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Call for NDIS welcomed

ANGLICARE SYDNEY WELCOMES CALL FOR NATIONAL DISABILITY INSURANCE SCHEME

The largest non-government provider of disability support services in western Sydney has welcomed the Productivity Commission’s recommendation for the establishment of a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
 
However, ANGLICARE Sydney says that the NSW Government will have a key role to play and those parties contesting the NSW Election need to commit to the NDIS now.
ANGLICARE Sydney CEO Peter Kell says the NDIS would go a long way to addressing years of inadequate funding and lack of coordination in disability support services.
 
“For years, successive state and federal governments have been deaf to the cries of people with disabilities and their carers.
 
“It is unconscionable that for the needs of some of the most vulnerable members of our community have been overlooked for so long.
“A National Disability Insurance Scheme will make an enormous difference to the lives of the 360,000 people who would be eligible for assistance.
“This would bring Australia in line with countries like the UK where there is a properly financed and coordinated system to support people with significant disabilities and their carers”.
However Mr Kell says that the key will be to secure the funding required to make the vision of the NDIS as outlined in the Commission’s report a reality.
“There is no doubt that this will be an expensive system to run, but we owe it to the many thousands of Australians who have endured years of hardship and neglect to finally give them the support they require.
“The states and territories will play a vital role in making the necessary funding available for the NDIS by off-setting the Australia-wide tax implications of the scheme by reducing state and territory taxes by the amount of own-state revenue they currently provide to disability services.
“We call upon the parties contesting the NSW election to commit to making the scheme a success.”
The Productivity Commission's draft report into Disability Care and Support can be downloadedfrom here.