From: To: Community Affairs, Committee (SEN);
Date: Thursday, 17 January 2013 12:50:56 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.
Because it is based on silo-ing me and people with disabilities into a ‘special and disadvantaged’ group before we can get support to achieve our potential.
It took me over a decade of poverty and depression before I allowed a friend to finally ‘walk with me’ to accept the ‘disadvantaged person’ role of a disabled person and seek the medical help that eventually affirmed my capabilities and confidence to apply for ‘Disability Support’ service. Two years-on, a Graduate Diploma in Sustainability and Climate Policy almost complete, a Masters Dissertation in Climate Resilience and Nutrition in the planning…. How much sooner that transition might have been with an Insurance scheme model rather than a pensioned- off model. Now I am a contributing citizen looking forward to a career:)
The main features of the NDIS that will make a difference to the community are:
Better access to mainstream support and services, More rights for people with a disability, Minimising the number of times people have to tell their story in order to get support
The most important services for the NDIS to provide are:
Therapy and allied health services, Education support (technology/services/equipment), Employment support, Case management, planning and coordination
I support the introduction of the NDIS.
For all the reasons apparent from my own story of delay and deterioration and most important because it has been devised by and for people with disabilities themselves.
I agree for my submission to be made public