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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 348 asked in the Legislative Council on 10 May 2018 by Hon Simon O’Brien

Parliament: 40 Session: 1


NATIONAL DISABILITY INSURANCE SCHEME — SERVICES
      348. Hon SIMON O'BRIEN to the Minister for Disability Services:
I note the many budget notes in today's budget papers that attribute the massive reduction in disability spending in the 2018–19 budget to the redirection of state funding to the National Disability Insurance Agency.
      (1) How can we be confident that people with disabilities and their families are getting the same or better service under the National Disability Insurance Scheme?
      (2) Is the minister receiving complaints that services previously received are now not to be available under the NDIS regime?
Hon STEPHEN DAWSON replied:
      (1)–(2) That was a very long question with a significant preamble. If in future members want to ask these questions without notice, it is common courtesy probably to give me a copy so I can actually have it in front of me so I can make sure that I answer it as diligently as possible. Nonetheless, what I got from it was that the first part was how can we be confident that people with disability will get a better service —
      Hon Simon O'Brien: The same or better service.
Hon STEPHEN DAWSON: The same or better service under the NDIS. Honourable member, members in here would know that we made a decision late last year to go into the National Disability Insurance Scheme. We did it after months of consultation with people with disability, their families and their carers. The National Disability Insurance Scheme is about making the lives of people with disability better. Certainly, as we transition into the national scheme, I am working with the sector in Western Australia, people with disability, their families and their carers, business communities such as the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia and trade unions to make sure that we transition people into a better scheme and that people with disability get better or the same level of services as they have had previously.
Regarding the second part of the member's question, I do not have in front of me so I cannot answer it. If the member wants to —
Hon Simon O'Brien: Is the minister already receiving complaints from people that services previously received are now not to be available under the NDIS regime, run out in Geelong?
Hon STEPHEN DAWSON: Madam President, I am happy to answer that, but it is farcical for somebody to be interjecting during question time. I ask that I be given a copy of the question in future, so I do not put it on notice!
Several members interjected.
Hon STEPHEN DAWSON: I am quite happy to put everything on notice to make sure that members get a proper answer.
Have complaints been made about the NDIS? Absolutely; there have been complaints about the federal scheme and the state scheme. We are operating multiple schemes at the moment in Western Australia. Yes, people have raised concerns. What are those concerns? A range of concerns has been raised. My commitment to people with disability, their families and carers is to make sure that we work together and when concerns are raised or complaints are made, to mitigate those and address any risks associated with the rollout of any National Disability Insurance Scheme.