Radio Newcastle 2HD Mornings with Richard King
E & OE
KING:
And joining me now is the Federal Minister responsible for the National Disability Insurance Scheme and a man I haven’t spoken to before. His name is Mitch Fifield and he’s on the line. Good morning Mitch.
FIFIELD:
Good morning Richard, good to be with you.
KING:
Yeah, likewise, and nice to have you in Newcastle this morning and there’s something of a milestone for the National Disability Scheme, I believe you’re signing up the 2,000th participant this morning?
FIFIELD:
That’s right Richard. It’s a great day for celebration in the Hunter. There are now 2,000 people with significant disability who are getting the better deal that they deserve. I think, as you probably know, before the NDIS it was a situation where people took their place in a queue. They took a number. And if a pot of money dried up before their number was called, it was just too bad. So it’s a day for celebration.
KING:
Excellent, alright, and look, I mean a lot of, there’s been a lot of criticism in this particular neck of the woods because of, we have some facilities, particularly the Stockton Centre where there are several hundred residents that have been there, some for pretty well their whole life and a lot of people are afraid about the implications of when the scheme is rolled out in NSW. But correct me if I’m wrong, is NSW the only state that’s signed off, really, on basically privatising all disability services once the national disability scheme is rolled out across Australia in 2018?
FIFIELD:
In most other states the government doesn’t have a strong role in the provision of direct disability services. In most other jurisdictions, you have a mixture of not for profit and private service providers. So the New South Wales Government has taken the decision that they’re no longer going to be in the business of direct service provision. That they will leave that for the private sector and the not for profit sector. So that decision of the New South Wales Government is really separate to the rollout of the NDIS. But they’re happening at the same time.
KING:
Alright and it hasn’t been without its problems, I know when, under the previous Labor Federal Government and I spoke on a number of occasions with Sharon Grierson who was the then Member for Newcastle, Federal Member, and if I said trial, she said ‘no no no, it’s a rollout’ but we’re now back to it’s a trial and from your point of view, as the Federal Minister responsible, have there been many hiccups with the implementation thus far in the zones where it is being trialled or rolled out if you like?
FIFIELD:
Just to the language first. We are fully committed to the national rollout of the NDIS and to rolling it out in full. We have chosen to use the word trial, because we want to emphasise that part of the very important purpose of sites like the Hunter is to learn lessons before we move to full national rollout. That if there’s something that needs a tweak or a change then we can make that, that we can learn the lessons. Look, on the whole, the experience I think has been good for participants in the scheme. The most significant thing is that people are not having to wait. That they can get what they need, when they need it. But I think that the most important change that there has been in the trials is to start with not necessarily looking at what are the funded supports, but looking at what are the natural supports in someone’s life. Is too much being expected of Mum or Dad or a sibling. How can you help support them. And also to look at the mainstream services that people should be connected with. And after you’ve done that, then move to looking to see what are the funded supports that might assist someone through their NDIS package.
KING:
I’m speaking with Mitch Fifield who is the Federal Minister with responsibility for the National Disability Insurance Scheme, in Newcastle today. A bit of a landmark, the signing up of the 2,000th participant in the scheme will be actually happening today. And obviously, look, you’re getting a lot of feedback from both participants and those actively involved with the implementation of the scheme. Are there any sort of major or problems that do need addressing? I dare say there are, when we talk about a trial. But is there one that, is there anything in particular that you’ve been getting feedback on?
FIFIELD:
Look, I think it’s a challenging time for providers. Historically, providers have been funded on the basis of block grants from state governments. The NDIS really puts the individual at the centre and in charge. So the individual will have their needs assessed, they’re given an entitlement, which they can then take to the service provider of their choice. So that’s a big change. Funding going through the individual rather than directly to the organisation. So it’s a time of change for providers and we want to work with them to make sure that it’s as smooth as it can be.
KING:
Good, alright, thank you very much for your time this morning. We’ll accuse you of bringing the weather with you today.
FIFIELD:
Yeah, thanks for that. Direct from Canberra.
KING:
Direct from Canberra, and you’re a Victorian too. So we’ll call it Melbourne weather as well. Nice to talk to you Mitch, have a good time in Newcastle today.
FIFIELD:
You too, thanks Richard
KING:
Mitch Fifield who is the Federal Minister responsible the implementation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme. He’s a Victorian Senator too.