NDIA used the law to ‘exhaust’ participants

By bobb |
The minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme, Bill Shorten.

Rick Morton

A leaked review document shows the National Disability Insurance Agency used ‘legalistic brinkmanship’ to force disabled people to ‘bargain away their rights’.

A backlog of thousands of National Disability Insurance Scheme tribunal appeals was almost entirely artificial, not based on proper legislative interpretation and driven instead by “external pressures” to rein in costs of the scheme, according to independent reviewers chosen to work through the stricken cases.

employment and education submissions to the National Autism Strategy

By convenor |

In addition to previous submissions, A4 worked with GCG on an employment strategy. And submitted the report to the National Autism Strategy development team. 

GCG also wrote a paper on Road Map to Inclusive Education: Developing School Policy Reforms for Australian Schools (K-Y12) for the Australian Autism Alliance.

Behaviourally based interventions in children on the autism spectrum: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis

By convenor |

Through the freedom of Information process, A4 came across a report that was prepared for the NDIS that is very relevant to autistic NDIS participants in Australia. However, the NDIS decided not to publish this report.

A4 decided it should make the report available for people who need it.

The report's key conclusions say:

‘Quick and dirty’ NDIS review faces backlash from disability advocates

By bobb |
siloette - man in wheelchair looking outside

Stephen Lunn

A “quick and dirty” review of the $35bn-a-year National Disability ­Insurance Scheme will not ­address its longstanding problems in time to meet national cabinet’s hard cost-control targets set for three years from now, advocates have warned, signalling a fresh battle over its future.

Actuarial student's issues with autism

By convenor |

An actuarial student at the ANU has been writing adversely about autism and the NDIS. 

A4 expressed concerns that some of the mainstream media was linking her work to the NDIS. The NDIS indicated that

She does not represent the views of the agency and we are in contact with her to ensure she is clear in any future work with ANU that her views are her own.

A4's communication with the NDIS can be seen below.

 

Bloated NDIS encourages providers to keep children in care: experts

By bobb |

Tom Burton

Governments need to stop encouraging private providers to find repeat customers in the care sector and make a paradigm shift to a model that builds in support across the disability, aged care and rehabilitation sectors, social policy experts say.

A new paper from the Actuaries Institute said care economy models that sought to create a private marketplace of services which governments fund, meant there was little incentive to get people off publicly funded support.

There's still time to have your say in the NDIS Review

By convenor |
NDIS Review logo

Closed 15/9/2023

Later inputs (until 23/10/2023) will inform the National Autism Strategy.

We recognise that there are many things that compete for your time so if you wanted to have a say you still can. If you have had a say but realised you wanted to add something more than please do so.

This survey uses a 0-10 scale and if you want to add free text you can. You can answer one topic or many. It is up to you. The survey is available at: 

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