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: Sunday, 23 December 2012 10:22:51 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.

From the time I was ‘formally’ diagnosed when I was an infant in Orange NSW, you parents had difficulty finding services & support suited to my needs in the local community. The closest form of support was in Bathurst, two hours drive from home. During school, when my siblings & I tried to apply for an allowance, we always hit red tape, as my stepfather earned too much money each year despite the fact that we were just above the poverty line. Even after I left high school, the only ‘solution’ was a pension & no other support. The end result:- A young adult with low self-esteem, concerned about what goals they can & can’t achieve, & terrified of venturing out of their comfort zone to socialise with the community.

I was once part of a social program with DoCS while in high school for three weeks, & they suddenly decided that I didn’t need it, without consulting me or my family. Ever since, My social skills are near rock-bottom, not a good place for an autistic individual.

Now I have concerns about my younger sister who is also autistic. Is the federal government going to let her down, as they did me?

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

• Better access to mainstream support and services
• More opportunities to participate in the community
• Access to reliable information about support options

The most important services for the NDIS to provide are:

• Recreation and community access
• Support for families and carers
• Crisis and emergency support

I support the introduction of the NDIS.

This is very important to the whole country. In my opinion, the NDIS will make an very big difference for everyone with disabilities. Everyday I see people with disabilities walking past thinking that they are working very hard to make ends meet, either for themselves, or in my case, for their families as well, without any form of recognition or support from both sides of parliament. This was even before I heard about the NDIS. I always have the questions ‘Are we forgotten by Australia?’ ‘Should we just leave our lives like we should be seen & not heard, while we get snubbed by those who think they are better than us?’

We’ve waited far too long for this to happen. 18 months of research, then almost 2 years to decide that action will be taken in a year’s time is not our idea of helping all Australians. If many of the people I have met during my residency in Goulburn could express their opinion, they would agree. We have a lot of potential within us to show, but we’re not given the opportunity or being shown

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The right way to prove it.

I agree for my submission to be made public

Regards,

Miss Melanie Brown