03/12/2024
This is a response from Todd Wither, NDIS Subject Matter Expert @ DSC “Generally, at this time of year, I talk about International Day of Disability and what it doesn’t mean to me personally. However, I want to take a step back this year, and look at the political year in the disability sector, and then you can decide if it is worth celebrating.
• With much fanfare, the Federal Government responded to the Disability Royal Commission. The Commission’s final Report said although there are many systems, institutions and pieces of legislation in place to support people with disability and their rights, the Report argued rightly that governments are not enforcing these rights adequately. The Federal Government’s response to the Report was met with a shrug, despite spending $60 million over six years to run the Commission. 10,000 people shared their stories, yet the Federal Government will only fully implement 6% of the 222 recommendations. 92% of these were recommendations the government had already announced they were implementing before the Report’s release.
• This time last year, the NDIS Review Final Report came out. At the time, the Minister said it was the most critical document concerning disability policy in the sector’s history. Twelve months later, that Minister still hasn’t publicly responded to it.
• Meanwhile, the Federal Government passed legislation dramatically changing the NDIS without warning or sufficient consultation. The philosophy of the Scheme has gone from “What can we do to ensure people with disabilities can contribute to the community? “to “What’s your diagnosis?” Get the shoulder pads out. The 1980s are in vogue again!
• During the Senate debate on the legislation, a Government Senator accused the most politically powerful person with a disability of using his impairment as “…a political weapon “. The same chamber that is not even accessible to him. This Senator could not even cross the floor to register his opposition to the Bill under debate! Not surprisingly, the mainstream media did not report on this disgraceful remark. Instead, a day later, they applauded the government for its exceptional negotiating skills with the Opposition to ensure the passage of the legislation.
• 97 amendments were passed to the original Bill, which was passed four minutes before the August sitting period concluded. Four and a half months later, NDIS participants and those who support them still don’t understand how many of these amendments will impact the Scheme.
• In the Senate hearings during the consultation of this legislation, Government Senators continually asked Disability Representative Organisations to explain what “foundational supports” were. That’s right, it was up to people with a disability to explain to the Federal Government what its policy was. Almost six months after those hearings, they are no closer to defining foundational supports.
• During all this, the Minister of the NDIS announced that he was leaving. His political legacy will be keeping the NDIS “sustainable”. When was the last time anybody in the government said that the Defence Department has to be sustainable? Or the Health Department? Or the Education Department?
• He promised NDIS participants we wouldn’t be worse off in the 2022 election campaign. Providers only had a 30-day period to get across the legislation changes without the risk of financial sanctions. Fundamental human rights, according to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, have been outlawed on the new NDIS Lists. I could keep going…
• Who knows who the next Minister is going to be? Whoever it is has to finish the “reform” process, while somehow restoring trust in the sector with six months to go before the next Federal Election.
Besides the under-recognised and unrewarded work of activists across the disability sector, what should we celebrate this week? How many times will we hear the public celebrate how “inclusive” they are?”
Well said Todd
