NDIS planning report tabled
The Parliamentary Joint Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme today tabled its interim report on NDIS Planning.
The unanimous report examines a number of issues associated with NDIS planning process, with a particular focus on draft plans and joint planning. It makes 14 recommendations to improve the operation of the planning process and the NDIS more generally.
“The committee is concerned that a number of issues outlined in the interim report have been raised in previous inquiries,” Committee Chair, The Hon Kevin Andrews said.
“Despite repeated calls from participants, their representatives and other stakeholders, participants still cannot review costed draft plans before they are finalised and cannot always meet with officials responsible for approving their plan.”
Mr Andrews emphasised that NDIS participants should be provided with a draft plan prior to their planning meeting, and have the opportunity to make changes to the plan before it is finalised.
The committee acknowledges that the NDIA and government have progressed work to improve the planning process, and notes that this work has gone some way to addressing issues raised during the inquiry. However, the there is still considerable work to be done to ensure that the planning process, and the NDIS more generally, is able to realise its full potential.
Evidence presented to the committee throughout the inquiry also indicates that more time is required to fully consider issues associated with the planning process. More time is also required to consider the impact of the government initiatives to improve the NDIA.
The committee will give further consideration to issues associated with the planning process in the coming months, including holding additional public hearings, and proposes to present a final report to the Parliament in 2020.
The committee thanks all who participated in the inquiry by lodging submissions, giving testimony or expressing their views through correspondence.
The interim report is available on the committee’s website:
