Spam: Submission to the Inquiry into the National Disability Insurance Scheme Bill 2012

From: To: Community Affairs, Committee (SEN); Subject: Spam: Submission to the Inquiry into the National Disability Insurance Scheme Bill 2012 Date: Monday, 21 January 2013 12:33:27 PM

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.

AQA Victoria Ltd provides supports and services to people with disabilities in Victoria. It is our experience that the current system is inequitable and does not support people with severe and permanent disabilities over their lifetime, regardless of how or where the disability came about.

For those people who acquire a permanent disability in ‘non compensable’ circumstances such as being born with a permanent disability, accident, medical condition or mental illness there is no automatic support to meet their needs.

Many barriers for people with disabilities have been reduced over the last 10 years however access to services can be restrictive due to criteria and funding limitations. Many people find it difficult to obtain accurate information and can be confused about what is and isn’t available to support their situation.

The main features of the NDIS that will make a difference to the community are:

• People with a disability can choose the types of support to use, Better access to mainstream support and services, Increased ability to coordinate services to suit the “whole” person/family

The most important services for the NDIS to provide are:

• Life-skills, Support for families and carers, In-home care and domestic assistance

I support the introduction of the NDIS.

A National Disability Insurance Scheme will fundamentally change the lives of people with disabilities and their families by improving access to individualised supports based on an assessment of needs and personal goals.

It will alleviate some of the financial burdens associated with permanent disability, therefore improving the quality of life for both the person with the disability and their family.

For those people, who for whatever reason have never accessed supports or services for themselves or family members with disability, an NDIS will provide a freedom to live in the present and plan for the future without fear about “who will look after me or my relative” if something happens to change their circumstances for the worse.

A National Disability Insurance Scheme will expand the group of service users in the disability sector and therefore provide an opportunity for service providers to expand their programs and networks offering a wider range of relevant services

**and supports to people with disability.

I agree for my submission to be made public

Regards,

AQA Victoria Ltd Robyn Canning**