassessed.

The assessment tool has not been described in the Bill, yet the Bill states that it must be used. How can we expect the committee members to agree to a process that does not exist? Any form of mandated assessment is far too important to leave to a later legislative instrument and this section of the Bill should not be approved without more certainty.

The needs assessment tool must be co-designed with advisory groups, participants and appropriately qualified allied health practitioners, evaluated and trialled before being legislated. In the NDIA’s own words - “We will take the time needed to get changes right. We will transition to new arrangements in a careful and considered way over time. Reforms will be guided by good plans for implementation – developed in partnership with people with disability and the disability community.” There is no evidence that this has occurred for the current Bill.

National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Getting the NDIS Back on Track No. 1) Bill 2024

Submission 232

The NDIA must ensure that the disability community’s perspectives on this issue is represented and take time to gather feedback on co-design approaches and provide and receive advice on the design, implementation and evaluation of any needs assessment tools.

I am writing to ask the committee to STOP the inclusion of the proposed needs assessment to the NDIS Act (2013) until due diligence around Commonwealth government responsibility to disabled people, has occurred.

I thank you for your consideration of my concerns on this vital legislation. It is important to so many to get this legislation right; removing the section on needs assessments will be an important start.

Regards

Michelle Diss