About this resource
Introduction
The Australian Government welcomes the Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme’s (the Committee’s) second report in the 46th Parliament on Current Scheme Implementation and Forecasting for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (the report).
The report looks at new evidence and issues raised since the tabling of the Current Scheme Implementation and Forecasting for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS, the scheme) Interim Report on 30 November 2021. The report makes six recommendations. Three of these relate to topics that should be researched, two relate to the dissemination of research, and one relates to how scheme sustainability is measured by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA).
The Australian Government supports each of the six recommendations made in the Committee’s report. The Australian Government also agrees with the Committee in noting the importance of rebuilding trust between the disability community and the NDIS.
The Australian Government is committed to improving the NDIS. The Australian Government is placing a stronger focus on improving the scheme’s effectiveness and securing outcomes for participants. Central to this will be meaningful engagement with people with disability, carers, representative organisations, providers, and state and territory governments to improve the scheme.
The Australian Government is committed to transparency and recognises that openness and accountability are critical to rebuilding trust between the NDIS and the disability community. The NDIA regularly publishes data so the scheme can be properly monitored, evaluated, and interrogated, and in order to identify gaps in the current evidence base so more information, data and research can be gathered. The Australian Government recognises that the way in which data and information is released can always be improved, and the NDIA is already working on ways to ensure information published about the scheme is accessible to the broadest possible audience.
To this end, the Australian Government, with the state and territories, is undertaking an independent review of the NDIS (the NDIS Review). The first part of the NDIS Review will look at the design, operations and sustainability of the NDIS. The second part will look at ways to make the market and workforce more responsive, supportive and sustainable. The NDIS Review will consider all available evidence and look at benefits as well as challenges inside and outside the NDIS. The NDIS Review findings will guide the priority areas for improving the scheme.
The following pages provide the Australian Government response to each of the recommendations.