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Wednesday 9 May 2012

National Disability Insurance Scheme: the 2012 budget

Last night's national budget included funding of the roll-out of the National Disability Insurance Scheme for Australia.


From Every Australian Counts, immediately following the Treasurer's budget speech: 


Here's the media release from the Government - with the breakdown on the funds, but the highlights are:

"The Government’s commitment includes:

- $342.5 million over three years from July next year for individually funded packages for people with significant and permanent disability.

- $154.8 million over three years from July next year to employ Local Area Coordinators to provide an individualised approach to delivering care and support to people with a disability.

- $58.6 million over three years from July next year to assess the needs of people with a disability in the launch locations.

- $122.6 million over four years to start preparing the disability sector for the new way of delivering disability services. Building the capacity of disability organisations to adjust to an NDIS is critical to success, particularly in the launch locations in the first stage of roll out.

- $240.3 million over four years to build and operate an NDIS information technology system.

- $53 million over four years to establish a new National Disability Launch Transition Agency to coordinate implementation and manage the delivery of care and support to people with a disability and their carers in launch locations from 2013–14."

More details: Australian Government media release on funding of the NDIS, 8th May 2012


Every Australian Counts media release on 2012 budget:

The Every Australian Counts campaign welcomes tonight’s historic announcement that $1 billion will be allocated over the next four years towards the launch of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
The Budget allocation includes $342.5 million over three years for individualised packages for people with a disability and their families.



Every Australian Counts National Campaign Director John Della Bosca said: “Every night around Australia aging carers go to bed worried about what will happen to their son or daughter with a disability when they can no longer provide care and support.


“I know tonight they will sleep a little easier knowing the NDIS is on its way.”


“Tonight the Commonwealth has laid some strong foundations to make the NDIS real. The scheme is being launched sooner than we expected. For 20,000 people with a disability around the nation help is finally on its way,” Mr Della Bosca said.


“In a tight fiscal environment, committing $1 billion to disability reform represents an historic improvement and a positive change for Australians living with disability.


“For too long, disability has been in the too hard basket. The waiting lists for equipment, the lack of respite care and the underfunding of services has been a national disgrace. Today we start to right that wrong.
“The plan outlined tonight relies heavily on cooperation between the Federal, State and Territory governments. I know that State Ministers around the country support the NDIS. They want to see it become a reality. So we look forward to everyone sitting around the table and working out how to make the NDIS a reality.


“Our Every Australian Counts campaign supporters have built a strong disability movement. Our supporters have worked tirelessly to put the NDIS on the political agenda and to keep it there.


“Tonight’s announcement is a tribute to their hard work. Tonight they know that their voices have finally been heard.”


How will the NDIS work? Video from Every Australian Counts, 8th May 2012


Other responses:


Disability representative organisations Australian Federation of Disability Organisations and People with Disability Australia welcome funds for NDIS


Australian Council of Social Services: "... ACOSS is also pleased to see funding set aside in this year's budget to launch a national disability insurance scheme a year ahead of schedule. This is long overdue and great news for the great many people in Australia with disability, and their families and carers."


Stephen Lunn, writing for The Australian
Elizabeth Manning on The Conversation
  • Full transcript of Treasurer Wayne Swan's Budget speech and this year's Budget papers is at www.budget.gov.au.

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