Making
it work
Every Australian Counts
has been holding ‘Make It
Work’ forums on the National
Disability Insurance Scheme
(NDIS) around the country,
giving people with disability,
their families, carers and
people who work in the
sector an opportunity to
share their NDIS experiences
and ideas for improvement.
T
Above: At the Make It Work forum in Geelong at the Eastern Hub are Assistant
Minister for Social Services Sarah Henderson MP, forum panellists Lynne Forman
and Jacqui Pearce, and EAC campaign director Kirsten Deane. Below: Kirsten Deane
addresses a ‘Make It Work’ forum.
he ‘Make It Work’ forums common issues which came up dealing with people with a range of
represent an important regularly. These included the need disabilities,” she said.
opportunity to talk about for simpler, quicker processes.
what’s working, what’s not, and what
“People are finding the NDIS too
“The scheme also needs
consistent, plain language.
needs to change with the NDIS, complex, too hard to navigate and Communication from the NDIA
according to Every Australian Counts there isn’t enough help out there. needs to be simple. Often things that
Campaign Director Kirsten Deane. Lots of people talk about how long participants and their families need to
they have had to wait for vital support, know are lost in bureaucratic jargon.”
“While no-one would have
ever thought the roll out of such a
particularly equipment,” she said.
NDIS plans should go for longer
complex scheme would be easy, we She said many people believe than 12 months, meaning fewer
really think it has been a rockier road National Disability Insurance Agency reviews and less people falling
than it needed to be,” she said. (NDIA) staff need more training through the cracks, Ms Deane said.
“While the scheme is working well
for lots of people, it’s not working well
for everyone. And we think that five
when it comes to disability and
individual needs.
“People are frustrated that
“Everyone agreed at the forums
that yearly reviews are stressful, time-
consuming and expensive. They can
years on (since it was first introduced staff appear to have had limited leave people with gaps in their plans
in 2013), it’s about time it did.” training and even less experience and no support,” she said.
‘Make It Work’ forums have been
“Another major theme of the
held in western Sydney, Cairns, forums has been that people want
Warnambool, Perth, Darwin and the NDIS to focus on outcomes.
north Sydney to name a few, with We need a structure that rewards
attendees including people with innovation and outcomes. To do this,
disabilities, their families, carers, the scheme needs to support people
politicians and people who work in gaining employment and getting
the disability sector. involved in their local communities,
Ms Deane said while all the forums
had been different, there were some
linkonline.com.au
not just getting basic supports.”
www.everyaustraliancounts.com.au
ndis
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