20 December 2017

Perth’s south east set to join the nationally-delivered NDIS

People living with disability in Perth’s south east can be confident they will receive the services and support they need through the National Disability Insurance Scheme following Western Australia’s decision to join the national scheme.

Senator Reynolds said she was delighted residents in the City of Armadale would be transferred to the NDIS next year, with the remainder of Perth’s south east set to be included from 2019.

“The agreement between the Australian and Western Australian Governments means that people with disability will have access to a truly national scheme, regardless of where they live,” Senator Reynolds said.

“The NDIS provides a lifetime approach to supporting people with disability, providing peace of mind for participants, their families and carers. From July 1 next year, the National Disability Insurance Agency NDIA) will assume responsibility for the delivery of the NDIS in Western Australia and will continue the roll out on a geographical basis until it is fully implemented by July 2020.

“People who are already taking part in the WA NDIS, such as those living in the City of Armadale, will transfer to the nationally delivered scheme in a phased approach between April and December 2018. The federal and state governments will work closely with the NDIA to implement the transition.”

Senator Reynolds said the NDIS roll-out in the cities of Canning and Gosnells would commence by 1 July 2019.

“The thousands of expected NDIS participants in Perth’s south east can be assured of quality services and appropriate safeguards, with legislation to establish the NDIS Quality Safeguards Commission recently passing through parliament,” she said.

“The NDIS quality and Safeguards Commission will play a crucial role on behalf of NDIS participants as an overseer of the quality and safety of services and supports that are accessing through the NDIS.

“The Commission will also regulate NDIS providers, investigate and determine complaints, and uphold the rights of people living with disability. It will ensure a nationally consistent regulatory framework for providers, regardless of how many states or territories they operate in, and provide nationally consistent protections for NDIS participants no matter where they live in Australia.”

Senator Reynolds said the Commission will be established in early 2018 and will assume its responsibilities as the NDIS reaches full scheme across Australia.

“There can be no doubt about the transformative and life-changing impact of the NDIS. There are more than 120,000 participants nationally in the scheme so far, with an estimated 460,000 participants expected when the NDIS is fully rolled out, including 3,763 participants in the federal electorate of Burt.

Media Contact: Amy Blom 08 9477 5411, 0431 685 372 or amy.blom@aph.gov.au