On August 10th, a landmark Productivity Commission report was released calling for a $13.5 billion national disability insurance scheme to be created.
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The Prime Minister, in backing the report, has vowed to end the “cruel lottery” that can leave people with the same disability receiving vastly different levels of care because of where they live or how they become disabled.
She said it could take seven years before it was fully implemented as she announced $10 million in technical funding as a first step. The Productivity Commission said every 30 minutes, on average, someone was diagnosed with a significant disability but the structure was unfair, underfunded and inefficient.
A proposed National Disability Insurance Scheme would not be means tested and would cover every Australian for “reasonable and necessary support” if they became disabled.
About 410,000 people would use it. People would be given a personal plan and budget tailored to their needs. . . . read more
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/help-for-410000-disabled-australians/story-fn7x8me2-1226112675767
Related Coverage
- Hold the subs, we need money for aged The Australian, 15 Aug 2011
- Disability plan sees Labor’s form return The Daily Telegraph, 13 Aug 2011
- Reforms could transform lives of millions The Australian, 12 Aug 2011
- Disabled services boosted by scheme Courier Mail, 12 Aug 2011
- $10m plan for national disability insurance Perth Now, 10 Aug 2011
Every Australian Counts / NDIS
A non-profit organisation called Every Australian Counts http://everyaustraliancounts.com.au/ has been formed to campaign for the introduction of a National Disability Insurance Scheme. The NDIS will revolutionise the way people with a disability, their families and carers are supported in Australia.
The NDIS will be a new support system for people with a disability, their families and carers. It will transform the way services are funded and delivered, ensuring people are better supported and enabling them to have greater choice and control.
Over the next few months the Productivity Commission will report to the Government on the findings of its inquiry into a long-term disability care and support scheme.
Every Australian needs to stand up and say that people with a disability, their families and carers in this country deserve better and that it’s time for change. We need every Australian to say that people with a disability, their families and carers are Australians too, and that their hopes and dreams count; that they are part of our community, and that they count.
We need to show the government that there is widespread community support for change – and that the time for action has come.
A Foundation perspective
HSP Research Foundation President Frank McKeown said “The campaign is important to inform and educate the Australian public at large about the issues and facts associated with being long-term, chronically or permanently disabled. If the public don’t know, the politicians will not care. We can bring direct pressure onto our politicians, but without the groundswell of support across the length and breadth of society for this disadvantaged minority, something structural, solid and sustainable is likely to prove elusive”.
He went on to say, “The campaign provides a rallying point for organisations like ours to come together and stand united on this most important of interests and needs that we all share. Together, through this campaign, we can reach far more people, far more effectively… and hopefully achieve a great result for all with disabilities who require assistance”.
Join the Campaign
Join the campaign – Support people with a disability and their families to achieve independence. Around 70,000 supporters have already joined. And there are many other ways and ideas for taking action that you can check out on their website.
http://everyaustraliancounts.com.au/take_action