Minister Shorten interview on the Today Show with Jane Azzopardi

Source: Ministers for Social Services

E&OE TRANSCRIPT

SUBJECTS: Lifting of Chinese tariffs; Labor’s deportation bill; Labor’s NDIS reform bill

JANE AZZOPARDI, HOST: Well, our politicians will be raising a glass to Australia’s improving relations with China this morning as Beijing finally lifts tariffs on Australian wine. Let’s bring in Minister for Government Services Bill Shorten and Shadow Minister for Finance Jane Hume. Good morning to you both. Bill, we’ll start with you. This is obviously been a long time coming. How much work has gone on behind the scenes to get here?

BILL SHORTEN, MINISTER FOR THE NDIS AND GOVERNEMNT SERVICES: Yes, it’s good news for Australia’s wine producers, which means jobs and economic income for Aussies. A lot of work by Trade Minister Don Farrell, the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Wang. So this is good news. Ah, it’s been a tough time for the wine industry since 2020. So yeah, it’s always good to wake up with a bit of good news, isn’t it?

AZZOPARDI: Sure is. There are still tariffs though on lobster and beef. Any sign of movement there?

SHORTEN: Well, we’ve knocked off the tariffs and some of the Chinese restrictions on a range of Australian goods. We’ll just take it day as it comes. I’m optimistic that the trend is our friend here.

AZZOPARDI: Okay. Well Jane, we know that relations with China did hit a low point in 2020 under the previous coalition government. Is this part of Labor cleaning up the mess?

JANE HUME, LIBERAL PARTY: Well, certainly this is really good news for Australia’s winemakers. And they were benefiting from a very positive relationship with China that came out of the China Free Trade Agreement, which was negotiated by the coalition. But you’ll recall that the reason why these tariffs went on in the first place was because Australia stood up for its national interests. It called for an inquiry into the origins of Covid 19, and it also ripped up that Belt and Road initiative that Dan Andrews, Premier Dan Andrews, had negotiated with the Chinese Communist Party. That is standing up for our national interests, I would hope, and perhaps Bill can confirm, whether we would do those things all over again. It’s important that Australia stands up for its national interest, even in the face of a big economic partner like China.

AZZOPARDI: Well, speaking of national interest, there has been a controversial issue in that regard this week, and that is Labor’s deportation bill, which failed to pass the Senate. It was blocked by the Coalition and the Greens, with some labelling it cruel, appalling and even racist. Jane, we’ll start with you because it’s not often that you side with the Greens. What are your major concerns here?

HUME: Well, the Coalition are concerned that this litany of chaos and incompetence on border security has continued with this rushed piece of legislation. Let’s remind your viewers that this legislation was presented to the coalition on Tuesday morning at 7:30 and told by Minister Giles and Minister O’Neill that it was urgent that it had to pass within 36 hours. When we looked at that legislation, there was a print stamp on it that was dated four days prior. So, Labor had had this legislation in their hands for four days before they gave it to the Coalition, and then told us it was urgent. Now the Senate’s job is scrutiny of legislation, and this legislation is controversial. It has broad reaching consequences. Even Labor’s own party room, its own caucus, has voiced its concerns about the potential consequences of this legislation. So, the Senate will do its job, it will scrutinise the legislation, it will understand what the consequences are. It will hear from those communities that are affected, and then it will make a decision as to whether this legislation should go ahead or not. But quite frankly, this is just continued incompetence on border security from a Labor government.

AZZOPARDI: Bill, can you explain the rush here? Because no one in government really has explained why this had to go through so quickly.

SHORTEN: Well, first of all, are the Liberals in the lower house of Parliament voted for the law on Tuesday. Then on Wednesday, the Liberals in the upper house or the Senate voted against the legislation and yesterday morning are they’ve said that maybe they’ll vote for this in May. And yesterday afternoon they said they’d like us to come back to Parliament in April to vote on it. The real issue here is that the High Court.

AZZOPARDI: Bill, but sorry, surely they need to – 

SHORTEN: No, sorry, there’s detail here-

AZZOPARDI: – they need to know what they’re voting for. Surely, you know it is appropriate to ask questions.

SHORTEN: Jane, I’ve just listened to the Liberal spokes lady there say that somehow the wine deal is all Labor’s fault. Somehow we’re rushing this. I mean, every time you ask a Liberal a question, they just vomit out anti-Labor rubbish. The point about it here is the High Court made a decision. The High Court, under the separation of powers in our democracy, if the High Court makes a decision, we’ve got to adhere to it. So we’re updating our laws to deal with what the High Court said. You know, I’ve sat in Parliament for the last three months, listened to Liberal hot air merchant after Liberal negative attack, saying Labor’s not doing enough. And then when we do something they decide to, you know, do a bit of a go slow. Like, the Liberals are going to end up voting for this law and its substantial format. But for whatever reason, the Liberals have decided to do opposite day and vote with the Greens. What Australians want to know is that our borders are safe, and that if you’ve got people who shouldn’t be in Australia, are we doing everything we can to move them out of Australia? Listen, this is just unfortunately the political games that go on. We just want to make sure that people who shouldn’t be in this country aren’t in this country. And if the Liberals want to make us jump through more hoops, I guess that’s part of the political rubbish which turns people off politics

AZZOPARDI: That’s extraordinary rhetoric Bill, that’s so unnecessary. I was going to say that I would have thought that had you had been Prime Minister, this wouldn’t have happened because quite frankly, this has been a demonstration of extraordinary incompetence..

SHORTEN: Well, you should have voted for me!

HUME: Oh. Good luck. 

SHORTEN: You are charming.

HUME: I’ve got him with that.

SHORTEN: Flattering.

AZZOPARDI: Guys, before we go, Bill, I do want to ask you.

SHORTEN: But it’s flattering, thank you. Jane, you should be leading the Liberals, Jane.

HUME: God bless you.

AZZOPARDI: I’m assuming you’re talking about the other Jane, not me. It’s a bit confusing when there’s two of us here, but, Bill, I’m-

SHORTEN: Sorry, Jane H, not Jane A.

AZZOPARDI: Before we go, Bill, I do want to ask you about the proposed changes to the NDIS, because that is your baby. It does seem as though some of the state governments are put off side by these changes. Concern that you haven’t been up front enough, and they’re saying it means they will face higher costs or some families will miss out. What is your view on that?

SHORTEN: Well, I’ve been talking about fixing up the NDIS for the last 650 days and we are making some progress. We want the people who are ripping off people on the Scheme and the price gougers, we want them to stop. We want to get rid of some of the frauds. One of the big challenges is that the NDIS can’t be the only lifeboat in the ocean. We want to make sure that all Australians with disabilities are getting support, but if the NDIS is the only option then that makes, puts pressure on, the Scheme. I listen, we’ll talk to the states. I think they are having a little quiet panic attack that somehow they might have to do more for people with disability. We’ll work with the states, but for me, what’s most important are the participants on the Scheme. The Scheme’s going to keep growing. We want to keep looking after people. We just want Australians with disability, if they have a disability, to be able to get the right support. And if that’s on the Scheme, that’s good. And we need to build better supports in our schools and health systems. We’ll work it through with the states.

AZZOPARDI: Well, for the sake of all those people, let’s hope you do. Bill Shorten and Jane Hume, thank you both for your time this morning.

Albanese Government protecting Commonwealth frontline workers

Source: Ministers for Social Services

The Albanese Government is working to better protect frontline workers from violence and aggression.

Legislation introduced today will ensure stronger protections for the Commonwealth frontline workers who help Australians access essential government services.

This includes the workers at Centrelink, the Australian Taxation Office, passport offices, airports and the Australian Electoral Commission. They staff service centres and call centres across Australia.

Following the stabbing attack on Airport West Services Australia office Joeanne Cassar in May last year, Minister for Government Services and the NDIS Bill Shorten MP commissioned a review into the safety of frontline public service workers which recommended harsher penalties for assaulting Commonwealth workers.

Frontline workers are increasingly the target of violence or aggression while doing their jobs. So far this financial year, Services Australia staff have experienced nearly 9,000 face to face customer aggression incidents at service centres, with almost the same number happening last year.

The Criminal Code Amendment (Protecting Commonwealth Frontline Workers) Bill 2024 will:

  • increase the penalty for conduct that causes harm to a Commonwealth frontline worker from a maximum of 10 years to 13 years’ imprisonment, and increase the penalty for conduct that threatens to cause serious harm to a Commonwealth frontline worker from a maximum of 7 years to 9 years’ imprisonment.

This Bill implements recommendation 18 of the Services Australia Security Risk Management Review, conducted by Mr Graham Ashton.

The Government has committed to implementing all 44 of the Review’s recommendations, including the introduction of workplace protection orders in Commonwealth workplaces. In addition, the Government committed $46.9 million in 2023-24 to enhance safety and security at Services Australia’s service centres for staff and customers.

Attributable to Minister for Government Services Bill Shorten MP

“In light of the dreadful attack on Joeanne Cassar, I promised our Labor Government would increase security and safety for the thousands of people who work at Service Australia, and the millions of Australians who use Services Australia offices.

“I have been in touch with Joeanne and wanted her to know we haven’t forgotten her, and that we’re making good on our promise. Her life was changed as a result of the attack on her, but she knows her pain has helped others.

“I want to say to the approximately 30,000 Service Australia staff, you do a great job and we want you to be as safe at work as we can make it.”

Attributable to Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus KC MP

“The Albanese Government deeply values the work done by all our public servants on the frontline. Every day they help people in so many ways to access government services, support and payments.

“Violence and aggression towards those workers will not be tolerated. All Australians, no matter where they work, have the right to a safe, secure and respectful workplace.”

Minister Shorten interview on ABC PM with David Lipson

Source: Ministers for Social Services

E&OE TRANSCRIPT

SUBJECTS: Labor’s NDIS reforms.

DAVID LIPSON, HOST ABC PM: The federal government has introduced legislation aimed at reining in spiralling costs by ruling out the provision of support services that are deemed unreasonable to ensure taxpayer funds aren’t being spent on things like holidays and cosmetics, for example. But a lack of clarity over who will be supported by the NDIS in the future and who will be serviced by the states, has left the premiers and chief ministers fuming. Here’s the New South Wales premier, Chris Minns and Victoria’s Jacinta Allan. Okay. Uh, we don’t have those grabs, but the Minister for the NDIS, Bill shorten, is with me now. Thank you for being on the program.

BILL SHORTEN, MINISTER FOR THE NDIS AND GOVERNMENT SERVICES: Good evening.

LIPSON: Your legislation seeks to define what NDIS supports are reasonable and which ones are not. It gives examples of ones that are not holidays, groceries, online gambling, perfume, cosmetics as things that shouldn’t be paid for with taxpayer funds, I guess. How prevalent is this sort of use of taxpayer funds?

SHORTEN: I don’t believe it is, um, rife within the system, but it shouldn’t be occurring. But if I can go back to your opening comments, uh, about changes in the States, I really addressing my remarks tonight to the 650,000 participants on the Scheme, the 400,000 people who work in NDIS, and of course, the families of the people on the Scheme. This legislation is part of what we the proposed bill. It’s a draft law. It’s not the law is the result of a review which took over a year talking to 10,000 people on the Scheme and experts and people with disability lived experience. And what we want to do is make sure that the NDIS is here to stay, that every dollar is getting through to the people for whom the Scheme is designed, and that it’s there for future generations. Truthfully, the Scheme is growing faster than I think anyone expected. It’s at about 1,516% growth annually. That’s not realistic to sustain that. The Albanese government, since we’ve come in, wants to get the Scheme back on track and we’ve been doing a lot of other things stamp down on fraud. We want to eliminate price gouging. We’re putting people with lived experience in charge of the NDIS. Kurt Fearnley is now the chair, great Australian. We’re also getting people out of hospital more quickly so they’re not stranded in hospital and finding them accommodation. So we’re doing a range of measures. This first bill is the result, as I said, of over a year’s hard work. But to be very clear to people, I understand and that when you talk about any change at all, people get anxious. People with disabilities and their carers work bloody hard and just, you know, and they don’t want to lose what they’ve got. And I’m saying that this proposed law, which will be the subject that will consult the opposition and the crossbench and talk to people with disability in coming weeks and months. We’re not changing the eligibility for the Scheme. The plans will be set the same way that they currently are, and funding will still be based on need, but we do need to put some cost control in around things, money being wasted. And we want to start a conversation with the states, which will continue, the one which we had from last December where we committed with the states. How do we make sure the NDIS is not the only lifeboat in the ocean-

LIPSON: So what do you mean by you’re not changing the eligibility under the Scheme? There’ll be no changes to who will be on the Scheme?

SHORTEN: I’m saying that this bill doesn’t change eligibility or anything.

LIPSON: You are at some point in the future. This is what this discussion with the States is about, isn’t it? Which is shifting some people who are able to be shifted, who aren’t going to lose out, I guess, um, from the NDIS Scheme to the existing foundational supports in the states, that is sort of the health system, the education system that’s sorting them through that system. Right?

SHORTEN: I think the states are worried, uh, that all of a sudden tens and hundreds of thousands of people are going to somehow not be on the NDIS and are going to turn up tomorrow looking for support from the state governments. Nothing could be further from the truth. We have forecast that with the reforms that we’re doing that we will see about an 8% annual growth in the Scheme in about three years. I stress 8% down from 15. Yeah, that’s a lot. It is. But I tell you what, no other Scheme in Australia has promised a target of 8% growth. So what that means is there’ll be more people on the Scheme than there are now. But what we want to do is just make sure that we’re getting the right assistance to meet people’s actual support needs.

LIPSON: Can you guarantee that people with disabilities won’t fall through the gaps? When that system changes?

SHORTEN: I can guarantee that I’m going to do everything I can to make sure that both the NDIS is there and that we start building supports outside the Scheme. Um, at the moment what’s happening is that you can get NDIS, which is great, but if you don’t get NDIS there’s not that much support. I was involved with creating the NDIS with thousands of uh, everyday disability activists back in oh eight and oh nine and ten. It’s quite a privilege to come back and see how we can get the Scheme back on track ten years later. The Scheme was never designed for every Australian with a disability. What’s happened? And I’m not going to blame anyone because that gets us precisely. Nowhere is that there’s been, uh, I think, a less focus on services for people who shouldn’t be on the NDIS, and there’s not a lot there for them. That’s why I use that analogy. It’s only lifeboat in the ocean. So we’re having an overdue conversation. Evolution not revolution. Working with the states who were crucial co-governors of the Scheme. How do we build support services outside the Scheme for people who don’t need the full orchestra of the NDIS, but still need some support?

LIPSON: But as you know, the states are very worried that they will end up carrying on funding here, that any blow up blow outs in the future will be on them. Can you guarantee that this won’t increase pressure on already straining hospital and education systems in the States?

SHORTEN: It’s a great question, David, but you’re asking me. I’m not in charge of the hospitals and the schools of Australia. If I was, then I’d probably give you that guarantee. I think there’s more things influencing hospital care in Australia and schools than us, making sure that there’s modest supports for people with disabilities. What I can guarantee is this is not about, um, denying people support when they need it. It’s about finishing the job. The NDIS is incredible around the world. It’s changing hundreds of thousands of lives. No one else in the world has something as good and clever and important and worthwhile as this. But it’s not the full story, the review, which we’re relying on to inspire much of our reforms, said, hey NDIS, let’s make that run better. You do need to trim the growth there because there’s stuff getting spent which just shouldn’t be being spent. But the other story is what exists for people outside the Scheme. What we’ve got to do is remove this sort of, uh, in and out mentality where “I must get the Scheme, otherwise I get nothing”.

LIPSON: Yeah, Bill shorten, we’ll have to leave it there. Thanks so much for joining us.

SHORTEN: Excellent. Lovely to catch up.

Minister Shorten interview on ABC 24 with Greg Jennett

Source: Ministers for Social Services

E&OE TRANSCRIPT

SUBJECTS: Labor’s NDIS reforms, new laws to protect frontline public servants

GREG JENNETT, ABC: Bill Shorten, good to have you back with us. You’ve just come from the House where you’ve introduced your NDIS Back on Track laws, and you quoted yourself from two years ago when you became Minister, you warned that the promise of the NDIS has been betrayed, not yet fatally, but still substantially. None of the changes from the Review contained in your bill can be fully implemented without cooperation of the states. Are they betraying, perhaps fatally, the NDIS?

BILL SHORTEN, MINISTER FOR THE NDIS AND GOVERNMENT SERVICES: No. First of all, I just want to say to Australians, the NDIS is here to stay. It is changing the lives of hundreds of thousands of people for the better. But the Scheme is off track. It is arguably growing too fast, at 16% annually. Also, we’re not sure that people are getting the quality outcomes or the consistent outcomes. There’s an equity challenge where basically if you’re sort of, cashed up, middle class, live in the middle of the city it’s easier to get in the Scheme than if you don’t have those same advantages, and we need to – the NDIS was never meant to be the only lifeboat in the ocean. As for the states, we’ll work with them. They don’t want to be rushed into something that they can’t measure and see. But on the other hand, people with disability deserve a viable NDIS and better supports generally.

JENNETT: I don’t want to focus unduly on the states and territories, but they are a critical link in actually implementing all of this along the way. They didn’t actually want you to introduce this bill today, did they? Why did you consider it worth proceeding even if that shredded goodwill in your further discussions with them?

SHORTEN: I think it’s important that when we talk about the NDIS, we’re transparent with the people on the Scheme. In other words, whilst I know the states see themselves as important, the states and indeed the federal government, we’re a means to an end, the end is actually a better life for a person with a profound and severe disability. We tabled the bill. We’ve had some discussions with the states, they want more detail, they want more discussion. We’ll do that. But if we had – the alternative would have been to hang on to this bill till Budget, and all of a sudden, we’d have had just a couple of weeks to deal with it before winter. And then everyone – we couldn’t win, either we rushed it now or we’re accused of rushing it later. So, let’s – process is important, but let’s get to the substance of it, I say to the States. We want to have better supports for people without the Scheme so not everyone needs to be on the scheme. That’s the game in town.

JENNETT: And they crave details around that. It’s almost as if some of them seem to have regrets about agreeing in principle at National Cabinet, maybe we – you weren’t there, and neither were we. We don’t really know how big a picture the Prime Minister gave them. Did it include cost estimates that they went away with in December? Knowing what foundational supports –

SHORTEN: Well, there was a general discussion about $10 billion over ten years, of which half would ideally come from states to create a system outside, half from us. But I think that states have got other pressures. There’s GST issues for some states. They’ve health issues in other states, health costs. The states are doing a range of services already. We’re not asking the states to do any more for their citizens with disabilities than they’re already statutorily required to do. But I accept that different states have wound back some of their disability services apparatus. So, we’ve got to work with them. At the end of the day, Aussies with disability on the scheme, Aussies generally, don’t want to see the two levels of government finger pointing. But I also know that when you’re talking about changes or improvements to the lives of people with disability, be transparent with people with disability. Politics as usual behind closed doors isn’t going to necessarily reassure people when we say we’re acting in your best interests, but we won’t show you the bill? Like, you know…

JENNETT: No. Fair enough. From your point of view, though, 2026 is when you want the 8% funding growth cap to take effect. Is that set in stone? Would you budge on that if, as seems apparent, the states want to get a bit more slowly towards that mark?

SHORTEN: At the moment the Scheme is growing double digit, and that’s probably going to undermine it long term. So, we need to, we want to get to a target, not a cap, but a target of 8% growth by 2026/27. I’m confident that we can get there. Like, the legislation is not the only thing we’re doing. We’re clamping down on price gouging. You hear the squeals from some people who are a bit outraged now, but we want to decrease the rip offs and the price charging. We want to crack down on the crims. So, we’re doing a range of different things. But in terms of the 8%, I think when the states further examine the detail of what’s proposed, they’ll realise we’re not trying to build the proverbial Rome in a day, and it’s got to be co-designed and collaborated with people with disability. Look, if there’s enough goodwill around the table and I’m confident there is, I think that a lot of the steam will all come out of the debate, and we can just get down to work.

JENNETT: All right. Let’s move on from all the questions on the states. Tackling fraud is a priority, it has been for quite a while now. There are extra protections against illegal and unethical conduct contained in this bill. I’m not sure what sort of timeline you’re estimating for passage of all of this through the Federal parliament, but will that period of legislating here hamper your ability to stamp out fraud in the meantime?

SHORTEN: No, there’s things that we can do now. It was over a year ago that I convinced my colleagues to establish what we call a Fraud Fusion Task Force, extra investigators, extra powers, talking to the tax office, tracking down the rorts. We’ve investigated over $1 billion of payments now, we’ve got 100 investigations underway. That work’s ongoing now. With this legislation, in an ideal world, we’d pass it by the end of June because we think that there are some improvements which can be made to the scheme, which will stop money being stupidly wasted. With a lot of the stuff to do with the States and their role in the future, we’re giving ourselves a lot longer runway. There’s a transition timetable proposed. We’re not being arrogant. We’ll talk to the States. I’ve been negotiating my whole life. I get that people have initial positions. They put the war paint on. I just, we’ll get to an outcome but I’m very mindful the people with disability don’t want to feel like chess pieces on a board. And I just I certainly am going to be mindful of this. But I also encourage the states that whenever you make a pronouncement, I’m not going to do this or you’ve got to do that, there are real people hearing us and saying, what does it mean for them? That’s why I’m not going to inflame the rhetoric. We’ll just get on with getting on.

JENNETT: All right, so your acceleration of fraud clampdowns would pick up beyond June.

SHORTEN: Yeah, and we’re doing that anyway. But we’re also doing something else. We want to eliminate what we call the wedding tax phenomena in the NDIS. You know, when a couple are getting married, they go along and say, oh, we’re getting married. Suddenly the quote for everything goes up – that’s happening with the NDIS. Now, there are a lot of good service providers, but there are some scallywags and rogues who think that the NDIS is a bottomless ATM of government money. It’s not. It’s people with disability’s money. And we’ve now made it illegal to charge for an identical service, more because someone’s on the NDIS.

JENNETT: All right. Can we just change tack Bill, in your Government Services role, you’ve been pretty personally invested in the case of Joanne Cassar, a frontline worker for Services Australia. She was attacked in the workplace in Melbourne in 2023, about this time, almost, last year. Mark Dreyfus has introduced laws that would increase penalties for threats or actual attacks on frontline workers up to 13 years. That’s in the parliament today. Does that guarantee the safety of all frontline workers once passed?

SHORTEN: I represent nearly 30,000 frontline public servants. These are the people who do your Medicare, do your Centrelink, do your child support. There was a terrible incident at Airport West in May of last year where a really great lady, a team leader, got stabbed with a bladed instrument. It’s been devastating for her and her family. She’s made a recovery, hard for, terrible for her workmates and her family. And she’s a beautiful lady and brave as, and very popular. And what I realize is a lot of our public servants are carrying a lot of stress. There’s a lot of aggro. There’s more increases in assault and violence, not from most people who use the system, but from a small group of people. I think one of the things to improve their safety is to increase the penalties. So, if you hit a cop, I mean, a cop shouldn’t ever be hit, or a judge, but they’ve got very strong protections – in the case of the police, they’re armed and trained. Our frontline staff, they don’t have any of that, but they’re work is as important as anyone else’s. So, we’re increasing the penalties. I’m not saying that’s going to guarantee that no one will ever get assaulted. But what is part of my commitment to these 30,000 people and other public servants, what you do is important, and you don’t have to put up with threats of abuse. And to the extent that an idiot or someone nasty is doing something wrong, they’re just aware they’re going to be more consequences, because don’t pick on the frontline public servant. They’re just doing their job.

JENNETT: Yeah, no, a valuable instruction. I’m sure. Bill Shorten, we’ll wrap it up there. Very busy day for you. Thanks so much for finding time.

SHORTEN: Super, thank you. Bye.

NDIS Amendment (Getting the NDIS Back on Track No. 1) Bill 2024 – Second Reading Speech

Source: Ministers for Social Services

That this bill be now read a second time.

Before the National Disability Insurance Scheme was rolled out a decade ago, people with disability were too often unseen and unheard. Pushed into the shadows.

Australians with disability suffered what was called by some ‘the misery lottery’. Disability support was patchy across the country. Depending on your postcode, you might be lucky enough to get some funding to help support you. Otherwise, you may live a life of uncertainty and quite often poverty.

That is why I introduced legislation into the Parliament today to secure the future of the NDIS.

In 2009 the Labor Government commissioned a report to help us develop the National Disability Strategy.

The report was titled ‘Shut Out’ and what was uncovered through the consultation phase was ‘intensely moving and profoundly shocking’.

It painted a picture of people with disability isolated and alone. Their lives a constant struggle for resources and support.

An article written about the report at the time said:

“Where once they were shut in, now people with a disability find themselves shut out. Shut out of housing, employment, education, health care, recreation and sport. Shut out of kindergartens, schools, shopping centres and community groups. Shut out of our way of life. This segregation is a national disgrace”.

It was clear we needed a whole system of disability support, with the NDIS for people with the most complex support needs.

We could no longer let a person’s postcode or financial situation dictate whether they won the disability support lottery.

In its 10 year history, the National Disability Insurance Scheme has fundamentally changed Australia.

The NDIS represents what’s best about this country.

It fulfills a sense of collective responsibility – the essence of the fair go – and is integral to our national identity.

Its value is measured in human terms, not economic.

People with disability should have the support they need to participate in the community.

All Australians have the peace of mind of knowing if they or someone they love acquires a significant and permanent disability the NDIS will be there for them.

And we all benefit from building a more inclusive and accessible world.

This was a story of successful political change driven by Australians with disability who demanded more control over their destiny.

We can never – must never – return to the days before the NDIS.

Through the NDIS, we have changed the way we view ourselves.

It reflects who we want to be as a nation.

Australians do not see people with a disability as ‘other’.

They are family, friends, work mates, school mates, and neighbours.

Any one of us, to be honest.

Treating our fellow Australians with disabilities as second-class citizens – too hard, too costly – reflects an image of ourselves that we don’t recognise or like.

But despite its life-changing impact, the NDIS is in danger of losing its way.

It has not delivered fully on the original vision.

When I became Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme in June 2022, I warned that ‘the promise of the NDIS has been betrayed. Not yet fatally. But still substantially’.

While the NDIS has changed hundreds of thousands of lives for the better, it is not working well for everyone.

Participants have spoken of how every interaction with the NDIS has become a battle.

They have voiced their frustration at having to prove, year after year, that they are still blind or still have Down syndrome.

This was a Scheme that I – along with thousands of passionate champions of the cause – worked tirelessly to set up.

Too often, before the NDIS, people with disability were treated as second class citizens – out of sight, out of mind.

We said never again.

Never again would Australians with disability be forgotten.

Labor has been in Government now for 676 days and I can proudly say we have worked every day with the disability sector to make major reforms already.

We promised to make the NDIS a priority and not penalise people with disability for wanting to live fulfilled lives.

We promised to put more people with disability on the NDIS board and conduct a root and branch review of the Scheme.

We promised to make the Scheme sustainable so that future generations of Australians with disability have an NDIS to access.

We made a promise to ensure every dollar was going to the people for whom it was intended – NDIS participants.

And we promised to restore trust in the Scheme.

Within days of taking on the role of NDIS Minister, the work began in earnest.

We now have more people with lived experience on the NDIS board in the entire history of the Scheme.

We have also appointed the first Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander board member.

We are getting more people with disability discharged from hospital, instead of waiting in beds when they are medically fit to go home.

We have slashed the legacy appeals cases that were languishing in long queues at the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.

We have established a partnership between the National Disability Insurance Agency and the First Peoples Disability Network to collaborate on a new NDIS First Nations Strategy and action plan.

We have established the Inklings pilot with Telethon Kids Institute, to help children showing early signs of autism.

Early intervention is one of the key principles of the NDIS, and the world-leading Inklings programs takes us from a “wait and see” to “identify and act” approach.

Neurodivergent babies will still be neurodivergent and may require support.

But early intervention is crucial for a life with less reliance on supports later on and the chance for a child to flourish.

We also promised to make the Scheme safer for people with disability, and to tackle fraud, waste and overcharging so that every dollar goes towards a better outcome for the participant, not someone trying to make a quick, dirty buck.

We’re coming at this challenge from a number of angles.

In its first year, the Fraud Fusion Taskforce investigated more than 100 cases involving more than $1 billion of NDIS funding.

Michael Phelan, a former director of the Australian Institute of Criminology, and decorated former police officer, is now the acting Commissioner of the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.

The Commission will feature in a new taskforce alongside the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and the NDIA to weed out those charging more for equipment and services simply because you have an NDIS funding package.

This is wrong and it is a breach of federal law and we have upgraded the NDIS rules to make it clear than an NDIS “wedding tax” is not on.

And to service providers who are complaining about my campaign on price gouging…

…putting unfair treatment by a minority of service providers in the too hard basket undermines the reputation of the many very good and dedicated service providers.

Ignoring price gouging and unethical conduct is a betrayal of ndis participants and Aussie taxpayers and jeopardises the credibility and social licence of the NDIS.

Further legal changes are coming to more strongly prohibit and punish such practices.

But while this Government has achieved an enormous amount in a short period of time, there is much more to do.

An independent NDIS Review panel undertook some of the most extensive consultation with the Australian community in the history of the Commonwealth, to set a new course for the NDIS.

The Review’s final report, released publicly on 7 December 2023, makes 26 recommendations and 139 supporting actions to Government…

…all based on what the Panel heard from more than 10,000 people and organisations, and what they read in almost 4000 submissions.

National Cabinet considered the final report and, as part of an initial response, agreed that the Commonwealth would work with state and territory governments to implement legislative and other changes.

I acknowledge the incredible goodwill of State Premiers and Territory Chief Ministers in agreeing to work as one for Australians with disability.

I applaud their commitment last December to finance additional disability services outside the NDIS program – the “foundational supports” we speak of – on a 50-50 funding model, so we can meet an agreed growth rate target of 8% from 1 July 2026.

Australians with disability are relying on us to make good on our promises.

There is an urgency about these reforms.

We have had almost 10 years of delay on the NDIS working or all Australians with disability and the Review Panel has told us that the process of reform will take years.

Australians with disability should not be kept waiting a day longer.

The Albanese Government is committed to engaging and consulting with people with disability, their families, carers, representative organisations, service providers, unions, and the broader community.

This bill will enable new and expanded rule and instrument making powers.

The legislative approach taken is so we can establish an enabling architecture for rules and future reforms, and restore the original intent and integrity of the Scheme.

These Rules together with all legislative instruments provided for in the Bill, will be developed with all states and territories following genuine consultation with the disability community.

Collaboration with the disability sector on design is essential.

This is the clarion call from the NDIS Review Panel.

It will be complemented by design and development of the foundational supports to assist people with a disability, including those outside the NDIS.

This has also been agreed by all governments.

The legislation is only the first step in this process, there remains an enormous amount of work to do together to implement the reforms.

The Government will work with state and territory partners, and across the political divide, to deliver our vision for the NDIS.

And we will continue to engage with participants, their families, carers, and disability representative organisations to ensure this blueprint for the future reflects their contributions.

This Bill I present today is the next part of our journey towards an improved NDIS.

It is the first step in responding to the NDIS Review findings, and to the disability community who gave so generously of themselves in sharing their experiences and insights.

And I want to take a moment to talk directly to the 660,000 Australians who are NDIS participants, to their families, carers and guardians.

I know that even much needed – much wanted – change produces anxiety.

Talk of any change will probably cause some nervousness, but I want to reassure you that we are going to work with you to make sure we get it right.

The Scheme will continue to grow.

Changes will be for the better of the participant.

A critical element of design and development following passage of this Bill will be a person-centred model for needs assessment.

This will deliver consistency and equity for planning decisions.

Access to the NDIS should not depend on how rich you are or who you know.

This change will not take effect until design is done and new rules are made – transition will take time.

Importantly, agreement by all governments means the NDIS will become just one part of a larger ecosystem of supports rather than the only lifeboat in the ocean.

Before I talk about what is in the bill, I want to flag that there are going to be some very technical bits.

I am here to explain its intent in plain language so people with disability, their families, and their disability organisations understand what is changing and when it will be changing.

What we have to do is reform the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act of 2013 (NDIS Act) and we have four goals:

  • that the NDIS provide a better experience for participants
  • that the Scheme be restored to its original intent to support people with significant and permanent disability
  • that the Scheme be equitable
  • and that the Scheme be sustainable.

The bill has two parts.

One section lays the foundations for implementing key Review recommendations, particularly those around planning and budget setting.

I want to go through some of that with you.

Once you are in the scheme, you will get a plan based on your support needs.

What we all want is a more dignified, person-centred process that assesses needs to determine a consistent, accurate and fair budget.

And that the budget can be spent flexibly.

This starts with a needs assessment that will work on with the disability sector to make sure we get it right.

And I want to be clear. Reasonable and necessary remains the core basis on which your support needs are met through the Scheme.

This bill proposes no changes to this ‘Reasonable and necessary’ core operating principle of the Scheme.

But, your needs assessment will look at your support needs as a whole – and we won’t distinguish between primary and secondary disabilities any longer.

If over time your support needs change, because of a significant change in your function, your information can be updated with a new support needs assessment.

The result will be a budget for disability supports that are fit for you; that reflects the support needs for your disability.

You can spend this budget flexibly in line with your own support needs – because you know them best.

But everyone will need to manage their NDIS budget, just as we do our household budget.

We will be clear about what supports can and can’t be funded by the NDIS to help you make informed choices and have confidence you are using your NDIS funds within what is allowed.

How these changes will be implemented will be developed with people with disability and the disability sector – this will take time to get right.

The legislation is the start of delivering our vision – it is not an end in itself.

Until the rules and legislative instruments are made, the current planning rules apply so there is no change.

Flexible budgets and a whole-of-person approach will increase the ability of participants to exercise true choice and control, and to best realise their full social and economic participation in society.

Overall, the changes to budget-setting aim to provide participants greater clarity and transparency, fairer and more consistent decision making, and improved participant satisfaction.

Creating this budget framework aligns with the original intent of the NDIS to support people with permanent and significant disability as part of a larger landscape of supports outside of the NDIS.

We will also make sure we get expert advice on selection and use of any tools, so the process is transparent.

These were all areas highlighted by the NDIS review as critical for improvement.

But before those things can be introduced, there is a lot of work needs to happen collaboratively with people with disability families and their representative organisations and state and territory governments.

There are therefore some operational changes that need to be made.

This is the second section of the bill.

I know people can feel anxious when we talk about scheme sustainability.

And some media commentary can still unfairly targeted people with disability in a way that is stigmatising and deeply unfair.

And to meet some of the rumours head-on:

  1. Psychosocial disability is still included in the NDIS
  2. Autism is still recognised as a disability.
  3. At the same time, we need to have an honest conversation about the Scheme.

It cannot keep growing at the same rate it is now.

It can and will keep growing, just not at the 16% it has in the last few years.

The Disability Reform Ministerial Council is on the record as saying that ‘without timely action to improve outcomes for people with disability, the NDIS is projected to grow to more than 1 million participants and cost up to $100 billion a year by 2032’.

Costs continue to grow without fairness, rigour and control over this critical investment by the Australian people.

We have to take steps to get it back on track.

So that’s what we are doing with this bill.

Some operational changes to improve things can happen soon after the legislation is signed by the Governor General.

One is the definition of NDIS Supports.

The legislation will link the definition of ‘NDIS supports’ to your rights under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

This is the first time parts of the UN convention have been incorporated into NDIS laws.

Another relates to the provision of information gathering for eligibility reassessment. We will work with the disability community on operating guidance on this matter.

It is important for the CEO to have the ability to request and receive information on whether participants meet the access criteria including the residence requirements, the disability requirements, or the early intervention requirements.

This will not result in people having to ‘re-prove’ their disability, but will allow the CEO to determine a participant is receiving the most appropriate supports.

The process will take into account difficulties in accessing information.

But participants or their nominee will need to communicate with the Agency in the way that works best for you.

Another change that will be able to happen pretty quickly is with plan management arrangements where there is a risk for that participant, including financial risk.

And I want to make it clear the Agency has responsibilities here too and will be required to be consistent in its operations with the legislation and the rules.

So that’s just a few of the things that you may see happen early on.

But I stress, those directly impacted by key decisions about the Scheme will continue to play a central role in developing the detail and implementation of the reforms.

The review stuff, on the other hand, will take time.

There are two reasons for this.

One is that it has to be done in collaboration with people with disability.

Consultation on the early intervention pathway is crucial and there will be no changes until that work is done together.

And the second is that the review was very clear about the sequence of events.

Particularly about building the ecosystem of supports.

That’s why we need to begin the work of foundational supports before some of these other elements will be introduced.

States and territories will play an important role here, consistent with the National Cabinet agreement last year.

The Bill also includes amendments to quality and safeguarding, providing greater flexibility for the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commissioner in exercising compliance powers and building on our comprehensive fraud reforms.

These changes will boost the Commission’s ability to undertake compliance action.

The majority of providers are good, decent, hard-working people and I put on record my gratitude for the quality services they supply with care, compassion and professionalism.

But we cannot ignore the people who are trying to harm the NDIS and participants and I will not abide it.

And while these measures are immediate, they are not the end of the story.

We will consider more work on quality and safety once we have the report of the NDIS Provider and Worker Registration Taskforce, led by trusted lawyer and disability advocate, Natalie Wade.

Both the NDIS Review and the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability made recommendations on the scope and powers of the Commission, and these are still being considered by the Government.

We need to make sure we understand the various interactions between the recommendations of both reports before we consider taking action.

This I’ve outlined today will require a national coordinated effort, across all governments, and from each and every one of us as members of the community.

These reforms will not happen overnight – there will be a significant piece of work to design this pathway and I am once again asking for the help of the disability sector.

I say to our colleagues in state and territory governments today as we table this bill, that we do so to be transparent.

This reform process has been in the making since we commissioned the NDIS Review some 18 months ago.

Some think we’re going too fast, some think we’re going to slow.

I just want the best we can do for Australians with disability.

I acknowledge the questions and concerns of my colleagues in the states and will genuinely want to work to resolve issues and allay fears.

There is no arrogance or hubris with the introduction of this bill.

This is, in the government’s best judgement, the time to start this stage of the reform process.

And is in line with National Cabinet agreement to introduce legislation in the first part of the year.

We’re delivering on that promise.

I can only imagine that there will be some anxiety about the changes within the disability sector.

But the NDIS is not working the way it should and is not working well for many people.

This is our chance to make it right.

If you have a significant and permanent disability, which has quite an impact on your functioning, you will be in the scheme.

If you have a developmental delay, which could be supported by another means of support other than an individual package, you will get what you need.

For me, this is all about what the people need, not about trying to fit them around a process.

We cannot allow people to be excluded from all that this great Australian life has to offer because of a disability.

We should be proud of the NDIS.

Along with Medicare, there is no better use of taxpayers’ money.

The NDIS enables Australians, regardless of their level of ability, to lead the most fulfilling life possible.

A life of independence and dignity.

A life of contribution to the community.

A life of improved health and personal safety.

A life of connection to others.

It unlocks the great potential of Australians with disability – and their families – and enables them to participate in the life of our country on their own terms.

The NDIS is not perfect, but it’s not broken.

We can make it fairer, more transparent, more compassionate and more accountable to those it supports.

It’s still young – growing and learning.

And it is here to stay.

The NDIS has changed the lives of hundreds of thousands of Australians with disability – and their families.

I want it to keep changing hundreds of thousands lives, long after I have left this place.

I implore this Parliament to rise to the occasion to secure the future of the Scheme – not just for Australians with disability but all Australians.

I will leave you as I began – with a quote from the Shut Out report.

These words come from an anonymous submission:

“Disability is characterised by desire for positive change and striving for emancipation and flourishing. It is seen every day amongst people living with disability.

It is active hope.

We desire a place within the community.

This place is not just somewhere to lay down our heads, but a place which brings comfort and support with daily living, friendship, meaningful work, exciting recreation, spiritual renewal, relationships in which we can be ourselves freely with others.

And out of this, great things may flourish.”

I commend this bill to the House.

World first gender justice institute for First Nations Women

Source: Ministers for Social Services

The Albanese Labor Government is proud to support the Wiyi Yani U Thangani Institute for First Nations Gender Justice at the Australian National University with a funding contribution of $3 million over four years.

The Institute is the first of its kind in the world and will bring together First Nations researchers to develop and design initiatives to improve life outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and girls.

The Institute will continue the ground-breaking work of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner June Oscar AO, elevating the voices of more than 2,300 First Nations women and girls.

It will provide a dedicated space for First Nations research on a range of issues including health and wellbeing, family violence, housing, education, child removals, financial security and environmental conservation.

Minister Burney attended the Institute’s launch last week with Commissioner Oscar, the former Prime Minister and Chair of the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership Julia Gillard and ANU Chancellor Julie Bishop via video link.

The following day the Institute hosted a summit with more than 80 women from Indigenous community controlled organisations from across the country about how best to ensure the work at the Institute makes meaningful change in communities, that is evidence based and informed by the lived experiences of First Nations women and girls.

The Wiyi Yani U Thangani Institute for First Nations Gender Justice will continue to champion the voices of First Nations women and ensure they help shape the development of policy and programs that affect them and bring about the changes they want to see.

Quotes attributable to Minister Burney:

“The Wiyi Yani U Thangani Institute for First Nations Gender will carry forward the work of the Social Justice Commissioner June Oscar AO and the voices of First Nations and girls.

“The Institute will harness the aspirations and strengths of First Nations women and girls and ensure they form the foundations of initiatives that respond to their needs and ambitions.

“I congratulate the outgoing Commissioner June Oscar AO for her work and I look forward to seeing the results of the Institute’s work so that together we can achieve sustained and meaningful change for First Nations women and girls.”

Quotes attributable to Minister Gallagher:

“The Government has recently released Working for Women: A Strategy for Gender Equality, which builds on the important work June Oscar AO led through the Wiyi Yani U Thangani project to drive First Nations Gender Justice.

“Working for Women acknowledges the considerable foundations set by Wiyi Yani U Thangani, and seeks to be a Strategy that responds to the needs of First Nations women and girls, while working alongside actions and frameworks for First Nations gender justice.

“I thank Commissioner Oscar for her extensive work, and look forward to seeing how the Wiyi Yani U Thangani Institute for First Nations Gender Justice at the Australian National University will continue to drive First Nations gender justice, and support our efforts to achieve gender equality across Australia”

Quotes attributable to Minister Rishworth:

“One of the first major pieces of policy I released since coming to this portfolio was our National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032 where, along with states and territories, we committed to ending violence against women and children in one generation.

“I released two Action Plans under that National Plan, including the first ever dedicated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Action Plan. We’re now beginning our important work on the development of a standalone First Nations National Plan.

“I thank Commissioner Oscar for her important work in this space, including as Special Advisor on the dedicated Action Plan, and look forward to continuing to progress our shared goals to achieve the change we must see for First Nations women and girls.”

Getting the NDIS back on track

Source: Ministers for Social Services

Today the Albanese Government will introduce to Parliament changes to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) that will deliver for those who need it most and will contribute towards the NDIS once again being delivered in line with its original intent.

By tabling the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Getting the NDIS Back on Track No. 1) Bill 2024 today, this Government is keeping its promise to legislate in the first half of 2024, as agreed at National Cabinet in December 2023.

The Bill will usher in a new era of NDIS reforms that ensure the Scheme can continue to provide life-changing outcomes for future generation of Australians with disability and to make sure every dollar in the Scheme gets to the participants for whom the Scheme was designed.

It will also bolster the powers of the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission to protect participants from illegal and unethical conduct.

This legislation follows the jointly commissioned Independent Review of the NDIS (the Review), its final report and extensive consultations with states and territories at the Disability Reform Ministerial Council.

The Bill addresses priority recommendations from the Review and represents the first tranche of amendments to the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 to improve participant experience.

Priority reform for Government in this Bill is focused on access, plans and budget settings, and quality and safety.

Minister for the NDIS Bill Shorten MP highlighted to participants and the disability sector that reforms would not happen overnight.

“Review recommendations will take years to implement. Today is the next step in the journey. For the past three months, I have travelled around Australia talking to people with disability and the sector. In just over 12 weeks, I hosted a national tour of 8 townhalls, where thousands of Australians heard, discussed and asked questions about the Review’s proposed reforms and what needs to happen next.” Minister Shorten said.

“There will be a significant piece of work to collaborate with people with disability the reforms and we are seeking the lived experience of the disability community as we continue to strengthen the Scheme together.

“We have released this bill to be transparent.

“The legislation will boost the NDIS watchdog’s ability to take compliance action, building on the comprehensive reforms we have already made to crack down on fraud and safeguard the Scheme for participants.”

Many improvements cannot take effect until NDIS Rules, which are made with the states and territories, and legislative instruments are updated or made which will outline the detailed operation of the Scheme. Following the introduction of the Bill, the Government will engage in a co-design and consultation process with the disability community to design, make and update NDIS Rules and legislative instruments.

In December 2023, as part of an initial response to the NDIS Review, National Cabinet agreed to introduce legislation in the first half of 2024, with rule changes phased in following consultation.

This Bill is a significant step towards implementing the agreement of National Cabinet to return the NDIS to its original intent and create a thriving ecosystem of disability supports across Australia.  

Minister Shorten said this legislation builds on the $130 million the Albanese Government has invested this year to support co-design and consultation and there remains an enormous amount of work to do to implement the reforms together.

“This Bill being presented today is the next part of our journey towards an improved NDIS, Minister Shorten said.

“This Bill paves the way for future improvements that will put participants back at the heart of the NDIS and ensure every NDIS dollar is put towards those who the Scheme was originally intended to support.

“This legislation will also work towards Scheme sustainability and ensure the Scheme is equipped to support participants for generations to come.”

The Albanese Government is committed to engaging and consulting with people with disability, their families, carers, representative organisations, service providers, unions, and the broader community and inform Government decision making on various reforms.

“These legislation and rule changes are the key to unlocking a trustworthy and sustainable NDIS and will enable the Government to drive change,” said Minister Shorten.

“This legislation and rule changes will be transformative to the lives of current and future NDIS participants, and the perspectives of people with disability must be centre stage as we deliver these reforms.

There has been continuous consultation with the disability community and this will continue as we pursue our reforms. 

For more information on the bill, visit dss.gov.au/NDISreforms. More information about the NDIS Review is available on the NDIS Review website. 

Subscribe for our updates about coming engagement opportunities at dss.gov.au/disability-and-carers.

To contact the department, you can email us at enquiries@dss.gov.au or alternatively call 1300 653 227 Monday to Friday between 8.30am and 5pm (AEDT). If you are Deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment, you can use the National Relay Service to contact the department.

DSC Annual NDIS Conference

Source: Ministers for Social Services

E&OE TRANSCRIPT

Good morning everyone.

I’m sorry I can’t be there in person but Parliament is sitting, so I have to be in Canberra.

I would like to begin by acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the land from which I’m recording this – the Ngunnawal people.

I pay my respects to elders past and present.

I’d also like to acknowledge the speakers and people with disability joining this conference.

We are all here for a simple reason – because we believe in a fair, just and inclusive Australia for all.

We recognise that barriers to social, economic and cultural participation for people with disability must be removed.

And we understand that this is only possible when we work together.

Guided by the principle that is so important to all people with disability: ‘nothing about us, without us’.

The Government takes the rights of people with disability very seriously.

There has been a lot of activity in the disability sector over the last 12 months.

We are redesigning the Disability Employment Services program and we have seen the release of two landmark reports into disability.

In September last year, the Final Report of the Disability Royal Commission was released to the public.

This was followed by the release of findings from the Independent Review of the NDIS in December.

I know that many of you have played a role in the Royal Commission and the NDIS Review and I thank you for your efforts, and for your important contributions.

Both of these reports make it very clear that we need to do better.

I think we would all agree that we can’t just focus on improving the NDIS – we also need to work to create a more inclusive society.

One where people with disability are safe and can achieve their full potential.

And where they have access to quality supports, services and safeguards – both inside and outside of the NDIS.

Of course, Minister Shorten is responsible for the NDIS so I will leave him to talk about that.

My responsibility is broader and includes a lead role responding to the Disability Royal Commission.

Now I know many of you are awaiting the Government’s response to the Disability Royal Commission’s recommendations with great anticipation.

After four and a half years, 32 public hearings and almost 8000 submissions, the Final Report sets out 222 recommendations.

The findings highlight that all governments must do more to create a safer Australia for people with disability.

But we must do justice to the significant issues raised in the Royal Commission.

And we’ll do that by carefully considering the recommendations of both the Disability Royal Commission and the Independent Review of the NDIS.

And how they intersect together.

By taking the time to carefully consider all 13 volumes of the Final Report we can develop a response that will support lasting change.

That is the top priority for Disability Ministers in 2024.

This work is being led by the Commonwealth Disability Royal Commission Taskforce. The Taskforce will support and guide governments in our response to the Final Report.

We’re determined our response is informed by the voices of people with disability, families, carers, the sector and other stakeholders.

Hundreds of people with disability, representative and advocacy organisations, families and providers took part in our recent public consultation that ran from November to January this year, providing their feedback on the recommendations made by the Disability Royal Commission.

We’ve also been holding other disability and stakeholder forums.

These forums explored potential responses to particular recommendations so we can unpack the nuances on the way forward.

The next few months are going to be critical as we work to finalise our response, and you can be assured that we will continue to engage with you as we move forward.

85 of the recommendations relate to areas of joint responsibility between Federal and state and territory governments.

So we will be working closely with states on the pathway forward on reform.

We will respond to all recommendations by the middle of the year.

Building more services and supports outside the NDIS was a key recommendation of the NDIS Review and one of our key projects going forward is to work with our state and territory colleagues to jointly design, commission and fund additional foundational supports.

As identified by the Independent Review of the NDIS, more needs to be done to create a stronger disability ecosystem, with a range of supports available for people with disability, not just those with individual NDIS packages.

Foundational supports will enable people with disability to access the right supports, earlier and in the right place, to support them have the best outcomes.

My department has already started work on an important Foundational Supports Strategy that will be critical to restoring the NDIS to its original vision of supporting those with significant and permanent disability, within a unified system of support.

We have invested $11.6 million over two years to support work to develop and implement the Foundational Supports Strategy.

While we know that significant consultation was undertaken with the community through the Independent Review into the NDIS, governments understand that further consultation with people with disability and their families, representative organisations and the broader disability sector is critical to the success of Foundational Supports.

We will continue to engage with you, and to drive change to support disability reform, because we all benefit when people with disability can fully and safely participate in society.

Since coming to Government, we haven’t waited to address the issues being raised during the Royal Commission.

And we have made a lot of progress.

Earlier this month, we released a progress update that highlights the strides the Australian Government has already taken to improve outcomes for people with disability.

Work that has been guided by Australia’s 10-year Disability Strategy.

The Strategy shapes our vision for building a more inclusive Australia to ensure people with disability can fulfil their potential as equal citizens.

Our work to implement the reforms and actions under the strategy is one of the key drivers that will achieve positive and systemic change.

It was developed with, and for, people with disability.

And we have the ADS Advisory Council, whose members have lived experience of disability, providing direct advice to all disability ministers on the implementation and progress of the Strategy.

And since becoming Minister for Social Services I have been determined to bring this Strategy from a paper document into life.

The Strategy will also guide our decision-making as we look at recommendations from the Disability Royal Commission and NDIS Review.

We have strengthened these safeguarding provisions by repealing the old Disability Services Act (1986) and replacing it with the new Disability Services and Inclusion Act (2023).

This new act came into effect on 1 January 2024 and brought the legislation into the 21st century.

It provides a more agile way to fund services and supports.

And introduced a new mandatory code of conduct for all Commonwealth disability services and supports.

And that is so that people with disability and their carers know what to expect from providers.

And it supports people with disability to participate in the development and review of supports and services.

Again, nothing about you, without you.

Another key area which has seen a lot of attention is employment.

When I started in this role, I was concerned to learn that quality wasn’t measured or prioritised in the Disability Employment Services program. I was determined to change this and made lifting the quality of the service an immediate priority.

To ensure the quality of Disability Employment Services is measured I introduced the Disability Employment Services Quality Framework.

People with disability and their families and carers have told me about their experiences with Disability Employment Services. Some are great, but others are not so good experiences.

We don’t want it to be a lottery, and with our Quality Framework, providers across the country are embedding the views of people with disability into how they deliver and importantly how we measure quality.

I have been very clear – I don’t expect Disability Employment Service providers to only do the bare minimum for the people using their services.

I want all providers to strive for excellence and provide quality services.

And for those people with higher support needs, we have invested $52.7 million to assist the supported employment sector to evolve.

To make sure supported employees have genuine options, choice and control in their employment.

We have also been working with employers.

We know the value that people with disability can bring to the workplace – and we want to help employers realise this too.

One way we are doing this is through our work with the Business Council of Australia. This pilot is working with four large employers – Woolworths, Compass Group, Coles, Target and KMART.

The pilot has been co-designed with people with disability and is focussed on building employer confidence around disability. But it is more than that – it is also working to challenge any pre-existing biases that exist within management that people with disability are only suited to entry level jobs.

From my conversations with people with disability, I know there is a strong desire for opportunities for career pathways, not just entry level jobs.  And this pilot recognises that.

We are also working in partnership with Austrade to deliver a Visitor Economy Disability Employment Pilot – which is working with employers in the tourism sector. We know that by working with employers, we can go a long way towards creating a more inclusive society where everyone can thrive.

As I said earlier, we will continue to engage with you on this important work.

I hope you will all be challenged and inspired today and I look forward to hearing the outcomes of the conference.

Thank you.

Minister Rishworth on the Today Show, Newschat with Sarah Abo

Source: Ministers for Social Services

E&OE TRANSCRIPT

Topics: Fuel efficiency standards, Minimum wage rise

SARAH ABO, HOST: Welcome back. Well, Anthony Albanese has apparently grabbed the wheel from Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen, overhauling Labor’s controversial fuel efficiency standards plan. This comes as the government cops backlash for the handling of the policy negotiations, forcing organisations involved to sign non-disclosure agreements. Joining us to discuss today’s headlines, Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth and Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie, both in Canberra. Good morning to you both. Amanda, you’ve somewhat yielded to the deafening calls of tradies across the country and watered down your vehicle emissions policy. And that’s despite Chris Bowen repeated denials on our program.

AMANDA RISHWORTH, MINISTER FOR SOCIAL SERVICES: Firstly, I’d say that why a fuel efficiency standard is so important is we’re one of the only countries in the world not to have one – us and Russia. So, it means that we’ve been missing out on cleaner and cheaper-to-run cars. We put out a fuel efficiency model, which was our preferred option, but we said very clearly that we would consult and, of course, take into consideration different perspectives from industry that are put forward. So, we’re working through that. But having a fuel efficiency standard does mean that we have more choice. If you think about America – not known necessarily for their efficient cars – they’ve had a fuel efficiency standard since 1970. So, this is an important piece of policy. It used to be the policy of the liberal party back in 2016. So, we hope that we’ll see a way bipartisanship can take us through to make sure Australia gets options for their cars.

SARAH ABO: Yeah, absolutely. I mean, obviously this is something that’s needed, but there are concessions that have had to be made. You were too ambitious to begin with. You quote the US there. The US is changing its policy as well. And I guess the issue that we’re facing at the moment is that we’re hearing about, since your party was elected, you promised transparency. Now we’re hearing about NDAs people being forced to sign them left, right and centre.

AMANDA RISHWORTH: Of course we’re going to have discussions with industry and make sure that we are taking that feedback. A lot of very sensitive information is put forward to make sure that we get our policy right. But that’s what we’re determined to do to get the right balance for Australia, to make sure that we have more choice and cheaper-to-run cars and make sure that we keep up with the rest of the world.

SARAH ABO: It does make people wonder what you’re hiding, though?

AMANDA RISHWORTH: I think having discussions with industry and making sure that we’re able to be responsive, along with making sure our policy objective is delivered. And I guess my question for the opposition is, will they support having fuel efficiency standards in Australia because it used to be their policy?

SARAH ABO: Well, what do you do now, Bridget? I mean, do you welcome these revised changes to the emissions plan?

BRIDGET MCKENZIE, NATIONALS SENATOR: Like the rest of us, we haven’t seen them yet, Sarah. We support a low emissions transport sector as we head towards 2050. But the plan that has been put forward by the Government means that Australians will be paying thousands of dollars more for the cars that they not only love to drive, that are the most popular new cars sold in this country, but in often cases, they’re the cars they need to drive for their work or their lifestyle choices. So, we don’t back a plan that makes cars more expensive for everyday Australians, particularly in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis, and we don’t back a plan that’s going to see our key and favoured cars leave the market. We want to see a low emissions transport policy. That means we get the emission profile down in a way that doesn’t cost Australians thousands of dollars. And I think what you’ve seen, Sarah, and you raised it in questions with the Minister, these guys are making industry leaders sign non-disclosure agreements. What have they got to hide? And it’s about time the Prime Minister stepped in because his Ministers are hopeless.

SARAH ABO: All right, well, look, it is all about balance and so is this next issue. Small businesses hitting back at calls for a rise to the minimum wage. The Government and unions, of course, are pushing for an increase to keep up with inflation. Amanda, how do you get that balance right? There was a 5 per cent increase last year. Now the unions are calling for 5.7 per cent. How do you then factor in the small business demands?

AMANDA RISHWORTH: I think in a cost-of-living crisis, we don’t want to see particularly our low-paid workers go backwards. I think it’s a pretty fundamental point that we don’t want to see those that clean our country. Some drive people around, those who do some of the minimum wage jobs actually go backwards. We know that cost-of-living is a challenge and we want to make sure that their wages do keep up with cost-of-living. The Labor Party has been pretty firm that we want people to earn more and take more of home of what they earn. And that is exactly our position. The Liberal Party has said they want people to earn less and that is not a solution for those particularly low-paid workers that are working really hard around our country.

SARAH ABO: Bridget, as you know, a lot of Australians are struggling right now. So, is this fair enough?

BRIDGET MCKENZIE: Look, Australians are struggling and they’re struggling because Amanda’s Government has not got inflation under control. I mean, these wage rises, should they be successful, are going to be eaten up by inflationary pressures if the Government doesn’t cut their spending and get productivity going. Every Australian that’s employed by a small business right now today has their jobs at risk because small businesses have been going out of business in numbers that we haven’t seen for a long time. That is the reality. I think business is under pressure, particularly small and family-owned and run businesses, and they employ millions of Australians. So, if the Government was serious about helping families in our suburbs and our regions struggling right now to work out how they’re going to pay the kids soccer fees this term whilst they’re also trying to keep the mortgage or the rent paid, then they need to get serious about cutting their spending in the budget and get inflation under control.

AMANDA RISHWORTH: Well, Bridget, we’re the only Government that’s delivered a surplus.

BRIDGET MCKENZIE: Amanda, Amanda, I didn’t interrupt you.

SARAH ABO: Look, the point is we’ve got to get the balance right. It’s sticky out there and a lot of people are suffering. Thank you so much for joining us this morning. We will pick this debate up another time. Appreciate it, Karl.

KARL STEFANOVIC, HOST: Gee, got spicy at the end there, didn’t it?

Opinion piece for the West Australian

Source: Ministers for Social Services

Living in Australia, we can feel removed from much of what is going on in the rest of the world.

Have people heard about the New Orleans police department where rats are getting high because they’re eating through confiscated marijuana?

Was the 30 minute delay to the Women’s Soccer League match between Chelsea and Arsenal because both teams turned up in white socks a topic of conversation at work?

And did we even know that there is a boom in sausage vending machines in Germany because of around-the-clock demand from citizens for bratwurst and bockwurst?

Goodness knows, the internet and social media bombard us with information that can overwhelm even the biggest news fanatic who can be frustrated by the fluff and filler.

But we cannot become so fatigued by the trend that ‘everything is content’ and the torrent of current affairs and the accompanying commentary, that it stops us from being discerning consumers of news.

There are reports that may not appear earth shattering at first glance, but which are indicative of a bigger story.

One such article that caught my attention this week is that Denmark announced plans to conscript women for military service.

This is a pretty rare move. Denmark is just the third European country to introduce female conscription – Norway and Sweden being the other two.

Danish women can already volunteer for military service and in 2023 made up around a quarter of members of the armed forces.

With the end of the Cold War in the late 1980s and early ‘90s, when the Berlin Wall came down and the Soviet Union dissolved into separate republics, we entered a period of relative peace in the world.

Denmark felt secure enough in this new reality to scale back its military capabilities.

But Danish Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, says Europe’s security climate is changing. Expanding conscription is in response.

“We are not rearming because we want war, destruction, or suffering. We are rearming right now to avoid war, and in a world where the international order is being challenged,” Prime Minister Frederiksen said in a press conference.

That is something we should all take notice of.

The Danish Prime Minister may not have specifically mentioned the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but its deadly presence looms large in the thoughts of European governments.

It has also brought the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to the front of our minds.

It is worth a refresher on NATO to understand its importance and the need for its ongoing existence.

NATO was founded in the aftermath of the Second World War. The Europe we think of today – culturally and economically advanced – makes it is hard to imagine the devastation it had to come back from after six years of conflict.

To give some perspective, approximately 36.5 million Europeans died in the war, more than half of them civilians; refugee camps and rationing were a fact of life; and in the German city of Hamburg alone, half a million people were homeless.

The United States was a founding member of NATO and provided financial aid through the Marshall Plan, which was also known as the European Recovery Program.

This commitment by the US reinforced the belief that a strong and united Europe was key to global stability.

The North Atlantic Treaty was signed in 1949 by the new group of allies and Article 5 of that document agreed “an armed attack against one or more of them… shall be considered an attack against them all”.

This has only been invoked once, after the 9/11 attacks on the US.

There are 32 NATO members, the most recent, Sweden, was added just weeks ago.

When Sweden’s flag was raised for the first time at NATO Headquarters, the Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, said that Sweden had taken its rightful place at the table. The Secretary General continued “Every nation has the right to choose its own path, and we all choose the path of freedom and democracy”.

The people of Ukraine – led by President Zelenskyy – are in a life and death struggle for their freedom and democracy.

Australia stands with the brave Ukrainian men and women for the same reason the US remains a staunch supporter of NATO and its European allies – what happens in a distant location also has relevance around the world.

Ukrainians might be fighting for their country and their freedom from a brutal, murderous aggressor, but they also fight for us.

If Ukraine fails, other democracies will be weakened.

If Ukraine falls, other autocrats will be emboldened.

And as French President, Emmanual Macron, said “…there can be no lasting peace without Ukraine regaining its sovereignty and internationally recognised borders, including Crimea”.

This is the struggle.

Two years on since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Australia remains steadfast in support of our Ukrainian friends.

The Albanese Government, led by Minister for Foreign Affairs, Penny Wong, and Minister for Defence, Richard Marles, recently announced a $50 million grant to the International Fund for Ukraine. This takes our overall support of Ukraine to $960 million – $780 million of that in military assistance.

Australia remains one of the largest non-NATO contributors of military assistance to Ukraine, and proudly so. The people of Ukraine did not seek this war and have displayed extraordinary strength and courage to try to stop it.

Don’t allow the white noise of social media and the misinformation of Russian apologists to distract you from what is happening.

This is a news story we must not look away from.