From: To: Community Affairs, Committee (SEN); Subject: Submission to the Inquiry into the National Disability Insurance Scheme Bill 2012 Date: Thursday, 17 January 2013 12:05:59 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 have a sister who has a 24 year old daughter with Cerebral Palsy. Recently she went to the bank to withdraw money from her daughter’s account to pay for bathroom renovations which have finally been made to her bathroom to assist her to take care of her. The bank froze her daughter’s funds because my sister didn’t have a power of attorney to manage her funds. She doesn’t have a power of attorney because her daughter is profoundly disabled and unable to give consent. Whenever she enquires about this dilemma from people in the know she is assured that she doesn’t need a power of attorney, she just has to tell people that she is the primary carer. She goes round and round in circles! As if she doesn’t have enough to contend with! Every disabled person must have a case worker who can address anomalies and assist people who are doing their very best. The ‘system’ should work with and for people with a disability and their significant others, not against them!
The main features of the NDIS that will make a difference to the community are:
Increased ability to coordinate services to suit the “whole” person/family, Minimising the number of times people have to tell their story in order to get support, Less red tape, with planning done locally by people who know their community
The most important services for the NDIS to provide are:
Support for families and carers, Flexible in-home/outside home respite, Case management, planning and coordination
I support the introduction of the NDIS.
Every human being has a basic right to maximise their abilities and thereby contribute to society to their full capacity. It is the responsibility of the whole of society to ensure that this happens, as we will all benefit. It makes good economic sense, in addition to the obvious social benefits.
I agree for my submission to be made public