Budget 2017: What it means for carers

Carers Australia

11 May 2017

Carers Australia has produced a document outlining a number of the key measures in the recent Federal Budget which may affect unpaid carers. 

Please note that Budget measures must be passed by Parliament before they can come into effect.

Summary The Budget did not include any new measures that will directly affect carer support services or social welfare payments devoted to carers. 

Several measures were announced that relate to the interests of carers, including additional supports for the people to whom they provide care.

• Click here to read more.

Federal Budget 2017: disability sector commentary

Great NDIS and job support wins, but harsh welfare measures for people with disability
Disabled People’s Organisations Australia, 9 May 2017

Disabled People’s Organisations Australia (DPO Australia) welcomes some big wins for people with disability in tonight’s Federal Government Budget, but is very concerned by the punitive approach to welfare support that will make life harder for those doing it tough, including people with disability.  “We are extremely pleased to hear that an increase in the Medicare levy will fully fund the National Disability Insurance Scheme and finally guarantee the support needs of people with disability”, said Ms Therese Sands, Director, DPO Australia. “The NDIS is a critical investment in our social infrastructure, an investment for all Australians, now and into the future” ... read the full media release here.

A fully funded NDIS: certainty for every Australian

Every Australian Counts, 9 May 2017

Treasurer Scott Morrison tonight confirmed the government will fully fund the NDIS beyond 2019. 

In his Budget speech tonight, Mr Morrison announced the Commonwealth will increase the Medicare Levy from 2% to 2. from 2019 to help fund the NDIS. 

One fifth of the money raised by the Medicare levy, along with NDIS underspends and other savings will be channeled into the NDIS Savings Fund ... read the full media release here.

Federal Budget 2017: Down Syndrome Australia commentary

Budget Night 2017-2018

9 May 2017

Down Syndrome Australia's CEO, Dr Ellen Skladzien provides this useful summary of tonight's Federal Budget, on items most relevant to Australians with Down syndrome and their families:

The most positive news for the disability sector in the budget was the decision to provide full funding to National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) through an increase in the Medicare Levy of 0.5 % from July 2019.  This will provide important funding for the Scheme going forward. It is likely to be controversial as it is basically a tax increase- but provides ongoing funding for NDIS and security for the scheme going forward.

One area of concern in the budget is a funding cut of $12 million to the Information, Linkages and Capacity building component of NDIS.  This is funding that supports organisations, like Down Syndrome organisations, that deliver information, referrals and peer support to people with disability. It is also the part of the scheme designed to assist people with disability who are not eligible for an individualised NDIS package of support. The Government has rationalised this by indicating it is due to WA not joining the national scheme.  However, given that the current level of ILC funding is extremely low compared to the required level of support required in the sector, it is disappointing to see this cut.

Other key budget measures for disability include:

• $33 million dollar package to support aged care and disability workforce growth
• $209 million to establish the Independent NDIS Quality and Safeguards commission
• Investment in Disability Employment Services program over the next 4 years including funding to index payments, funding attached to individuals rather than service providers, and a trial to provide DES to children with a disability in their final years of schooling.
• Changes to the residency requirements for the DSP and age pension.

There are also a range of health measures which will potentially have a positive impact on people with Down syndrome including:

• Lifting the freeze on the indexation of the MBS and reversing the removal of bulk-billing for diagnostic imaging and the increase in PBS copayment and related charges
• $165 million mental health package including $80 million for community psychosocial services
• Investment in health research
• Decision not to privatise Australian Hearing

There was also significant investment in education taking on the Gonski funding model.  This was announced in the lead up to the budget and has been somewhat controversial due to concerns about decreased funding to some private schools.

Overall there are some really positive outcomes; however, Down Syndrome Australia will continue to monitor the ILC situation- particularly if WA changes their approach to NDIS.

NSW parliamentary forum on health discrimination

Call to action from NSW Council for Intellectual Disability:

 Help us strike while the iron is hot to keep disability health in the political spotlight. 

Thanks to your support we have been able to organise a Parliamentary Forum, which will focus on the very high rates of preventable deaths for people with intellectual disability. The forum will be held on Friday 31 March at 12 noon in Parliament House.

The Minister for Disability Services, Hon Raymond Williams will address the forum, as will the Shadow Ministers for Health and Disability.

Your local MP has received an invitation, but we need your voice to ensure they attend the event. The more politicians we have there, the more pressure there will be on the government to act. 

The event is little more than a week away, so we need you to phone or email them right now, to lock it into their calendar. 

• Guide to how you can contact your MP 

Open letter to Minister Williams, from people with intellectual disability

On his first day as Minister of Disability Services, NSW Council for Intellectual Disability Members have written Minister Williams a letter. You can read or listen to their letter on the NSW CID blog:

Dear Minister Williams, 

Today is the first day of Parliament for 2017 and you will commence in your new role as Minister of Disability Services. This is a very important position as you are now responsible for defending and upholding the human rights of all people with intellectual disability in NSW. 

The NSW Council for Intellectual Disabilities (NSW CID) asks that you make a commitment to listen to people with an intellectual disability. Really listen and take the time to do this. 

Today you will also be met with protestors outside Parliament, angry about the way the NSW Government is undertaking the transfer of disability services to the non government sector and concerned about the quality of care that people with disability will receive in the future ...

Responses to 'omnibus Bill'

Disabled People’s Organisations Australia response, posted 13 February 2017

Childcare linked to NDIS funding? An explainer

Every Australian Counts, 14 February 2017

The Turnbull Government yesterday announced they’d dedicate another $3billion to the NDIS but it’s not quite as simple as that. Here’s what has been happening in Canberra over the last 24 hours.

To cut a very long story short, two years ago the then Abbott Government committed over $4billion to childcare, making an average family with kids in childcare around $30 a week better off.

... We’ll keep an eye on it as it develops but if there is a positive to come from all this politicking, it has been to hear multiple senior members of government reaffirm their commitment to fully funding the NDIS.

Brakes put on Government's Omnibus Bill

Nick Xenophon,  media release, 14 February 2017
After exhaustive consideration, the Nick Xenophon Team will not support the Government’s Social Services Legislation Amendment (Omnibus Savings and Child Care Reform) Bill 2017 ...

Childcare changes: Nick Xenophon Team blocks Federal Government's omnibus bill
Matthew Doran and Julie Doyle, ABC News, 14 February 2017

The Nick Xenophon Team has announced it will not support the Federal Government's package of changes to child care and welfare benefits ... Without the support of the three Nick Xenophon Team senators from South Australia, the bill now needs the support of the Greens to pass the Upper House — something that appears unlikely ...

Don’t fund the NDIS with cuts to social services and childcare

13 February 2017

Disabled People’s Organisations Australia (DPO Australia), is alarmed and concerned that the Federal Government is linking budget cuts in the Omnibus Bill, now before the Senate, with funding for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

“We are shocked and troubled about this announcement from Treasurer Scott Morrison that once again links cuts to social security with funding for the NDIS,” said Ms Therese Sands, Director, DPO Australia.

“We have stated clearly, including in our pre-budget submission, that we reject any ties to funding the NDIS by cutting social security. We strongly reject measures that would seek to fill any perceived or potential shortfall in NDIS funding through a shift in revenue from other human services. ”

Education links

Tomorrow sees most NSW students return to school for the second half of the 2016 school year. These links about various aspects of school education for students with disabilities, and Down syndrome in particular, have come to our attention recently:

Hearing, learning and Down’s syndrome

Stuart Mills, Special Educational Needs (SEN) Magazine, May/June 2016

Stuart Mills looks at the effects of hearing impairment on children with Down’s syndrome, and what teachers can do to help ...

Children with disability are being excluded from education
David Roy, The Conversation, 30 May 2016

Governments in Australia, New Zealand and the UK are failing children with disabilities by not providing necessary learning support and by allowing issues to permeate without intervening. Schools are deliberately disregarding disability standards through rejecting school places, denying the opportunity of access to activities and offering minimal, if any, support to children with disabilities.

And research shows that this is becoming more of a concern ...
Thinking about Literacy and Intellectual Disability

Aaron Johannes, 101 Friends, 31 December 2013

One of the most powerful parts of the work we’ve done over the last several years has been a) realizing how illiteracy affects people with disabilities and b) witnessing their inclusion in conversations about their lives in some of our work using graphics and plain language, dialogues and story-telling and, more recently, theater and music. Several times people have gotten quite emotional about feeling, finally, part of conversations and empowered to the point where they can participate ...

“Inclusion really does make us all better”: Tips and success stories from Beth Foraker

The Inclusion Lab (Brookes Publishing), 9 February 2016

We asked Beth a few questions about successful inclusion, and then she shared two wonderful, personal success stories—one of them featuring her own son, Patrick. Read on to learn from one of the most passionate and knowledgeable inclusion advocates in the online community!

• Note - this post is part of a series Fair Is Not Always Equal…Now What?

 Federal Government?

Family Advocacy, 14 July 2016

... beyond answers on the allocated funding, we need our government to face up to the fact that Australia is failing to make progress toward true inclusion of our children with disability in schools ...

2016 Federal election

Election 2016: Parties respond to ACDA election platform

Australian Cross Disability Alliance, 30 June 2016
The major political parties have responded to the Australian Cross Disability Alliance Election Platform - you can read their full responses on the ACDA website here.

Relevant commitments from the Election campaign
Carers Australia, 30 June 2016
As the Federal Election approaches, we have compiled a list of the relevant pledges made by political parties in regard to areas of policy which affect carers ...

Disability Australia and Family Advocacy: 2016 Federal Election

Disability Australia Election Platform 2016
Disability Australia calls on all political parties to support our Election Platform.

View the Disability Australia Election Platform in a PDF document or Word document

Family Advocacy on Federal Election 2016 

Family Advocacy Communique, June 2016
With the upcoming Federal Election just around the corner, we have put
together a fact sheet that explains the two main issues for Family Advocacy: 

   1. Advocacy for your family member with disability

   2. Inclusive Education

The fact sheet contains our recommendations and key questions you can be thinking about and asking your local candidates.

• Read our Federal Election 2016 Fact Sheet

Federal Election 2016: commitments on health of people with intellectual disabilities

Parties commit on the health of people with intellectual disability!

NSW Council on Intellectual Disability, 22 June 2016
We did it! Parties commit on the health of people with intellectual disability!

The major parties have responded to our call for action to address the stark physical and mental health inequalities experienced by people with intellectual disability ...

• our Federal Election 2016 - information page

Federal election 2016: Labor education policy

The Labor Party released its school education policy document, Your Child. Our Future, on 18 June  2016, including a section headed 'Supporting students with disability'.

• our Federal Election 2016 - information page

2016 Federal election - information page

With still another three and a half weeks to go until the Federal election on 2 July 2016, we have posted a page at the list under the blog banner at the top of this page.

It will give links to information in Easy English about how the election works, and links to policy information from political parties and disability organisations.

The links to policies are posted for information only, not to endorse any particular political position, party or candidate.

The page is called FEDERAL ELECTION 2016 - INFORMATION

The page currently has information from two previous posts on the election, and the information below. It will be added to as the campaign progresses:

Here are 2 links to easy read resources on the Australian Electoral Commission’s website. They are great resources to help to prepare to vote in the upcoming federal election on 2 July.

• Easy English Guides - How to Enrol to Vote; How to Vote at a Polling Place; How to Vote by Mail

• Practise voting - Senate

Every Australian Counts is proposing that people with disabilities and their families call on individual local candidates to pledge support for the full implementation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme, here.

Carers Australia Election document 2016

3 June 2016
Carers Australia has produced an election document for the 2016 Federal Federal Election, detailing the commitments we are seeking from any future Australian Government ...

Let's use this election to improve the lives of family and friend carers

Carers Australia (media release), 6 June 2016
In releasing its pre-election document, Carer supports: addressing collateral damage, Carers Australia is focusing its “asks” on a set of proposals that will improve the effectiveness and address gaps in current support services for carers.

“Of particular focus are carers with high needs,” Carers Australia CEO, Ara Cresswell said today ...

Jobs Plan For People With Disability Fact Sheet - Australian Labor Party policy document.

People With Disability Australia: response to Budget 2016

PWDA media release, 3 May 2016:

Don’t fund our NDIS at the cost of our safety net

People with Disability Australia (PWDA) welcomes the Government’s overarching commitment to fund the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) into the future. However, we strongly reject the budget measures that link a fully funded NDIS with the need to cut welfare spending.

“We have always welcomed a discussion about funding the NDIS so it is sustainable into the future and to ensure it is taken out of the budget cycle,” Mr Wallace said. “However, the NDIS Savings Fund announcements risk moving the NDIS further into the budget cycle by creating an expectation that the NDIS will be funded from ongoing trade-offs against other equally important human services expenditures. If there is to be a savings fund, it should not be a device to make savings, and poor trade-offs between programs and services supporting and sustaining vulnerable members of our community.”

National news

New Assistant Minister for Disability Services announced Both People With Disability Australia and NSW Council for Intellectual Disability have Jane Prentice MP (Ryan, Qld) as Assistant Minister for Disability Services,  at this 'important time in disability reform', the re-shuffled Federal Cabinet announced at the weekend.
welcomed the appointment of

• Jane Prentice's 2013 parliamentary speech in support of the NDIS 

Sri Lankan girl with Down syndrome receives temporary visa to live in Australia after Peter Dutton intervenes
Caitlyn Gribbin, ABC News online, 12 February 2016

A Sri Lankan girl who made headlines after being refused a temporary visa because she has Down syndrome will be allowed to live in Australia, after Immigration Minister Peter Dutton intervened in her case. 

Eliza Fonseka, nine, also found an unexpected ally in former Australian cricket captain Greg Chappell, who advocated for her to be granted the visa ...

Down Syndrome Australia – Media Release, 12 February 2016

Ruth Webber, CEO Down Syndrome Australia

DSA Welcomes Minister Dutton’s Intervention, however people with disability organisations call for removal of exemptions to the Migration Act. 

Down Syndrome Australia joins with the Fonseka family in thanking the Minister for Immigration, Peter Dutton, for his intervention that will allow Eliza Fonseka to come to Australia with the rest of her family. 

Angelo Fonseka was granted a Religious Worker Visa by the Department of Immigration to work with the community of Shark Bay in Western Australia. His wife and one of his children were also granted visas to come to Australia. However, his daughter Eliza was not allowed to join them – because she has Down syndrome.

Economic contribution of Australia’s family and friend carers dwarfs the amount spent on income support : Carers Australia

Porter Flags Cuts to Disability Payments
Xavier Smerdon, Pro Bono News, 15th October 2015
New Social Services Minister Christian Porter believes Australia is spending too much money and has flagged cuts to carer and disability payments ...

The Economic Value of Informal Care in Australia 2015

Carers Australia, 15th October 2015



Carers Australia Media release, 14th October 2015:

“A SkyNews interview with the new Minister for Social Services, Christian Porter, in which he suggests that growth in income support for unpaid family and friend carers is unsustainable, is disturbing,” said Ara Cresswell, CEO of Carers Australia. 

The Minister referred to a 14% growth in carer income support over a decade. “Such growth is totally understandable as the ageing population grows and as people with chronic health conditions and disability live longer due to improved medical outcomes.
“Importantly, there has also been a large growth in carer-identification in recent years due to the efforts of organisations such as Carers Australia and the efforts of governments - including the current government - to publicly recognise the value of unpaid family and friend carers.  

“Indeed, the Government is investing $33.7 million dollars over the next four years to build a Carer Gateway which will further promote such carer-identification and make more carers aware of the supports that are available to them,” said Ms Creswell.  

“For many carers, the intensity of the caring role means that they are unable to engage in work. In fact, 39% of primary carers (those who provide the majority of care to another individual) spend on average 40 hours or more caring every week – the equivalent of a full-time job,” said Ms Cresswell.  

“Even more to the point, a recent report by Deloitte Access Economics identified that the value of such unpaid care to the economy was $60.3 billion, or 3.8% of GDP, in 2015 – over $1 billion dollars per week. Not to mention the fact that aged care investment and the NDIS would be unaffordable without their contribution.  

“It is a pity that in National Carers Week many family and friend carers may feel that their access to the social security safety net is under threat.”

News and commentary on the NDIS (38)

The National Disability Insurance Scheme has been the subject of much news and commentary recently, both in disability circles and in the general media.  There have been major announcements on its rollout and a review of the NDIS Act, and questions about oversight of the implementation of the NDIS in the wake of the Federal leadership and Cabinet changes:

Our blog posts on the NDIS roll-out announcement, and links to further information are here and here.

Full rollout of the NDIS
Down Syndrome Australia, 15 September 2015
Down Syndrome Australia has today congratulated the Federal, NSW and Victorian governments on the signing of the bi-lateral agreements, which will secure the full rollout of the NDIS.

“Today’s ceremony is the first in what we hope will be many – that will allow all people with disability throughout Australia to access the scheme. The rest of Australia should be in no doubt about the importance of today to people with disability,” Down Syndrome Australia CEO Ruth Webber said.

Sky News,17th September 2015

Kelli Gowland and Joy Batholomew, both members of Down Syndrome Association ACT, tell Sky News what the full rollout of the NDIS will mean for their families on the occasion of the signing of the bi-lateral funding agreements between the Federal Government and the Victorian and New South Wales Governments.

• NDIS will bring peace of mind
• Signing off on NDIS provides certainty

Malcolm Turnbull's new ministry: People with disabilities risk losing their 'voice' with loss of dedicated portfolio
Jane Lee, Sydney Morning Herald, 21st September 2015

People with disabilities risk losing their voice in Parliament as a result of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's decision to remove a dedicated disabilities portfolio from his cabinet, advocates say.

Mr Turnbull has shaken up the responsibilities for social services, promoting Senator Mitch Fifield - who was formerly an assistant minister responsible for disabilities and the aged care system – to become the Communications and Arts Minister. Mr Fifield was also responsible for overseeing the roll-out of the National Disabilities Insurance Scheme (NDIS) ...

Independent review of the NDIS Act

NDIS.gov.au, 15th September 2015
The Australian Government has commissioned an independent review of the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 (NDIS Act), as required under Section 208 of the NDIS Act. In accordance with this legislative requirement, the Commonwealth and state and territory disability ministers have agreed that Ernst & Young (EY) conduct the review.
Purpose and scope of the review

The purpose of the review is to assess the operation of the NDIS legislative framework (comprising the NDIS Act and the NDIS Rules) and develop recommendations as to whether any improvements can be made to better support the objectives and principles of the NDIS Act. The Terms of Reference for the review, as agreed by Ministers ...

• Closing date for submissions: 9th October 2015

Unveiling NDIS Housing Funding Principles
Luke Bo’sher, Pro Bono News, 22nd September 2015
This announcement has been a long time coming. Governments have never publicly released an official housing strategy. The announcement has very important information in it that sets the foundations for how NDIS accommodation will work. The flesh will be put on the bones of these principles in a more detailed strategy that will come out by December 2015.

The six principles announced by the Prime Minister and State Premiers build on the NDIA’s previously presentations on housing.

Disability Loop e-News, #7, 11/9/2015

Added 23/09/2015:

Disability Loop e-News, #8, 23/9/2015

What might the new Prime Minister mean for Australians with a disability?

With the change of Prime Minister last night, the disability community is keenly watching for indications of the potential impact on people with disabilities, and those who care for them. Cabinet changes are not expected to be announced until the weekend:

What does our new PM think of the NDIS?

Every Australia Counts, 15th September 2015

As Australia wakes up to the news that Malcolm Turnbull has replaced Tony Abbott as our new Prime Minister, we have a look at what he has said on the public record about the NDIS ...

People with Disability Australia, on Facebook, 15th September 2015
On Twitter our President Craig Wallace congratulated Mr Turnbull on his elevation to the nation's highest office and said we are ready to work with the new Prime Minister on great reforms like the NDIS National DisabilityInsurance Scheme and increasing employment of people with disability.

Craig also called on Mr Turnbull to end the sledging about lifters and leaners, restore the Disability Discrimination Commissioner position and provide funding so the ABC Ramp Up blog can resume operating.

Turnbull Does Not Mean Easy Ride for Social Sector
Xavier Smerdon, Pro Bono News, 15th September 2015
Australia’s social sector has been warned that it will need to work hard to convince Malcolm Turnbull that it is critical to building a stronger and more inclusive economy ...

Early NDIS rollout promised by NSW LNP

Baird pledge: National disability scheme to start a year early

Kirsty Needham, Sydney Morning Herald, 22nd March 2015
The Baird government will begin the National Disability Insurance Scheme a year ahead of schedule, starting in Penrith and the Blue Mountains in July, Premier Mike Baird will announce on Sunday.

Children aged under 18 in the Penrith and Blue Mountains area will be included in the scheme this year, after the Abbott government agreed to bring forward funding ...

NDIS game changer

Every Australian Counts, 23rd March 2015
On the weekend the NSW Premier Mike Baird promised to roll out early intervention services under the NDIS for up to 2,000 young people with disability in Penrith and the Blue Mountains from September this year if he is re-elected.

That’s more than nine months ahead of schedule.

Every Australian Counts campaign director John Della Bosca called it “a game changer for the disability community” ... “As this news sinks in people with disability and their families across Australia will be asking if Mike Baird can speed up the delivery of the NDIS why can’t my Premier?”

...

NSW State election 2015 page

Information about the NSW State election scheduled for 28th March 2015 is now posted on the NSW State Election 2015 page, linked this tab under the blog banner, for easy reference.

Links and information will be added as they become available. Today's addition is a link to:

Easy read guides on registration and voting, from Elections NSW