Nation’s biggest disability providers welcome NDIS price increases

An alliance of Australia’s largest disability service providers, Alliance20, has welcomed the announcement of NDIS price increases by the Minister for Families and Social Services, Paul Fletcher.

Alliance20 sees the increases in the price of therapy and one-to-one personal supports under the NDIS as one of several urgent measures required to strengthen the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

Alliance20 spokesperson and Chief Executive Officer of House with No Steps, Andrew Richardson, said that while there is more to do to ensure NDIS sustainability, this is an important step forward.

“We congratulate the Federal Government and the National Disability Insurance Agency for recognising and responding to the severe financial pressures being experienced by not-for-profit service providers under the NDIS.”

“We have been staring down the barrel of NDIS market failure, large-scale service closures and people with a disability being unable to access support services, so this is a very welcome announcement.”

“We are also relieved that the announcement includes improved purchasing power for participants, who will have their plan values increased to cover these higher prices. The last thing we want is for people with a disability to be forced to cut back on the supports they need,” Mr Richardson said.

Alliance20 strongly believes there is a clear need for the Government, through the NDIA, to continue to address twin challenges. Collectively, Alliance20 is pushing the NDIA to continue adjusting to meet the requirements of NDIS participants and the service providers that support them. They also continue to urge the Government to keep working through issues with the pricing framework which threaten to hamper the quality of services and the broad range of support options that different people require.

“Service providers and participants have been raising their concerns about the NDIS with political leaders, government agencies and the NDIA for some time now. Pricing is not the only issue. Alliance20 members are keen to see rapid improvement in participant planning and review processes, transport arrangements, employment supports, workforce development, support for people with complex needs and people living in remote areas,” said Mr Richardson.

Alliance20 has been proposing solutions on a range of issues and remains ready and keen to collaborate on these issues.

While acknowledging and welcoming this increase in prices, Mr Richardson said “We are deeply committed to the success of the NDIS. The disability sector will continue to use its voice and its resources to improve the effectiveness and sustainability of NDIS, for the sake of all Australians with disability.”

Saturday, 30 March, 2019