DisabilityCare Australia to be rolled out in Victoria

The Gillard Government and Victorian Coalition Government have reached a historic agreement today that will allow for the full roll out of DisabilityCare Australia, the National Disability Insurance Scheme, in Victoria by July 2019.

The agreement will provide more than 100,000 Victorian residents with significant or profound disability choice and control over the care and support they receive. This will provide coverage in the event of disability to around one quarter of the Australian population.

DisabilityCare Australia will also give all Victorians 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 the agreement reached today:

• By 2019-20, the Victorian Government will provide an estimated $2.5 billion to cover all people in Victoria. This contribution was determined using the benchmark set by New South Wales in the agreement reached with the Commonwealth in December 2012. This will contribute to the cost of care and support for people with disability.
• By 2019-20, the Commonwealth Government will contribute around $2.6 billion to the scheme for Victorians. This will be around 51 per cent of scheme costs. In addition, having reached agreement to broader changes in the roles and responsibilities of both governments for people aged 65 and over, the Commonwealth will cover the full cost of people who turn 65 and choose to remain in the scheme.
• The full scheme costs will be reviewed by the Productivity Commission in 2018-19 to inform COAG agreement on final scheme funding arrangements.

Following the announcement this week by the Prime Minister, the Commonwealth Government has confirmed that, from 2019-20, an amount of $244 million will be allocated to Victoria from the increase in the Medicare Levy, to assist with the cost of the scheme in Victoria.

Today’s agreement builds on the agreement to launch in Barwon region of Victoria from 1 July 2013. Other eligible Victorian residents will start entering the scheme in July 2016.

We will progressively roll out DisabilityCare Australia in Victoria so that by July 2019, all eligible residents will be covered.

The NDIS is the reform of a generation and has the potential to transform the lives of some of the most vulnerable Victorians – people with a disability, their families and carers. It will build on Victoria’s reform journey in individualising support for people with disability.

The Gillard Government will continue to work closely with remaining state and territory governments to reach agreement on the national roll out of DisabilityCare Australia, so that all Australians can rest assured that if they have, or acquire, a disability they will have their needs met in a way that supports them to live with choice and dignity.