The Squiz 

After months of disagreements, the Albanese Government has got the backing it needs from all the states/territories to make significant changes to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), which it says will save $14 billion over the next 4 years. NDIS Minister Bill Shorten says participants will get a “clear steer” on the changes that will “help ensure the Scheme is here for the future” after the legislation underpinning the changes passes through the federal parliament. 

Back it up a bit… 

Applying the breaks to the NDIS has been a priority – it was originally expected to cost $13 billion a year but has blown out to $42 billion, surpassing aged care ($36 billion) and Medicare ($32 billion) spends. That’s seen the Feds try to shift some of it back to the states/territories, which raised concerns of “service gaps”, particularly for kids with autism. But that wasn’t the only issue… The reforms give the minister and the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) more investigative powers and the ability to set limits on participants, along with the final say on what NDIS money can be spent on. All of that’s intended to stamp out the well-publicised rorting of the scheme and stop the spiralling costs. It’s been a difficult process but Shorten says he’s not for turning just because “telling the truth about the Scheme seems to upset people”. 

So everyone’s happy now?

Nope… State/Territory leaders might be feeling reassured, but disability advocacy groups want the government to ditch the bill entirely over “critical concerns”. People With Disability Australia is one group that says giving the NDIA “excessive authority” over debt recovery could spell trouble, particularly for First Nations and marginalised groups, who they say will be disproportionately affected. The First Peoples Disability Network agrees and is also urging Senators not to support the changes as it’s “even worse” than the status quo. Shorten says he respects their concerns, but they are “unfounded”. As for what happens now, Labor and the Coalition voted for a closure motion in the Senate which means the bill is a done deal and will receive a final vote today.