Page 746 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 19 March 2019
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
Directorate, Treasury and areas of the Community Services Directorate that all continue to work collaboratively with the Office for Disability on this important work.
It is pleasing that since the hearings for the standing committee’s inquiry, significant milestones have occurred, such as the NDIA’s review of the participant pathway, including the changes that have occurred for people with hearing disability, which I know the committee took a particular interest in. I intend shortly to provide the federal minister for disability and chair of the COAG Disability Reform Council, the Hon Paul Fletcher MP, with the standing committee’s report and the ACT government response for consideration and circulation to appropriate commonwealth agencies.
In line with the response, these will also be provided to the NDIA board chair and CEO, as a number of the recommendations relate to actions that can only be taken by the NDIA or the commonwealth, not the ACT government. The ACT government response highlights the programs, initiatives and advocacy that the ACT has provided to progress the NDIS in the ACT and confirms our commitment to improving outcomes for NDIS participants, families, carers and providers.
The ACT government has already commenced work towards addressing some of the recommendations made in the standing committee’s report. Our response to the inquiry also clearly articulates who has responsibility for action on the recommendations. This is because, as noted previously, a number of recommendations would require action by the NDIA and/or the commonwealth government.
The majority of the report’s recommendations are noted, agreed or agreed in principle. Where recommendations have been noted, this is because implementing the recommendation will require future budget consideration, the remit of work is a responsibility of the commonwealth, or the work has been or will shortly be addressed by the commonwealth. There are a small number of recommendations that have not been agreed. This is because responsibility for the activity rests with the commonwealth and it would not be appropriate, or in some cases even possible, for the ACT government to undertake the activity or reporting the committee has recommended.
As I stated during my opening address at the hearing for this inquiry, we recognise that the NDIS experience has not been uniformly positive. As more people than ever before receive the supports they need, when they need them, there will be challenges. The period of national transition in particular has created significant uncertainty for too many participants and providers. The ACT government has continued to advocate for participants and providers throughout this period to see improvements in pathways, communication and a better understanding of people with disability as unique individuals, and particularly to seek better outcomes for people with psychosocial disability or complex needs.
I would like to thank the contributors to the inquiry process who shared their experiences and impacts of the NDIS, both positive and negative. Their frank and fearless evidence informed the standing committee’s report and, as the saying goes, we cannot change what we do not acknowledge.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video