Having worked in the disability sector now for a number of years and seen first-hand the impact that a lack of funding has on so many people, in terms of reduced support hours and increased terminations of service, it is without hesitation that I support and actively endorse the NDIS. Doctors currently spend a significant amount of time filling in forms for organisations that 'prove' a disability exists and that an individual is eligible for assistance. It seems ludicrous that someone would 'pretend' to have a disability so why not streamline the system?. The recently coined "death spiral" system (Associate Commissioner John Walsh) refers to the current system with ageing carers unable to cope, giving up their adult children to expensive taxpayer-funded care which leads to reduced respite support and increases the strain on remaining carers. Unsurprisingly carers have one of the lowest levels of wellbeing of all Australians. The Productivity Commission's initial draft report suggests that the Commonwealth Government should completely fund the insurance scheme and add an additional $6.2 billion to the existing disability fund ($1.7 billion from Federal government and $4.5 billion from states and territories). With the new proposal the amount of money allocated to disability will be covered in law and will not depend on who is in government; an overdue solution to the problem of uncertainty regarding what the future holds for many people affected by disability.
The Queensland division of the NDIS committee, assembled entirely of service providers and advocacy groups, has gone to great lengths to emphasise that advocates of the NDIS have to relay productivity and economics to government. But, if an individual is unable to work due to a lack of accessibility and support, one more worker is lost from the Australian economy and thus another person and their carer is welfare dependent. What happens to those adults having to be placed in high-care expensive facilities at a cost to society because help was not in place early on? Surely it is logical to realise that the NDIS is imperative in Australia, and if not implemented the downward spiral is going to become a downward plummet with even more financial burden on the state in years to come.
Hm. Interesting looking spambot.