National Disability Insurance Scheme update

Posted - December 2012 in HSPRF News

Legislation introduced

The Prime Minister Julia Gillard introduced the legislation to establish the NDIS into the Federal Parliament on 29 November, the last day of sitting for 2012, in what she described as one of her proudest moments in public life.

Supporters of the NDIS sent more than 1,600 emails and made 550 phone calls covering all MPs during that week. To make sure they were listening, campaigners knocked on every office door in Parliament House in Canberra as well.

So where are we at now?

Funding for the NDIS beyond the launch sites is not locked in. Until there is a commitment of money to the scheme to enable it to be funded in the long term, we cannot be sure that the NDIS is here for all Australians, for good.

We will all need to continue to show our support for the NDIS over the longer term, because both sides of politics at federal level, as well as the state governments have already shown that their commitment to date falls far short of their supportive rhetoric.

Comments on this story

Vic posted at 10:47 am on 3 December 2012Reply

Is there a way I can show my support for NDIS via your website?
A petition perhaps?
Regards
Vic
- Editor's Note: posted at 8:19 am on 8 December 2012Reply
  
  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. This Foundation wholeheartedly supports them and encourages everybody in the HSP community to go to their site, sign up, sign the petition there and lend your support. That way, the power of a huge number of organisations and people in them advocating for a scheme make their collective voices heard most effectively. Through e-mails and the website, we will keep you up-to-date on all the latest developments with the NDIS. Just yesterday, the Federal and NSW State governments locked in a 50-50 agreement on the NDIS http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/nsw-backs-disability-plan-20121206-2aygp.html. Find previous articles on the NDIS and Every Australian Counts on this website by entering NDIS in the Search box at the top of any page and clicking Search.