A terse Bill Shorten has defended pending sweeping NDIS reforms against “misinformation being peddled by the extremists,” promising the changes to the $40bn-a-year disability scheme will allow more people access to the program. The legislation, which aims to curb the scheme’s current unsustainable growth to 8 per cent a year, was finally passed last week following bipartisan support from the Coalition and agreement from the states and territories. However, some disability advocates and the Greens have expressed concerns new eligibility requirements and services covered by the scheme will give participants less choice.
Appearing on ABC’s Insiders on Sunday, the NDIS Minister fiercely said while there were guidelines which state what participants can spend their money on, there were also substitution guidelines which meant someone could still access a support even if it wasn’t definitively defined. Instead the new reforms would allow participants to obtain supports based on their personal disability. “There are some household items which can be modified to make it easier for a person with a disability to use, they’ll still be allowed,” he said.
“But this idea that everyone can head down to Bing Lee or Harvey Norman and get yourself a washing machine on the scheme, that’s not right and that’s never been okay.” Mr Shorten lashed the “fear and misinformation” that has been spread about the upcoming reforms, specifically blasting the Greens who have sava.