The Prime Minister has announced today that in next
week's Budget, the Australian Government will fund our share of the
first stage of a National Disability Insurance Scheme
(NDIS).
From the middle of next year, people with disability, their
families and carers in selected sites around the country will start
to receive care and support through an NDIS.
The Prime Minister made the announcement at the
Every Australian Counts Make It Real rally in Sydney. I was
pleased to join her there; and Senator McLucas participated in the
Brisbane rally.
In fact right around the country, senior Ministers and members
of the Government joined the thousands who gathered together to
show their support for an NDIS.
This first stage of an NDIS will serve 20,000 Australians with
disability. It will initially involve 10,000 people with disability
starting from mid-2013 and will expand to 20,000 people from the
middle of 2014.
An NDIS will be a scheme that understands and responds to
people's needs - rather than a system that makes people feel forced
to accept anything for fear of getting nothing.
A scheme that takes into account the cost of care over the
lifetime of an individual, and focuses on increasing opportunities
for people with disability, their families and carers.
A sustainable scheme that is insurance based, and which will
insure all Australians for the cost of care and support in the
event of significant and permanent disability.
An NDIS will give all Australians the peace of mind to know that
if they have or care for someone who has a disability, they will
get the care and support they need.
We were proud to add our voice to the rally today.
And we are thrilled that from the middle of next year, we'll be
making an NDIS real.
Jenny Macklin & Jan McLucas