Australia's disability support system is on the brink of major changes. The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is undergoing a restructure due to financial pressures. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing BBC News.
Annabelle Shaw, a Year 8 student from Western Australia, is hockey-obsessed and has scored eight goals this season for her team, the Panthers. She lives with Down Syndrome, which qualifies her for funding through the NDIS. However, due to new reforms, she may have to stop playing her favorite sport.
The NDIS was introduced in 2012 under former Prime Minister Julia Gillard. The scheme aims to provide disabled Australians with funding based on their individual needs to increase their independence. Currently, the scheme supports more than 700,000 Australians.
In this financial year, NDIS costs have ballooned to $54 billion, double the initial estimates. The government is proposing tighter controls to reduce its size and budget. The NDIS Amendment bill passed the House of Representatives in early July but was delayed, extending a Senate inquiry. The inquiry report is due on 14 August.
Bill Shorten, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Canberra, played a key role in setting up the NDIS. He told the BBC that what makes disability hard is a lack of money and power. According to research by Hannah Orban, Senior Associate at the Grattan Institute, each participant receives an average of approximately A$65,000 per year.
Critics of the scheme say some providers have gamed the system, offering unnecessary and expensive services. Jenny Karavolos of the Australian Autism Alliance argues that the increase in autism diagnoses is due to other systems failing.
When the NDIS started, it was estimated to cost about $22bn a year with about 475,000 participants. Now those figures have grown significantly. The government believes reforms are necessary to make the scheme sustainable for future generations.