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 9:57:33 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.

As the grand parents of a classic autistic 11 year old boy We are astounded that our son and daughter in law (Parent of the autistic boy)have had a crippling financial burden doing the right thing by ensuring early intervention to give their son the best possible chance of a decent quality of life. this has all come as a terrible financial burden having outlayed approx $55,000 per year in first three years of diagnosis. Despite both parents having well paid professional careers this financial burden has caused a huge strain on their marriage and deprived them of many luxuries and even essential thing they should have had but have been denied. Dont get me wrong they believe every cent spent has been worth it.

But I ask why families such as ours should have to suffer like this surely they should be entitled to some financial assistance,so as to try and develop their son to be an independent and productive person in Adult life.

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

• Better access to mainstream support and services,
• Better access to education and work opportunities,
• More employment of people with disability and less reliance on social welfare

The most important services for the NDIS to provide are:

• Therapy and allied health services,
• Education support (technology/services/equipment),
• Support for families and carers

I support the introduction of the NDIS.

Health and Education professionals are doing their best to provide services to people with a disability,but they need the DNIS to support them, they can see how unfair the current system is in Queensland.We often lose people who support disabled persons often because they are tired of trying to prop up failing support systems.

So we have talked and talked to no avail it is NOW TIME for all levels of government to get on with the job and provide a fair and equitable system that provides the necessary level of support for ALL people in the community with a disability.

I agree for my submission to be made public

Regards, Mr Ian Stephens