The Albanese Government is ensuring the ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is fairer, easier to navigate and person-centred with fresh investments in planning for all participants and commencing design work towards a new early intervention pathway for children under 9.
This includes:
- the Government will deliver support needs assessments, so people with disability and their families do not need to pay
- part of the funding will go to a dedicated, multi-disciplinary workforce to deliver support needs assessment in the future, which will work with participants to understand their support needs and identify the right tool/s
- funding for consultation and design towards a new early intervention pathway for children under 9
As part of the 2024-25 Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO), $1 billion in funding has been allocated to improve the experience of NDIS participants, protect scheme sustainability and ensure it is here for future generations of Australians.
The announcement includes $280m in funding for 2025-26 to for the ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) to move towards the independent NDIS Review’s vision of a person-centred and consistent approach to determining NDIS budgets.
Importantly, while this new workforce is created, there is no immediate change for participants, their families, or the wider sector and community.
A further $4.5 million over two years from 2025-26 will allow the NDIA to design and consult on an early intervention pathway in the NDIS to better support children under 9 years old with developmental delay or disability. This was also recommended by the NDIS Review and has been crucially missing since the Scheme was first established.
The 2024-25 MYEFO funding will support the implementation of the reforms and key recommendations from the independent Review and enabled by the ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Getting the NDIS Back on Track No.1) Act 2024.
Minister for the NDIS and Government Services the Hon. Bill Shorten MP said the change to Government-funded support needs assessments for people with disability and their families was enormous.
“One of the most important things heard as part of the NDIS Review – and in my time as NDIS Minister – has been the need to stop people with disability paying for expensive 80-page reports which are not able to be implemented,” Minister Shorten said.
“This new workforce of dedicated support needs assessors will put participants’ needs at the centre and improve the NDIS experience for people with disability.
“On the flipside, this will also free up allied health and medical professionals time to deliver supports – putting downward pressure on waiting times across the country over the next 5 years for allied health professionals, who have a crucial role in the Scheme.
“This next step in reform will improve planning through a whole-of-person approach and improve participants’ safety.
“The funding for the early intervention pathway design is also significant as it puts children at its heart and will ensure they are getting the right support from the get go.
“This is Labor’s commitment to put the participants back in the centre of the scheme and for the NDIS to be restored back to its original intent, which will ensure its sustainability that will make it available for future generations of Australians.
“The Government is also investing to improve the quality and safety of the supports participants receive, and to further safeguard the integrity of the NDIS.
“At each step of the way to reform, the Government remains committed to engaging and consulting with people with disability, and their families and carers.”
The MYEFO funding package includes:
- $503.5 million to the NDIA to continue to support current NDIS participants, with this funding to ensure that NDIS have the capacity and capability to ensure quality and timely decision making.
- $280.0 million for the NDIA to begin implementation of a new planning framework
- $143.9 million to NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission to continue core functions
- $110.4 million to boost fraud detecting information technology systems
- $4.5 million for the design and consultation of an early intervention pathway
