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: Friday, 21 December 2012 5:22:57 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.

I need to be confident, that when I can no longer help my son, that suitable services will be provided to ensure that he is happy and healthy for the remainder of his life. The current ad hoc series of systems does little to allay our fears for the future.

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

• The ability to receive services when needed and in the way that suits the person,
• People with disability/family will influence the types of support and services offered,
• 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:

• Therapy and allied health services,
• Recreation and community access,
• In-home care and domestic assistance,
• Case management, planning and coordination

I support the introduction of the NDIS.

I support this scheme because I feel that it is the best chance for people like my son to have a happy and healthy life. At the moment he is almost completely reliant on his mother and me for his everyday needs and the coordination of respite and recreation services. We are effectively his case managers. We are both now nearing 60 and it is becoming clear that one day we will find it difficult to continue with that level of care.

Having said that, we realise that our son is really one of the lucky ones! He has good general health and we are financially comfortable. Many people with disabilities we have interacted with over the past 30 years have not been so fortunate. Every parent regardless of their situation, has the same concerns - what will happen when I’m gone? I hope that a legislated NDIS will give us confidence that people with disabilities, whether from birth like our son or through an accident, will receive adequate assistance to live a happy and useful life.

I agree for my submission to be made public

Regards, Mr David Wilson