Quality of NDIS services assured
Participants in the National Disability Insurance Scheme, along with their families and carers, can now be assured of quality services and appropriate safeguards following the passage of legislation in the Senate to establish the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.
Minister for Social Services, Christian Porter, welcomed the Senate’s endorsement of the legislation to establish the Commission.
“This is an important milestone in the implementation of the NDIS,” the Minister said.
“The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission will play a crucial role on behalf of NDIS participants as an overseer of the quality and safety of services and supports they are accessing through the NDIS.
“The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission will also regulate NDIS providers and investigate and determine complaints and uphold the rights of people living with disability.
“It will ensure nationally a nationally consistent regulatory framework for providers, regardless of how many states or territories they operate in, and provide nationally consistent protections for NDIS participants wherever they are living in Australia.”
The Commission was announced in the 2017-18 Budget with an initial allocation of $209 million over four years.
It will be established in early 2018 and will assume its responsibilities as the NDIS reaches full scheme across Australia. In New South Wales and South Australia, the scheme will be fully implemented by July 2018. Remaining states, except Western Australia, reach full scheme in July 2019.
Until the Commission’s powers come into effect in each jurisdiction, people with disability receiving NDIS supports and services continue to be protected by the existing state and territory quality and safeguards systems
Minister Porter said it was appropriate that the legislation was passed in the lead up to International Day of People with Disability
“The NDIS is a life-changing reform for people living with disability, their families and carers,” the Minister said.
“For the first time, people with disability have real choice through the NDIS about the supports they need to live fulfilling lives.
“The theme of IDPWD this year is Transformation towards sustainable and resilient society for all.
“This theme is designed focused towards ensure that, as a community, we ‘leave no one behind’ and that people living with disability are empowered to be active contributors of society.
“There can be no doubt of the transformative and life-changing impact of the NDIS. There are more than 120,000 participants in the scheme so far, with an estimated 460,000 participants expected when the NDIS is fully rolled out.”