Submission to the Inquiry into the National Disability Insurance Scheme Bill 2012
From: To: Community Affairs, Committee (SEN); Subject: Submission to the Inquiry into the National Disability Insurance Scheme Bill 2012 Date: Monday, 21 January 2013 11:15:58 AM
Please consider this email a formal submission by me to the Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs Inquiry into the National Disability Insurance Scheme Bill 2012.
The current disability system has many problems that need to be addressed.
As the CEO of a disability support provider, I have witnessed many, many examples over the years of the “system” failing the people we support and their families. Indeed, it isn’t really a system at all. It is a multi-layered, heavily bureaucratised, complex, fragmented, unfair, inefficient and inadequate network of services and supports that is nigh on impossible for a professional working in the sector to understand and navigate so for people with disability and their families it is the proverbial nightmare.
There is little choice for a person with a disability and their family–they are so desperate for services they will take anything on offer, whether it really is suited to their needs or not.
There is little or no focus on whether genuine outcomes are being achieved for people with disabilities and their families–the current system is crisis driven without thought given to whether the funding, such as it is, is creating any genuine outcomes even in the shorter term, let alone lasting impact in the person’s life.
The main features of the NDIS that will make a difference to the community are:
- More employment of people with disability and less reliance on social welfare,
- More rights for people with a disability,
- Older parents and families will not worry what happens when they can no longer provide support
The most important services for the NDIS to provide are:
- Life-skills,
- Employment support,
- Support for families and carers
I support the introduction of the NDIS.
I fully support the National Disability Insurance Scheme both as an individual citizen and as the CEO of a disability support provider.
I support the NDIS because it will make the disability supports that we as a society provides more equitable, more effective and more efficient. These supports will be available to any Australian citizen when they are required. A person and their family in need will no longer have to hope that they win the postcode lottery or live long enough to endure the waiting list hell which represent the disability system that exists today.
I support a scheme under which any person with a significant and profound disability which adversely affects their activities of daily living receive reasonable supports no matter where they live or how they acquired their disability.
We live in an affluent country, a country that can well afford such a scheme to be available for everyone. In fact, the economics tell us that we cannot afford NOT
to have such a scheme (the cost of doing nothing is prohibitive in the extreme) and a fully operational NDIS will actually be positive for the economy of the country.
I support the NDIS because of the key element of its design being focused on an insurance model. For example, where if it is deemed that a large injection of funds (e.g. early intervention) will save money down the track then this will be done. This makes good sense both economically and from an outcomes point of view. Also money will be invested in research and prevention so as to keep costs in the future at a manageable level.
I agree for my submission to be made public
Regards,
Mr Rohan Braddy