From: To: Community Affairs, Committee (SEN); Subject: sub923Submission to the Inquiry into the National Disability Insurance Scheme Bill 2012 Date: Thursday, 17 January 2013 1:42:34 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.
Adult son with disability. Extremely long delays in provision of equipment (walking splints, specialised shoes/boots to accommodate these splints without which he is unable to mobilise independently) Needs 2 yearly replacement to adjust shape & condition after constant use/wear. Son on disability pension but lives in our home so fortunately no rental costs. With our increasing age - we have concerns that this may not be able to continue indefinitely if parents ‘downsize’ in retirement. Huge cost of dental care - his condition impacts significantly on bone/teeth structure.Requires anaesthetic and hospitalisation for procedures. ++ costs. Huge costs extend also to service such as Occupational Therapy Driving Test which may cost over $350/$400 from specialised OTs. Not rebateable. (Not avail in our area - accessed from Bendigo ( hours away) only from the two OT’s who provide this service) Little support or ability to have genuine entry into normal workforce which impacts also on social and mental wellbeing. Pathetic/inappropriate public or assisted housing available - and hugely expensive for those on disability pensions. Difficult to limit the below questionaires to three points each! Too many government workers who change the rules/access whenever a new govt. comes in! Please do NOT overwhelm the NDIS with ‘experts’ or government workers without any experience in caring for disabled or who will be focused entirely on costs and require large wages to justify their existance. Ensure funding goes to the people who really need it!
The main features of the NDIS that will make a difference to the community are:
Better access to education and work opportunities, Less red tape, with planning done locally by people who know their community, People with disability/family will influence the types of support and services offered
The most important services for the NDIS to provide are:
Therapy and allied health services, Support for families and carers, Accommodation options
I support the introduction of the NDIS.
Absolutely essential to redress the imbalance currently in Australia. Care/education/costs should be distributed (as universal health scheme) & as responsibility of all Australians generally, not just the sole responsibility of the immediate family and person with the disability. Parents/families are currently handling all costs/worries about future care in an ageing population.
I agree for my submission to be made public