Locals have their say on DisabilityCare Australia

Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Carers, Amanda Rishworth and Federal Member for Lindsay, David Bradbury today joined local people with disability, their families and carers as well as local service providers at a community forum in Penrith New South Wales to discuss DisabilityCare Australia, the national disability insurance scheme.

Mr Lindsay said the forum provided an important opportunity for local people to share their views on DisabilityCare Australia and to learn more about this essential reform and its progress.

“The current disability system is unfair, underfunded, fragmented and inefficient,” Mr Bradbury said.

“The Federal Labor Government knows that disability doesn’t discriminate. Anyone can slip in the shower, have an accident or have a child with disability.

“DisabilityCare Australia will involve major changes in the way we work with local people with disability, their families, carers and service providers, and we want to make sure we get this reform right so we can build a system that is sustainable over time.

“That’s why in the Federal Budget Labor provided $14.3 billion over seven years to 2018-19 to roll out DisabilityCare Australia nationally, on top of existing Commonwealth disability funding.”

Ms Rishworth said DisabilityCare Australia will fundamentally change the way we support people with disability, their families and carers.

“DisabilityCare Australia is the biggest reform to the disability sector that Australia has ever seen,” Ms Rishworth said.

“In the 2013-14 Federal Budget the Federal Labor Government made the responsible decision to fully fund DisabilityCare Australia into the long term. This long term funding security will provide people with significant and permanent disability, their families and carers the certainty that they deserve.

“DisabilityCare Australia will give people with disability, their families and carers the care and support they need over their lifetimes, and choice and control over the services they receive.

“In just over a month, DisabilityCare Australia will become a reality for about 26,000 people with disability, their families and carers in five locations across the country, including about 10,000 people living in the Hunter in NSW.”

As a result of the historic agreement reached between the Australian and New South Wales governments in December last year, DisabilityCare Australia will roll out in full across New South Wales by July 2018, providing care and support to around 150,000 New South Wales residents with disability.

DisabilityCare Australia will give all Australians the peace of mind that if they have or acquire a disability or have a child with disability that leaves them needing daily care and support, that they will get the support they need when they need it.

Under DisabilityCare Australia people with a disability will:

• work with local people to identify their plans and goals for the future;
• be assessed to receive individualised care and support packages;
• have decision-making power about their care and support, including choice of service provider;
• be assisted by local coordinators to help manage and deliver their support; and
• access a system they can easily navigate that links them to mainstream and community services.