National Disability Insurance Scheme
Join us in supporting the ‘Every Australian Counts’ campaign to help people with a disability and their families achieve greater independence.
UnitingCare Community Options (UCCO) has been working closely with the ‘Every Australian Counts’ campaign team to help raise awareness of the need for a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
The scheme could be funded by all taxpayers through general revenue or through a Medicare-type levy. Funding for essential care, support, services, therapy, aids, equipment and training could then be drawn from this consistent pool of funds.
The principal beneficiaries would be those people whose disability has a significant impact on their daily life. Most importantly, the scheme would provide support no matter how that disability was acquired. People born with a disability or who acquire a disability through accident, injury or a result of a medical condition or with a mental illness would all be eligible for assistance.
If introduced, the NDIS would revolutionise the way people with a disability, their families and carers are supported and transform the way services are funded and delivered, ensuring people are better supported and enabling them to have greater choice and control.
In August 2011, the Productivity Commission released a detailed report supporting the introduction of a NDIS, with the Federal Government announcing its ‘in principle’ support soon after. While the report and the Government’s support for the concept are significant steps forward, we all need to keep up the fight until the NDIS in introduced.
You can register your support for the introduction of a NDIS by visiting the Every Australian Counts website and joining the campaign.
