Victoria to Trial Disability Insurance Scheme

The Victorian Government is set to trial the national disability insurance scheme, the Minister for Community Services Mary Wooldridge has announced – but not until 2014.

The Victorian Government has offered to trial the National Disability Insurance Scheme in 2014, to test out the concept ahead of the proposed national roll-out in 2015.

Speaking at the National Disability and Carer Congress in Melbourne recently, the Minister for Community Services, Mary Wooldridge said the new model would cut waiting times for those eligible for disability support payments,according toan ABC News report.

She said this would change the welfare-based disability support system into an entitlement-based support system.

Victorian Premier, Ted Baillieu announced earlier this year the establishment of a taskforce to advise the Government on the establishment of a new National Disability Insurance Scheme, and a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Secretariat in the Department of Premier and Cabinet (DPC) has been set up.

Baillieu said the Victorian Government was committed to a new approach to disability funding, such as an NDIS, which would introduce a no-fault universal safety net – similar to those operated by the Transport Accident Commission and WorkSafe – for people with permanent or severe disabilities.

However the funding of the national scheme, which is expected to cost more than $12 billion per annum, and how much will be paid by the federal and state governments, is still unclear.

Australian of the Year Simon McKeon joined over 1000 disability activists in Melbourne in Melbourne this week to launch a campaign for a National Disability Insurance Scheme.

The ‘Every Australian Counts’ campaign was launched at the The National Disability and Carer Congress. The campaign calls on state and federal politicians to back a National Disability Insurance Scheme to provide real support and independence for people with disability.

In his opening address to the conference, McKeon said the NDIS is the best chance of ensuring people with a disability and their families finally get the support they need to have a shot at an ordinary life.

He said the evidence is out there about how desperately hard it is for people with a disability, their families and carers to have the same kinds of opportunities that the rest of the community simply takes for granted. McKeon called on all Australians to get behind the landmark NDIS.

Every Australian Counts campaign director John Della Bosca said momentum was building behind an NDIS, with the recent Productivity Commission draft report showing the idea was economically feasible and would deliver benefits to the entire community.

Della Bosca said the Federal Government must respond to the Productivity Commission’s final report in five months’ time.  

*Flick Image Some rights reserved by Marcel Oosterwijk