Engaging the disability sector to build a National Disability Insurance Scheme

The Australian Government today announced the members of an expert group that will help ensure a smooth transition for the delivery of services under a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

The group will provide advice about how the disability sector should be supported to deliver services under an NDIS, and how the disability care workforce can be prepared for the change.

The Minister for Disability Reform Jenny Macklin today addressed providers and members of the disability sector workforce at the National Disability Services conference, Preparing for the New World, in Adelaide.

The Gillard Government has announced that an NDIS will start in up to four locations from July 2013.

As part of our work to prepare for this, governments are considering key issues including the capacity of the disability service sector to meet demand under the new scheme, and how to support the building of the necessary workforce.

The Australian Government wants to this transition as smooth as possible and to support the disability sector and its workforce through the change.

This expert group includes people with disability, carers, service providers, and representatives of disability care workers.

With their extensive experience, these experts are well placed to know what works, what doesn’t, and what’s important, and their advice will be invaluable in making sure we get this scheme right.

The advice of these key disability sector experts over the next few months will critical as we move towards the first stage of a scheme that will provide lifetime care and support for all Australians with a significant and permanent disability.

The Government announced three expert working groups earlier this week to consider the key elements of NDIS design of eligibility and assessment, quality safeguards and standards and a national approach to control and choice of an NDIS.

The Disability Workforce and Sector Capacity expert group comprises:

Co-Chairs:
Dr Ken Baker, NDIS Advisory Group
Dr Rhonda Galbally, NDIS Advisory Group

Members:
Sally McManus, Australian Services Union
Gordon Duff, National Disability Services
Damian Griffis, First Peoples Disability Network
David Barbagallo, Endeavour Foundation
Sue Lines, United Voice
Samantha Connor
David Meldrum, Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia
Kim Windsor