Transport & the NDIS

Zooming from A   to   B

 

 

As I have previously shared a key reform in the National Disability Insurance Scheme is to increase the social and economic participation of people living with disability.  The are several ways this is achieved in individual's NDIS plan to assist with this key reform.

 

1. Direct support to enable families and people with disability to get ready for school, uni, work or other community events.
2. Therapies to maximise independence in the community through a life span approach.
3. Providing equipment to maximise independence levels in the community. Such as guide dogs, assistant dogs, wheelchairs, communication devices and access to ausland interpreters.
4. Transport funding to provide incentive to participate in the community.

Many are questioning the effectiveness of the transport funding under the NDIS, as to where it increases the ability to access the community or acts as a barrier? Previously participants received a mobility allowance payment through Centrelink. This allowance was a set amount per fortnight to encourage people with disabilities to work, volunteer or study.  Thus it made sense for it to be incorporated into the NDIS.

The allowance was extend to people undertaking life skills training to improve the prospects of being activity community members.  It was not design to meet transports costs to attend respite care, shopping and social events.

The mobility allowance was the same for everyone, no matter how many hours a person was working or studying. Everyone got the same.  The NDIS is a goals base programme so the transport funding it tiered depending on the number of community participation hours a participant contributes per week.  Again it should not be used to go to the movies, to visit mum and dad or the weekly shopping.

However service providers charge 78 cents to $2.10 per km.  Regardless of the purpose of travel.  Under the NDIS anyone with a disability who is training, studying, looking for work, employed, do life skills programs or attending day services receives transport funding.  Thus tiered funding is the same whether you drive your own car, travel with family, use public transport, use taxies or transport provided by services. 

Here is where I question the funding policy of the NDIS.  Two people can be receiving the same tire of funding but the costs are totally different. One participant may work full time and be able to catch the train to work or drive there own car and another due their disability may one be able to get about in a taxi.  Not everyone travels to work, stays in the office to 5pm and then travels home. 

Some people like myself have mobile jobs.  I might need to visit my art director at a gallery in the morning; teach an art class mid afternoon and mentor someone at the end of the day.  That's at least four taxi fares. My transport funding provides no  incentive to work, it goes on my improving life choices.  It is spent before I even think about work and the 78 cents per km to get from A to B.

My difficult is if the transport funding is an incentive to work as an artists it failures. My transports costs are higher due to a number of factors. 

•   I cannot travel with artwork or art supplies on public transport even with a support worker is with me. 
• Not all art galleries have bus stops at the door.
•  I do not work an 8 hour day in the same location.

 

Thus even though I receive the highest amount of transport funding.  It is not the same incentive as someone who works in the office and catches the train.  My problem is taxis or traveling is a support workers car cost me much more than a train or a bus fare. I do not often have the option to use public transport, when I do that is my first choice. Thus this part of the NDIS seems unfair and is prove limiting.

 

Currently my transport funding limits the galleries I can access and thus the opportunities to make money.  Sure I can sell work online or take commissioned work but these fall outside the community participation rules.  I like many who can not use public transport are finding life under the NDIS restricting. 

I just wondering of the formula for transport fair for all?