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

Submission 78

Dear Hon Senators

I do not support the new Bill.

Many families with disabled children lead busy and challenging lives; and it is devastating that this legislation has been rushed through without giving us the proper time to understand it and write to you. I work as a community liaison worker and I have an with a disability. The majority of the families are too ove1whelmed by the busy-ness of their lives to read extensive and complex material on this Bill; legislation that unbeknownst to them, will ultimately adversely affect their lives and the lives of their children.

The NDIS came into our lives when our was in Year 10. It has benefitted beyond what I can elucidate in a sho1t paragraph, Before the NDIS we were just coping with school and had no thoughts of what to do post-school. Eight years later, my has accessed the community and increased independence in ways not possible without NDIS funding.

The trajectory of neuro-typical school mates include: going to university, getting jobs and having relationships with boyfriends or girlfriends, travelling domestically and abroad, setting up businesses or sta1ting careers, leaving home, making friends in new circles, driving and buying cars, socialising on weekends and after work. Our is behind peers but with NDIS funding has been able to go away with same age ( disabled) peers and develop independent living skills on sho1t trips away from parental supervision. is looking at finding work with the help of paid support. is volunteering in organisations that align with interests. is assisted to meet up with other (disabled) adults age regularly so that doesn’t spend all day at home. We are able to access a therapist to assist in trouble shooting for challenges that arise in social communication differences or difficulties with emotional regulation.

My can have a semblance of a typical good life because of NDIS plan.

I am really concerned that the changes to the legislation are designed to slash ftmding indiscriminately and without our ability to appeal.

I object to the needs assessment as there is none in existence for Autism that can accurately do what the Government wants it to do. Eve1y person with autism is unique and should be treated as an individual. Repo1ts submitted by the family should be read and info1m ftmding decisions. There needs to be more expertise within the NDIA to digest these repo1ts and many more clinically trained NDIA planners who can understand the challenges of each participant. A need assessment that can spit out a ftmding amount is a disaster waiting to happen.

I object to the NDIS support list. Trying to have a list that is inclusive and exclusive in order to stop fraud is not the solution. There are so many things that have not been included: employment supports, daily assistance, ancilla1y costs to running a se1vice-for-one. Supports that have been developed over 10 years may no longer be legitimate supports, and tmder the new Bill the NDIA have greater powers to enforce repayment. Unce1tainty and anxiety is the life of the carer in dealing with the NDIA, and the punitive powers in the new Bill are ve1y sca1y.

In sho1t, the NDIS is a wonderful life changing Government ftmded Scheme which should be protected to do the job it was designed to do. The NDIA have many challenges that should be addressed first by the Minister for the NDIS before jumping in to change the legislation. There is under staffing, staff being under- trained, internal toxic culture being experienced by participants, IT glitches with PACE and document storage and retrieval, lack of consistency. The NDIA need to get on

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

Submission 78

the ground and meet the participants, not sit in ivory towers and be so far removed from the people for whom the Scheme serves.

Please do not pass the Bill in its current form. True co-design for needs assessment and definition of NDIS supports is the needed, and this is more than meetings in Town Halls and webinars. It is conversation and drawing up legislation and rules together, Government together with organisations that represent us and advocates who help us. It is not presenting us with a ready made Bill with references to rules that will come later.

Thank you for your time.

Yours sincerely

Liesel Woo NSW