By bobb |

Through Rick Morton's excellent investigative journalism and reports from grassroots NDIS Participants, our suspicions about the political deal-making behind the extraordinarily misguided amendments and their consequences are being confirmed. Despite the vitriolic public smear campaign waged against opponents of the legislation, it is now very clear that:

  1. The reason the States gave a half-hearted commitment to the Foundational Supports Agreement, touted by Bill Shorten as a significant breakthrough in 2023, was that the Prime Minister was blackmailing them with the threat of scuttling hospital funding talks if they didn't comply.
  2. Despite continuous assurances that no person would be exited from the scheme until suitable Foundational Supports were in place we have seen thousands targeted in an eligibility blitz that has seen thousands thrown of the Scheme without any alternative support options being put in place.
  3. Despite continuous assurances that no particular groups were being targeted to be exited from the scheme, it is now revealed that children, people with Category 1 and 2 autism and people with psychosocial disabilities have been disproportionately targeted with eligibility reviews.
  4. Despite continuous assurances that the entire disability community would be actively involved in co-designing any changes to the scheme, we have had it confirmed time and time again that this will not and will never happen. What we have been presented with are a series of NDIA/DSS controlled working groups and forums, with hand-picked participants, that serve nice morning teas and patronising conversation with no outcome.
  5. Despite being promised by the entire NDIS Review Panel and the Minister during the Town Halls and media events that, even though they recommended 1:3 shared support be the basis of funding for people requiring 24/7 support, no person would be forced into a group home the NDIA continues to fund at shared support ratios and demand Participants provide evidence why they should not share their home with other disabled people.
  6. Despite being promised that the Needs Assessment and Budget setting tool would be developed in close collaboration with the entire disability community, it is now clear DSS and the NDIA want this done and dusted by the end of March, have already decided the content and operation of these tools and have entered into agreements to progress implementation.
  7. Despite being promised that the Government, the NDIA and DSS wanted to hear the views and perspectives of all disabled Australians we have had the alleged, "Independent?" Advisory Committee established as the only pathway for the views of the disability community to be heard by the Government and its Agencies. This occurred without any consultation on whether this is a useful strategy, the Terms of Reference for the Committee or its membership.
  8. As the former Minister and the NDIS Happy Clappy band of revellers toured the country promising that the legislation would lead to plans with more flexible budgets, scheming was already underway to ensure Participants plans would never ever be flexible.
    • Home and Living Supports would be stated.
    • Bureaucrats and politicians would decide what were acceptable supports.

Another dishonest fabrication of the truth courtesy of Redbridge and the Ministerial PR machine.

If the NACC does investigate the NDIA, it will be interesting to see what other political maneuvering and deal-making has occurred behind the scenes to destroy the NDIS in the eyes of the Australian Public, strip billions from its coffers and get behind the real reasons for this act of betrayal and who were the co-conspirators.

Knowing what we know now, we should be very afraid of any new amendments to the NDIS Act and resist them strenuously.

As we approach an election, with this history of betrayal of our disability community so conspicuously evident, we all need to think carefully about how we exercise our vote. We now know that the LNP and Labor can't be trusted with political oversight of the NDIS. We know that the majority of Independents in the Senate also failed our community when put to the test, swallowing the partisan rhetoric of the Minister, which has now been proven to be misinformation, deliberate exaggeration and not based on evidence.

We also know that the Greens stood steadfastly behind our community in challenging the amendments to the Legislation, and were ridiculed for this.... even though their concerns were well-founded and ultimately proved correct.

Perhaps a minority Government featuring people who we can trust not to further the betrayal is our best option? This requires some serious reflection because continuing with the major parties has proved to be no protection for the scheme and its Participants at all.

From a Facebook post with permission.