Commission urges Government to halt NDIS Bill
The Australian Human Rights Commission has called on the Australian Government to halt its NDIS Amendment Bill until major human rights concerns are addressed.
The National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment Bill is under review by the Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs.
Under the Bill, eligibility would tighten to reduce participant numbers, and funding for social and community participation would be cut.
The Commission described the proposal as the biggest ever cuts to the NDIS.
Commission President Hugh de Kretser and 7 commissioners jointly urged the Government to slow the reforms and take what they called a more considered approach.
According to the Commission, the NDIS needs reform to address fraud, market failures and long-term sustainability.
Rosemary Kayess on NDIS cuts
Disability Discrimination Commissioner Rosemary Kayess said the scheme had transformed lives, from helping young adults live independently to supporting families of children with disability.
Kayess warned the Government was dismissing concerns that the changes could erode support for hundreds of thousands of people with disability across Australia.
She also raised concerns about the process, including the lack of a formal Government response to the NDIS Review.
People with disability have not had meaningful involvement in designing the proposed reforms, the Commission argued.
The submission also points to sweeping ministerial powers, fewer avenues for accountability and automated decision-making without a legislative framework.
That criticism refers to the Robodebt Royal Commission, which recommended a clear legal framework for automated decisions.
Kayess said, “My colleagues and I have some very serious reservations about the process the government has taken to arrive at this point.”
The Commission also warned that cuts to social and community participation could shift demand onto hospitals and schools, which are already under strain.
In addition, Kayess said there had still been no gender impact analysis on how the reforms would affect women, men and people of diverse gender.
State and territory disability ministers are also calling for a slower timetable so alternatives can be developed for people who may lose access to the NDIS.
Meanwhile, Parliament’s human rights committee has already raised concerns that the Bill could interfere with rights including equality, health, privacy, social security and an adequate standard of living.
The Australian Human Rights Commission has lodged a submission to the Senate inquiry on the Bill.
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