Cea

ST PAUL’S PRIMARY SCHOOL

230 - 240 Sunshine Avenue Kealba 3021

St Mary of the Assumption Parish

Kealba-Keilor Downs

Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee

PO Box 6100

Parliament House

Canberra ACT 2600

Australia

Dear Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee,

| am writing to share my concerns about the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Getting the NDIS Back on Track No. 1) Bill 2024. | am a primary school principal, and consequent disability advocate for my

300 primary school students.

The NDIS is very important to me. It helps me to ensure that my staff & | am working consistently & concertedly to ensure a wide range of strategies & programs are in place to support my students who are living & learning with disability, social & emotional learning challenges and complex & far-reaching life-learning challenges.

I am worried about the following parts of the Bill:

1. Reasonable and Necessary Budgets

Changing from ‘reasonable and necessary supports’ to ‘reasonable\nand necessary budgets’ will limit the supports people can get.

People need support to live an ordinary life.

2. Narrower Definition of Supports

The new definition of supports is too narrow. It will exclude\nimportant supports that people need to be part of the community\nand achieve their goals.

3. Increased Powers for the NDIA

The NDIA would have more power to make people undergo\nasessments or provide information. If people do not comply, their\nplans could be suspended or revoked. This could be very hard for\npeople with disability, especially during a crisis or if we have\ncomplex needs.

4. 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.

I also have other concerns about the Bill, as follows:

1. The impact on our students who have flourished & thrived, and\novercome life & learning challenges through a proven program (i.e.,\nCanine Comprehension), if the program is no longer funded.

2. The consequent pressure on parents & teaching staff, to support the\ncomplex living & learning needs of children, who have had positive\results from programs like Canine Comprehension

3. The loss of a vital & life-changing support program (i.e., Canine\nComprehension) for of our students, as part of an extensive & far-

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reaching curriculum, designed & delivered to support the academic,

behavioural, social & emotional needs of our students.

Overall, | 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.

| 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.

| 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. | would be happy to provide

more information if needed.

Yours sincerely,

Denis J. Daly Principal