Sky News Agenda with Tom Connell
E & OE
CONNELL:
Welcome to the program, I’m Tom Connell. Well as it ends the year with a barnacle or two and not a lot of wind in its sails, the Government is no doubt looking ahead to 2015. But it’s being warned today of another major challenge it will face next year, namely the rollout of the National Disability Insurance Scheme. The NDIS of course enjoys support across the political divide, with the Abbott Government inheriting responsibility for its delivery when it of course won the election in 2013. In the first ever survey of organisations in the disability sector, released today by the sector’s peak body, National Disability Services, suggests critical decisions need to be made on this Scheme soon. The report released today says some providers are already being affected by uncertainty, and also claims there could be a funding shortfall if state governments cut their own disability funding. For more I’m joined by Assistant Minister for Social Services Senator Mitch Fifield who is in our Melbourne studio. Senator thanks for your time today. Before we get into this report of course we’ve learned today of the death of Stella Young over the weekend. A writer, comedian and of course a fierce disability advocate.
FIFIELD:
Tom, there’s a lot of sadness in the disability community today. Stella was an outstanding human being. She was an outstanding disability advocate. She was a great writer and broadcaster as well. But she did so much to raise the profile of issues that are faced by Australians with disability. And what I particularly loved was that she used charm and humour to highlight discrimination and also negative attitudes towards people with disability that they’ve put up with for too long. She certainly taught me a lot and she was a very generous spirit. So there’s a great deal of sadness today.
CONNELL:
Yes, certainly the service that she gave to everybody in that sector no doubt will be remembered for a long time.
Onto this report that as I said is about the National Disability Insurance Scheme and the sector more broadly. It talks about 2015 being a very important and critical year for the Scheme. The last year of course before the full rollout begins. What do you make in particular of these concerns raised about uncertainty for providers and a lot of decisions needing to be made very soon?
FIFIELD:
Tom I think it’s important to recognise that we’re pretty much where we aimed to be and expected to be at the moment. We had four trial since commence in the middle of last year, a further three trial sites commenced in the middle of this year. There are now around 9,000 people who are participants in the Scheme. We’ve spent about $400 million providing better support to Australians with disability in those trial sites. We’ve learned lessons from the trial sites as was the intent, so that they can be taken into account and adjustments made before we move onto full rollout. Over the next six months there will be negotiations between the Commonwealth and the States to work out the bilateral agreements to go from the trial sites to full nationwide rollout by 2018-19…
CONNELL:
A key part of that – if I can just jump in – the concerns with this report is that for the people in the so-called Tier 2 category, they don’t qualify, they won’t qualify for the full support package. But they’ll get some support that perhaps State and Territory Governments are looking to withdraw some of the funding in that area. Have you had any indication of that? And would the Commonwealth step up to the plate if so and make up any shortfall for those Tier 2 people? It could be 4.8 million according to this report.
FIFIELD:
The NDIS as you rightly point out has 3 Tiers. Tier 3 is the individualised and personalised funding packages. Tier 2 is broad community supports for people who might not be in receipt of an individualised package. And Tier 1 is the nationwide referral and information service for the whole nation. There will be about 460,000 people in Tier 3 receiving those personalised funding packages. And there’s an important role for Tier 2, to provide mainstream services. But that’s actually a shared responsibility between the NDIS and also the States and Territories who have ongoing responsibilities.
CONNELL:
So there is no indication that there would be a State or Territory shortfall is that area? Because that’s what this report says, that there are some concerns there will be less of that State and Territory money.
FIFIELD:
It’s something that we need to carefully monitor. And NDS, the peak provider body, has produced a good body of work today. We need to carefully monitor, because the States and Territories under the National Disability Strategy have ongoing responsibilities in all portfolio areas – in education, in transport – to provide the sorts of services that people with disability need. The NDIS was never intended to do everything for everyone. It’s an important element. But there will be ongoing responsibilities for State and Territory governments, and we do need to carefully monitor to make sure that they continue their own effort in those areas.
CONNELL:
Where does the NDIS sit when it comes to Government priorities? Because we know the budget emergency we’re being told about. We know for example very few things expect for perhaps defence spending, not even defence pay, but defence spending generally have been segregated. Is this something that you can isolate? Do you go in there and you’re told that the NDIS will be fine and the quantum of funding – that $19.3 billion over 7 years from 2012 onwards – that is safe, locked off?
FIFIELD:
Well I think the proof was in our first Budget where the NDIS was fully provided for in the Budget year and over the forward estimates. The reason for that is because this is core government business. Providing support for people who face extra challenges for reasons beyond their control is core government business. And one of the reasons why we’re determined to cut our cloth in other portfolio areas is so that we can get back to focusing on what should be the core business of government, and the NDIS is that absolutely.
CONNELL:
So just to clarify, because there is a lot of talk about government promises and what was ruled in, ruled out. Even with the deteriorating situation we’re seeing now, the changed situation if you like, revenue write downs, we’ll wait and see what MYEFO says. We should not brace ourselves for any sort of paring back of NDIS funding?
FIFIELD:
No. We’re committed to the full rollout of the NDIS and we flagged that in our last Budget that the funding provision is there. I’m committed to it. The Prime Minister is committed to it. The Treasurer is committed to it. And I’ve got to say it’s one of the reasons why the Treasurer has been identifying savings in other areas – so that we can fund this sort of thing, which really is why we have governments.
CONNELL:
Okay. Senator Fifield. Thank you as ever for your time today on Sky News.
FIFIELD:
Thanks very much Tom.
ENDS