NDIS delay “totally unacceptable”

Supporters of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) have warned any delay to its full rollout will be totally unacceptable.

The Federal Government yesterday signalled the possible delay, citing “significant problems” with the agency set up to run it.

But disability advocate John Della Bosca from Every Australian Counts and National Disability Services (NDS) chief Ken Baker, agree that the latest review should not be used to push back the 2018-19 start date.

Assistant Social Services Minister, Senator Mitch Fifield, told the Senate the review was inspiring and sobering and the Coalition were committed to the full rollout of the scheme.

Senator Fifield has previously indicated the scheme was running over budget and he was worried about the costs of administration and overheads.

The review  listed “a large number of significant problems” with the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), including a “weaker” capability and “less developed” processes caused by a decision to bring forward the scheme’s start date by a year.

The scheme is only eight months into its six-year long rollout schedule.

It doesn’t need to be said that Australians have overwhelmingly supported the NDIS and have already been waiting far too long for a scheme of its nature.

The NDIS is extremely important to both sides of government, so they really need to support each other and the agency, to make whatever changes are necessary to  ensure an efficient and timely rollout of this imperative national scheme.

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