The Productivity Commission (PC) has declared a need for a new National Disability Agreement (NDA) between all Australian Governments to promote cooperation, enhance accountability and clarify roles and responsibilities.
Productivity Commissioner Robert Fitzgerald (pictured) made the call saying a new agreement would help improve the wellbeing of people with disability, particularly those not covered by the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), as well as their families and carers.
“With so much focus on the NDIS, limited attention has been placed on achieving better outcomes for the many people with disability who are not supported through the NDIS,” Commissioner Fitzgerald said.
“There are about 3.8 million people with disability in Australia who are not supported by the NDIS.
“Most people with disabilities are not and never will be covered by the NDIS yet their rights, needs and aspirations matter.”
He said the PC had identified that the disability policy landscape had changed dramatically since the current agreement began a decade ago and much of what was in the NDA was now outdated and irrelevant.
“In particular, the current agreement does not reflect the implementation of the NDIS or the National Disability Strategy and there has been very little progress in meeting previously agreed goals,” Commissioner Fitzgerald said.
“We have identified key gaps in the areas of advocacy services, support for carers, and support for people with disabilities arising from mental health conditions, as well as access to community and inclusion programs.”
He said a new, reinvigorated NDA could be a strong positive force to guide future disability policy, to promote better access to mainstream and disability services and to improve outcomes for people with disability.
Minister for Families and Social Services, Paul Fletcher said the Government would work with all Governments, people with disability and the disability sector to consider the findings and recommendations of the PC report as a new strategy was developed.
The Commission’s 215-page report can be accessed at this PS News link.
