I spoke last week in Parliament on the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), and drew attention to some of the problems that people in our electorate are having with the rollout.
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Let me be clear, I am a huge supporter of the NDIS and will do everything in my power to make sure it works for the people who really need it.
Labor was the author of the NDIS and we want to make sure the most important social policy reform since Medicare delivers on its promises.
The problems have not come about with the idea of the NDIS, just the rollout.
And those problems have stemmed from the Turnbull Government’s failure to provide resources to cope with demand, and botching of the IT system.
These failures have resulted in huge delays for some participants to be signed up, and huge delays for disability service providers to be paid.
I have made representations on behalf of disability service providers who have gone for months without being paid, and clients who have complained of long waits to be signed up, an inability to use the MyPlace portal, and poor communication between the NDIS and clients’ own healthcare providers.
Sometimes these problems can be solved quickly; others take a lot longer.
One couple has been waiting months for months to upgrade their van and have it modified for travel. The work will definitely be covered by the NDIS, it’s just a matter of when.
My office has been told there are only two case workers assessing people for the NDIS across the entire Paterson Hunter region, and that does not seem to be enough.
The staff we talk to are very obliging – they can only operate within the resources they have.
I will keep asking questions about resources being allocated to the NDIS and doing what I can to help people with a disability, their families, and disability service providers.
If you are having issues access the NDIS, you can be in touch with my office, and we will do what we can to help you.
Of course, there are many happy stories from the NDIS, and it’s lovely to hear them too.
It is so pleasing when community members phone us back to say a problem has been sorted, and they’ve had a win.
We had a delightful email from one family recently who had managed to gain a whole lot of extra services for their son.
They said the extra supports were not just beneficial for their son, but for the whole family.
They wrote: “It has made a huge difference. Not just financially, but emotionally. And for the whole family unit. It makes us more like a normal family.”
There is no doubt the NDIS is life-changing.
I am proud and pleased it is up and running, and will do whatever I can to help where there are problems.
CONTACT ME
Post: PO Box 156, Raymond Terrace NSW 2324
Phone: 4983 2401
Email: Meryl.swanson.mp@aph.gov.au
Facebook: Meryl Swanson MP
Twitter: @Meryl_Swanson
