Funding to the tune of almost $1 billion dollars to reform the NDIS were announced in the 2023-24 Budget. A commitment of $910 million over four years is aimed at refining the NDIS that includes $732.9 million calculated to improve the effectiveness and sustainability of the scheme.
The range of initiatives covers improved management, with assistance from the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), intended to hold plan managers, support coordinators and providers to account; greater flexibility and transparency when it comes to life events; more help to assist with independent living decisions; increased take up of evidence-based supports, and measures to prevent fraud.
National Cabinet has also committed to a NDIS Financial Sustainability Framework that will provide an annual growth target of total NDIS costs of no more than eight per cent by July 1, 2026, with further moderation of growth as the scheme matures.
Other Budget funding measures will support the Quality and Safeguards Commission’s job of keeping participants safe; a Leave Grant to help stop the spread of Covid-19 to vulnerable Australians and support disability workers; enlisting the Department of Social Services to strengthen the government’s monitoring of the NDIS, and assistance to reduce the number of people under 65 living in residential aged care.
NDIS Minister Bill Shorten said the Budget initiatives “are paving the way for a better NDIS for people with disability today and those who may need the NDIS in the future”.