❓ Hon. Sally Talbot questions the Minister for Disability Services regarding potential reductions in support levels under the NDIS compared to existing WA provisions. The Minister assures commitment to maintaining current support levels while negotiating with the Commonwealth.
AnsweredQoN 83Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
NATIONAL
DISABILITY INSURANCE SCHEME
83. Hon SALLY
TALBOT to the Minister for Disability Services:
I refer to the minister's statement during debate on
the Disability Services Amendment Bill 2012 in October 2012, in which she stated
—
The thing that most people tell me
is that the biggest complaint is that we cannot fund people who are
obviously in need of support because we are still funding only those people who
meet the most critical needs within the available resources.
(1) Did the
minister advise the Premier that under the NDIS a number of people in this
state will get less levels of support than they currently get today?
(2) If so, what is the evidence that
this is the case?
(3) If not, will
the minister undertake to present the facts to the Premier so that WA can join
the NDIS and put an end to the situation in which we cannot fund disabled
Western Australians who are obviously in need of support?
DISABILITY INSURANCE SCHEME
83. Hon SALLY
TALBOT to the Minister for Disability Services:
I refer to the minister's statement during debate on
the Disability Services Amendment Bill 2012 in October 2012, in which she stated
—
The thing that most people tell me
is that the biggest complaint is that we cannot fund people who are
obviously in need of support because we are still funding only those people who
meet the most critical needs within the available resources.
(1) Did the
minister advise the Premier that under the NDIS a number of people in this
state will get less levels of support than they currently get today?
(2) If so, what is the evidence that
this is the case?
(3) If not, will
the minister undertake to present the facts to the Premier so that WA can join
the NDIS and put an end to the situation in which we cannot fund disabled
Western Australians who are obviously in need of support?
AnswerView source ↗
(1) The
Premier and I have had many, many conversations and discussions about the
National Disability Insurance Scheme. I have to tell the member that the
Premier is doing a fantastic job in ensuring that the people of Western
Australia not only manage to hold on to all the great advantages that already
accrue to people with disability in Western Australia, but also do not miss out
on any of the benefits that are coming to us and other states through the NDIS.
The government has repeatedly indicated that we are committed to an NDIS that
does not disadvantage people with disability in Western Australia. That is the
most important thing to us.
All governments have agreed that
the scheme should provide continuity of support to people with disability
currently receiving services to ensure that they are not disadvantaged in the
transition to the NDIS. However, there is a risk that the level of support
could be eroded over time, and that is a very significant risk.
(2) One of the
difficulties in determining future levels of support under the NDIS for people
throughout Australia is that there are a number of questions to be addressed in
what is still an emerging system. Continuity of existing supports to people
with disability is an issue that is still under discussion with the
commonwealth government. The state government is committed to ensuring that the
current levels of supports and services in this state will not be diminished.
(3) The state
government continues to negotiate with the commonwealth government to get the
best approach for Western Australia that builds on the many positive features
of disability services in this state. The state government is committed to
safeguarding the aspects of our current system that have been developed over
the past two decades, such as decentralised decision making, individualised
funding, person-centred planning, local supports and a very capable and robust
non-government sector.
The state government remains
committed to participating in an NDIS that significantly increases funding to
meet the needs of people with disability, but it is incredibly important that
people not have an unrealistic expectation of what the NDIS can deliver for
them.
Premier and I have had many, many conversations and discussions about the
National Disability Insurance Scheme. I have to tell the member that the
Premier is doing a fantastic job in ensuring that the people of Western
Australia not only manage to hold on to all the great advantages that already
accrue to people with disability in Western Australia, but also do not miss out
on any of the benefits that are coming to us and other states through the NDIS.
The government has repeatedly indicated that we are committed to an NDIS that
does not disadvantage people with disability in Western Australia. That is the
most important thing to us.
All governments have agreed that
the scheme should provide continuity of support to people with disability
currently receiving services to ensure that they are not disadvantaged in the
transition to the NDIS. However, there is a risk that the level of support
could be eroded over time, and that is a very significant risk.
(2) One of the
difficulties in determining future levels of support under the NDIS for people
throughout Australia is that there are a number of questions to be addressed in
what is still an emerging system. Continuity of existing supports to people
with disability is an issue that is still under discussion with the
commonwealth government. The state government is committed to ensuring that the
current levels of supports and services in this state will not be diminished.
(3) The state
government continues to negotiate with the commonwealth government to get the
best approach for Western Australia that builds on the many positive features
of disability services in this state. The state government is committed to
safeguarding the aspects of our current system that have been developed over
the past two decades, such as decentralised decision making, individualised
funding, person-centred planning, local supports and a very capable and robust
non-government sector.
The state government remains
committed to participating in an NDIS that significantly increases funding to
meet the needs of people with disability, but it is incredibly important that
people not have an unrealistic expectation of what the NDIS can deliver for
them.
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