Submission 921
To whom this may concern.
My name is . I am an current NDIS participant and have been for approximately 6 years. I’m currently on my second NDIS plan which has been extended many times.
I didn’t really understand my support needs or the concept of disability prior to getting an NDIS plan but now I have support I understand why I need support and how my life is affected. I live alone, I work and I enjoy being part of my community and doing some things I love. However, full time work and managing life for me is EXHAUSTING and challenging. My NDIS supports allow me to try to manage a normal life, to try and cope in employment and especially when things don’t go well. I’ve gained and lost a lot od jobs. I haven’t coped I’ve been depressed and my health has suffered.
I tried 4 times to apply before being accepted as an NDIS participant. I do my best to manage my funds well and to avoid fraud, theft and the constant barrage of negativity about the scheme including the predatory behaviour by providers.
Currently, while my supports are stable I’m doing well. I am maintaining full time employment and am managing OK at home. I’m also achieving some goals, managing my health and things are steady. My NDIS plan is also allowing me to do some of the things I enjoy aside from just basic survival.
I made a mistake once and a provider stole funds from my plan. I reported it to the NDIA and they did nothing and have not communicated with me about it. I’ve reported other fraudulent matters and nothing is being done.
I have learned to fear the NDIA and I don’t trust the governmernt to represent our best interests. You fear a phone call because the NDIS have adopted a deceptive process which traps participants with a “check in” phone call which is actually a plan review. The very agency which is supposed to help us is harming us. I am also hearing about domestic violence murder suicide cases related to families who have lost all hope and constantly hearing about participants and families whose lives are destroyed overnight because someone in Canberra has decided to slash their plan, to arbitrarily remove supports, to deny supports or for some other reason. I am scared of my next plan review. I’m scared my supports will be slashed or lost for no reason, despite all the effort put into written reports and my careful management of NDIS funds. I’m scared of the malicious “check in” phone call. I shouldn’t have to be fearful of a government scheme which is supposed to support me and so many other people who are vulnerable.
I’m upset and angry about the proposed changes to the NDIS. The government don’t understand or don’t want to understand what is really going on.
Submission 921
Unregistered providers are not the problem. They are a solution to the expensive and ownerous burden that the NDIA imposes on supports and businesses who choose to register. If you want providers to be registered then the process needs to be effective but needs to be simple and not financially expensive. Providers need to be held to a uniform high standard and need to demonstrate competency. They should be qualified to deliver supports; especially for support workers.
Supports need to be priced appropriately. Price gouging is rife in the NDIS and especially in support work. Unregistered providers need to be restricted to a lower hourly price limit which reflects their business costs. Too many support workers overcharge because they can and do and they do not understand the basics of the business they are operating.
Registered support providers are a big problem and they are a bigger source of fraud and theft than unreigstered providers. No provider should be able to invoice and collect funds from a participants plan without consent from a capible participant or their nominee; be it family or a saupport co ordinator where appropriate. Fraud and theft occurs when criminal interests target agency managed clients. They invoice and take funds without any oversight. This is how criminal interests steal funds and how unethical providers gouge plans and over charge for goods and services. The NDIA and the ACCC need to work together to stop the huge amount of overcharging that is wasting funds.
Plan managers needs to be held to a very clear set of measurable standards. They should be required to hold a financial services license. There also needs to be a mechanism where providers can submit an invoice to the NDIA directly for payment in cases where the participant has not paid or the funds are not available. The NDIS needs an internal debt collection process.
Self managed participants need to be supported. The NDIA need to expand the educational resources available to self managers to help them manage plans. The government need to remember you are dealing with vulnerable people and with family members who are exhausted and doing their best. I am self managed and I scruitenise my funds FIERCELY. I will not allow my plan to suffer from fraud, theft or over charging. Self management needs to stay.
I am very upset and angry about the proposed change to the NDIS Act. Participants are being targeted and we are suffering because we are the easy targets and the weakest to go after. Targeting participants causes harm, destroys lives and causes people and families to be killed and for others to consider suicide. Cutting supports is wrong and further the Robodebt Royal Comission found that tactics being used were unfair and unlawful. So these need to not be used in the NDIS.
If my social and community supports were cut I would lose the ability to access supported exercise and the supports I need to do the things that I love. I’d be forced
Submission 921
back to bare survival and trying to cope at work. My health would suffer and I’d be fighting prevenatable disease. A few years ago the government tried to improve NDIS supports so that participants could get out of hospital and free up beds. If you cut supports, you will force participants back into hospitals and it will cost a lot more money on top of the impacts to their lives. We deserve better.
If my capacity building supports were cut this would reduce my access to the therapy I need to manage my health and to learn, grow and build capacity and learn skills to be more independent and most importantly to live a healthier and more normal life. Despite the huge challenges of full time work I am making progress with my supports and I’ve worked hard. Don’t take that away.
The original vision for the NDIS was support we need to live an ORDINARY life. Don’t diminish that and take it away. It is unethical, immoral and improper to just arbitrarily cut funds from a participant of a whole group of participants. Our plans were designed to cater for individual support needs. We deserve to be seen as individuals. Not numbers, or boxes. We are HUMAN. We also pay taxes and we vote.