Michael Sukkar MP

NDIA KEPT IN THE DARK OVER 8 PER CENT CAP

THE HON MICHAEL SUKKAR MP

Shadow Minister for Social Services

Shadow Minister for NDIS

Shadow Minister for Housing

Shadow Minister for Homelessness

MEDIA RELEASE

1 June 2023

NDIA KEPT IN THE DARK OVER 8 PER CENT CAP

Shocking revelations out of Senate Estimates has revealed the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) was not consulted regarding the imposition of the annual National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) growth cap of 8 per cent.

The Government came to the conclusion that the annual growth cap in the total costs was to be no more than 8 per cent by 1 July 2026, without any explanation of how these cuts to the growth of the scheme would be achieved.

The Government claimed the NDIA CEO Rebecca Falkingham PSM and Chair Kurt Fearnley were consulted, yet through questioning we learned the views of the NDIA were not sought ahead of the imposition of the 8 per cent cap.

Under questioning, NDIA CEO Rebecca Falkingham admitted: “We were, however, not consulted on the 8 per cent growth target in advance of what was being proposed for discussion at National Cabinet.”

The Government must now come clean with vulnerable NDIS participants and admit that no consultation took place with the NDIA.

With almost 600,000 participants on the Scheme, Labor needs to explain how the arbitrary 8 per cent cap decision was reached and who will have their NDIS plans cut in order to meet this cap.

The Government must also come clean on whether these cuts will be achieved by denying access to the NDIS to vulnerable children with an autism diagnosis.

Ends