Thank you to everyone who joined our recent information session about the proposed NDIS reforms. We held this session to share what we currently know about the proposed reforms, acknowledge there’s a lot of information in the media, and answer questions from the community.
Please note: some parts of the reforms are still not confirmed. We expect to learn more after the Federal Budget and when the legislation is introduced.
The changes are a major “reset” of the NDIS after 10 years, with a focus on returning to the scheme’s original intent. The Government has said the NDIS should focus on people with significant and lifelong disability, including people with complex support needs. Melba has a long history of supporting people with significant and lifelong disability, which aligns with the direction being described.
Here are the main points we discussed.
NDIS spending and sustainability: The Government has talked about slowing the growth in NDIS spending and building public confidence in the scheme. Exactly how this will happen is not yet clear.
Planning and community participation: The Government has flagged tighter planning, including a closer look at community participation funding. There has been a lot of discussion publicly, but it’s not confirmed how any changes would apply to people just yet.
More focus on support needs (not just diagnosis): One proposed change is that decisions would be based more on daily supports a person needs (sometimes called “functional needs”). In principle, this could be helpful, because people with the same diagnosis can have very different needs.
Technical advisory group: The Government has said it will set up a technical advisory group to help shape how functional needs assessments could work.
More oversight of the NDIS market: The Government has talked about stronger oversight of providers to support quality and safety, while keeping the scheme sustainable.
Provider registration: There may be a push to expand provider registration requirements. This could improve visibility and reduce risk of harm, but the detail is still unknown.
Other areas mentioned: Public discussions have also included platform providers, plan management and support coordination, with more detail still to come.
Digital payments platform: A possible digital platform for payments has been mentioned as a way to improve visibility. We also talked about the importance of protecting choice and control.
Supported Independent Living (SIL) and “commissioning”: We acknowledged concerns about what “commissioning” could mean. It’s still unclear, but it may involve tendering arrangements and/or some form of base funding for SIL providers.
Why SIL changes are being discussed: One possible aim (not confirmed) could be more stability for people and providers for example, avoiding funding gaps if someone moves out of a shared house and overnight support still needs to be covered.
Eligibility concerns: We discussed concerns about what supports will be available for people who might not qualify under revised eligibility settings. This is an area where we will continue to seek clarity and advocate for people to be supported.
“Foundational supports”: It was noted that some supports may be expected to sit outside the NDIS and be provided by states. What that will look like is still unclear.
Could things change if government changes? A question was raised about this. It was noted there appears to be bipartisan support for reform, and an expectation that the scheme must maintain community confidence.
We have published the questions and answers on our website and will be adding more as we get further answers. You can ask a question by emailing us at communications@melbasupport.com.au
We know uncertainty can be stressful. We’ll keep sharing updates as soon as we have confirmed information, and we’ll continue to advocate for clarity and for the supports people need.
What happens next: We expect more information through the Federal Budget and then legislation that enables the reforms.
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