Monday, 7 September 2015

News and commentary on the NDIS (37)

NDIS eNews August 2015

Free classes to boost disability workers ahead of NDIS shakeup
Kirsty Needham, Sydney Morning Herald, 6th September 2015
... If the National Disability Insurance Scheme is to complete its roll-out by 2018, NSW will need another 25,000 workers like (Larissa) Williams. Concerned at a severe shortfall in staff, the Baird government will announce on Sunday it is dropping fees for TAFE courses that train people to work in disability and community services. Under the $10 million program, courses which had cost up to $5000 for qualifications in Auslan, community services, disability and aged care, and youth work, will become free from next year ...

Bruce Bonuhady, NDIA (Chair), Sixth International Carers Conference, Gothenburg, Sweden, 5th September 2015
... The aim of the NDIS is simple … and profound: To provide all Australians who acquire a permanent and significant disability before the age of 65 with the reasonable and necessary supports they need to live a life of inclusion ...

...The greater responsibility we share is to those who follow us – the next generation of people with a disability and their families and their carers.

We owe it to those who follow us to forever remove the barriers to equality and opportunity. We owe it to tomorrow to focus more on the ‘and’ than the ‘either/or’ of today ...

'Midnight ambush': NDIS board members discover they are being dumped via ad
Sarah Whyte, Sydney Morning Herald, 4th September 2015
Board members on the National Disability Insurance Scheme were given a "midnight ambush" when their jobs were advertised in a national newspaper before they were told, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says.
The federal government ran an advertisement on page eight of the Australian Financial Review calling for new board members, stipulating that the candidates must have "substantial board experience either in a large listed company or a significant government business enterprise" ...

Victoria and New South Wales strike disability scheme breakthrough
Josh Gordon, Benjamin Preiss, Sydney Morning Herald, 4th September 2015
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews met NSW Premier Mike Baird in Sydney on Friday, and with both states close to signing a historic deal with Canberra, the disability support scheme can move from a trial phase to full coverage ...

NDIS delayed is NDIS denied
Craig Wallace, Open Forum, 4 September
Slowing down the NDIS will not mean Australians stop paying for disability services nor seal the leaks on a sinking system. But we may lose far more than we realise – our capacity to propose and deliver complex systemic reform in modern Australia ...

Any delays in the NDIS will not serve people with disabilities
George Taleporos, Every Australian Counts, 1st September 2015
As final negotiations are occurring between the States and the Federal Government around the timing of the rollout of the NDIS, we are approaching a critical time for people with disabilities. It is concerning that a number of prominent voices have been calling for a delay to the full roll-out when they do not represent people with disabilities and may have vested interests ...

NDIS full rollout plan still underway 
SBS, 31st August 2015
The federal government insists a missed deadline on a plan to roll out the national disability insurance scheme does not mean it will be put off.

Time to Get Real on NDIS: Data and Flexibility Are Key
David Gilchrist, Pro Bono News, 3rd September 2015
It’s time to stock and develop better data in support of a more robust National Disability Insurance Scheme or the brunt of any failure will be borne by those who live with disability, writes Professor David Gilchrist from Curtin University. 

$100m to be reinvested in Disability Services after NDIS milestone
NSW Family and Community Services,  28th August 2015 (media release)
The rollout of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) has reached a major milestone, with the NSW Government announcing the future operator for Home Care Service NSW.

Home Care has a 70 per cent market share in NSW, helping older people and people with disability to live independently in their own homes as well as providing support to carers.

After an extensive and competitive selection process, mutual provider Australian Unity has been chosen as the successful bidder for Home Care ...


NDIS failing to house people with a disability
Nance Haxton, The World Today (ABC Radio) 27th AUgust 2015
... Concerns are rising that the National Disability Scheme (NDIS) has overlooked the importance of housing in its service provision.

Advocates say the lack of affordable housing, particularly in big cities, is leading to increased homelessness among people with a disability ...



Churchill Fellowship report on preventing abuse of people with disabilities
NSW CID eNews, August 2015
Programs that prevent abuse of people with disabilities who use direct payments to purchase services: The research is particularly interesting given the transition to the NDIS in Australia and the option to self-manage funding and how this is administered and works in other countries, and what safeguards are in place. Click here to find out more and download the report.

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