NDIA Accountability Project

Concerns about therapy with animals for people with disability

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

Submission 272

Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee PO Box 6100 Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600 Australia

deeply concerned about this bill. I am writing to share my concerns about the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Getting the NDIS Back on Track No. 1) Bill 2024. I am a person who supports People with Disability, having therapy with Animals is very important to my clients as they don’t cope with Psychologist and other therapy inside an office or any enclosed environments so the best support for them is a therapy that is outdoors and includes Animals, therapy with Animals helps my clients cope with everyday life and becoming a Contribution member of society. Therapy with Animals gives my client a better quality of life learning how to Communicate and Regulate their emotion and build confidence to participate in the community, if my clients are without there Therapy Sessions, they become withdrawn and rely on medication to try and cope. Overall, i am worried that this bill will move away from the original vision of the NDIS. The NDIS is meant to give people with Disability choice and control for a better Quality of life. i am worried about the following parts of the Bill:

  • Reasonable and Necessary Budgets Changing from ‘reasonable and necessary supports’ to ‘reasonable and necessary budgets’ will limit the supports people can get. People need support to live an ordinary life.
  • Narrower Definition of Supports The new definition of supports are too narrow. It will exclude important supports that people need to be part of the community and achieve their goals.
  • Increased Powers for the NDIA The NDIA would have more power to make people undergo assessments or provide information. If people do not comply, their plans could be suspended or revoked. This could be very hard for people with disability, especially during a crisis or if we have complex needs.
  • Restrictions on Self-Managing Funding The NDIA could stop people from self-managing their funding if they have made mistakes before. This goes against the principle of choice and control.

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

Submission 272

Overall, I am worried that this Bill moves away from the original vision of the NDIS. The NDIS is meant to give people with disability choice and control over their supports. This Bill is more focused on saving money than helping people with disability.

I think the Bill should be paused or stopped. There should be real co- design with people with disability. We need changes that truly meet the needs of people with disability.

I urge the Committee to recommend significant changes to this Bill or making other moves to save money. There must be thorough consultation with people with disability and our representative organisations.

The NDIS is too important to get wrong. We must get this right, with people with disability at the centre of the process.

Thank you for considering my submission. I would be happy to provide more information if needed.

Yours sincerely,