ndis under fire

Despite the tears of frustration and never quite knowing who can answer my questions, the NDIS has brought significant, positive changes to my life. I know for many other individuals and families this is not the case. This is why in the 2019 Federal election we need to highlight where the scheme is not working and argue for secured funding.  #fund it and fix it.

Right now, like every major expense in the federal budget and when it comes time to set the 2019 budget, regardless of who is in power - the funding for the broken NDIS system will be argued over.  People with disabilities and family members are no better off than previously - in terms of secured funding for their support needs. The NDIS promised to be a better way to provide disability assistance in Australia. Families and individuals are tired of the constant threat to funding for their everyday support needs.

The first thing we need from the Australian Government is a commitment to fully fund the NDIS into the future; and secondly give a commitment to fix the growing problems - by returning to the original key agenda reforms.  This includes delivering an insurance type scheme for every Australian, in the event of disability occurring.  The productivity report on what has become the National Disability Insurance Scheme or NDIS for short, suggested that over time, the scheme would pay for itself and be sustainable. On this agenda of the reform the report card is an astounding "F".

We are still arguing over its affordability; we have no secure future funding and we have budget blow-outs. All due to yet another faulty system in delivering disability support with everyday living tasks, - such as transport, support at school, uni or work; assistance with personal care, getting out of bed and with meals.

  

Key reforms in order for the NDIS to pay for itself - were based on the expected increased participation rates of individuals and families in their local economy and creating new jobs in the disability sector.  The report of the first part of this reform is a "F".  

Services continue to focus on meeting needs and filling gaps.  No one is really looking beyond 2019 because we're too focused on numbers.  Numbers of people entering the scheme; numbers of people employed, and overall budget blow-outs. 

Right now, across Australia, every disability service provider is crunching the numbers to figure out how to make their business viable under the NDIS. Because the system does not support the true costs of service delivery.  If this is our focus we can not deliver a system based on individual choice - NDIS has put services into survival mode.

If our focus was on individual goals and assisting them to become more independent and finding opportunities to participate, rather than meeting basic needs, then, we could refocus on the future - a system that promised a better way. 

When people such as myself participate in the community, earn money, make purchases, go out to lunch, enjoy community events the GST on the expenditure goes back to the governments. This was all factored into the original design of the NDIS.  Instead, we continue to 'care' for participants and not address their access needs. Nor has anything been done in local communities, where the NDIS has been introduced, to assist them to include people with disabilities.

If the public continues to see people with disabilities as needing 'care', why would they be exploring ways to make communities more inclusive?  Failure to find pathways for people to access the community in meaningful and productive ways was another nail in the NDIS coffin. 

We know the NDIS and its pathways can work. I like to count myself as a NDIS success story - here's my report card.

• Goal 1 - to extend my visual art practice and host a solo art exhibition outside the Ipswich area.  Achieved to date: business registration; partnerships with other local business; participation in art competition with success.  Art exhibition happening in Brisbane this March. 
• Goal 2 - improve mobility and independence through physio and appropriate mobility equipment. Achieved to date: still using same chair as I was using at the commencement of NDIS June 26, 2017.  Through accessing physio I am walking more, more able to access the community in my manual chair, have more energy to access the community for long periods.  i.e exhibit my work in  more places - supporting more community groups.
• Goal 3 - to build my personal support team, build self-directing skills and increase responsibilities to manage my support team.  Achieved to date: currently engaged 5 support workers to support me in the home; to access the community and run my small business.  
• Additional participation is employment as a disability support worker to assist other participants to achieve their NDIS goals in self-directing.

When we focus on the goals, participants are empowered to work towards things that are meaningful to them.  Participation in the planning process; empowerment to chose how to be supported; enjoying activities the participant chooses, should see more people with disabilities participate in the wider community. 

Key to this type of participation is a move away from a medical model of disability to a system where an individual's family are assisted and empowered to direct their own supports.  We need to focus more on the abilities and contribution people can make and less on what they are unable to do.  Sure, there is a very small percentage of people with disabilities who need 24/7 'care', but in the main stream - the NDIS is about how to address the access needs of participants to enable them to achieve their goals. 

Only when participants and their goals return to being the focus of the NDIS, service provider and support staff, will the ndis no longer be at risk of failure. To do that, the Federal government needs to fully fund and implement the correct structure to support the scheme.

Of note: the only goal I have not made any progress on in 12 months is not in my hands.  A new chair to increase my Independence, ability to work as an artist in the community, and ensure my safety is still being argued in terms of dollars vs results -  a perfect illustration of where the NDIS has gone wrong.