Statement

I am honoured to be appointed as the Minister for Human Services and thank the Prime Minister for the opportunity to deliver and provide access to social, health and other payments and services to all Australians. 

Having served as the Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Carers for the past two and half years and worked with the disability sector for nearly a decade, I have been part of an incredible transformation of the way people with disability are included in our country. Last week this culminated in the National Disability Insurance Scheme legislation passing through the Parliament, and making DisabilityCare Australia a reality. 

This has been the goal of so many people over so many years and I am truly privileged to have played a role in this historic reform. 

Australians with disability, their families and carers have fought for years to receive the support they need and deserve. I want to pay tribute to their continued advocacy to build a better and truly inclusive community. 

I would like to acknowledge and thank the disability and carers sector for their hard work and commitment, not just towards establishing the NDIS but for the enormous amount they do every day to support people with disability. 

The efforts of departmental staff (Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs) have been extraordinary as we’ve worked to build an NDIS and I thank Secretary Finn Pratt and his team for their commitment. 

Lastly, I would like to thank Minister for Disability Reform, Jenny Macklin for her leadership and support over the past two and half years as we’ve worked to reform disability services in Australia. 

I look forward to Amanda Rishworth continuing this reform agenda with Minister Macklin to improve the lives of people with disability. I also congratulate Andrew Leigh on his appointment as Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and wish him well in this role.