The ASU has been very concerned by reports in the media over the last week about the Federal Government missing a 31 August deadline to sign off on NDIS enabling agreements across the country. On Friday the media also reported that all NDIS Board positions were advertised that day, nine months before they come up for review. The ASU has never felt confident in the Coalition's commitment to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) but we, as a key stakeholder representing thousands of the workers who will deliver the NDIS, continue to work with all sectors in trying to make the NDIS the best it can be.
Whether the missed deadline at the end of August or the Board advertisements on Friday are true indicators of Tony Abbott's lack of commitment to the NDIS or not, these missteps cause great concern in the sector from the 460,000 people with disabilities and their advocates to all the service providers who must and will coordinate together to make the NDIS work. Creating jitters is counterproductive in the face of introducing such a challenging policy initiative that will be life changing for so many.
The sector has no option but to wait and see if Minister Mitch Fifield's assurances last week that the delay in signing the agreements and advertising all the Board positions so far in advance are not signs of a lack of commitment from his Government in the NDIS.
The ASU continues to work hard to help deliver the NDIS. The Union held a Summit last week to discuss how the campaign to make the NDIS the best it can be is best progressed. More news will be released shortly.
More information
NDIS full rollout plan still underway, SBS Online News, 31 August 2015
'Midnight ambush': NDIS board members discover they are being dumped via ad, Sydney Morning Herald, 4 September 2015
Abbott revamp of NDIS board 'mean' and 'a bit stupid', says Bill Shorten, The Guardian, 4 September 2015