QAI made a submission to the Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) in response to its inquiry into the Capability and Culture of the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA).
Despite several inquiries into the operation of the scheme and associated opportunities for reform, many people with disability continue to have negative experiences of the NDIS. In our view, these negative and often harmful experiences typically occur due to the way in which Agency staff perform their duties, interpret and apply legislation, rules and operational guidelines, and generally fail to understand the unique and complex needs of some people living with a disability.
Our observations reflect an Agency thwarted by a lack of knowledge and understanding of people with a disability, poor communication practices, inconsistent decision-making and a focus on cost-cutting, the latter being more synonymous with a welfare program rather than a rights-based scheme. At its core, the NDIS is about improving the lives of Australians with disability and this must remain at the forefront of policy reform in this area.
Read our full submission via the links below.