The Labor government released a draft list of National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) supports for its “Getting the NDIS Back on Track No 1” bill, part of its amendments to the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013.
But the draft list, which is supposed to provide the framework for improvements to the NDIS, seems more intended to stir headlines attacking the disabled community than clarifying what will, or will not, be funded.
Currently, the NDIS covers “reasonable and necessary supports”. These are supports that are supposed to: relate to the participant’s disability; are not daily living expenses, such as groceries; provide value for money; are likely to be effective, and are not a mainstream support (which is better funded through Medicare or other systems).
This framework allows participants to tailor their own NDIS supports, accounting for the complexity and individuality of those people with disabilities and their support needs.
Many things commonly accessed now through the NDIS will not be under the new framework.
They include: psychology and counselling (in most cases); specialised driving lessons (in most cases); and disability aids such as noise cancelling headphones, and smart watches with fall detection applications.
The Draft List of NDIS Supports shows why a “list” is the wrong tool for NDIS supports, as many supports on the exclusion list are better value for money than items that have been included.
For example, the new list would cover vehicle modifications to accommodate mobility devices, such as wheelchairs, but it would not cover purchasing a second-hand vehicle, already fitted out with appropriate modifications.
The new list would not, for instance, cover trips to the hairdresser, which means NDIS participants who cannot do their own hair need to rely on more expensive support workers.
Disabilities are complex and individual: a good disability support for one person may not be an effective support for another, even someone with the same disability.
Asking the general public for their views — the closing date is August 18 — will is not appropriate feedback.
Instead, the government should commit to codesign and consult with disability advocates and organisations, rather than using the pub “acceptability” test.
Instead of creating a restrictive list, the government should instead focus on detailing its idea of what it considers “reasonable and necessary” supports.
Another worrying aspect is the draft list’s silence on supports for autistic people, especially sensory regulating devices like noise-cancelling headphones. Sensory regulating tools can help neurodivergent people maintain focus, regulate emotions and reduce sensory overload.
The omission of such supports underscores autistic people’s fears that the new bill is laying the ground work to remove them from the NDIS.
[Nova Sobieralski is a disability rights campaigner.]