Over the past six months AFDO has continued to be involved in the push for a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) through the National Disability and Carers Alliance, which comprises AFDO, Carers Australia and National Disability Services.

In late November 2009, the Alliance had its first taste of success with the Rudd government announcing a Productivity Commission Inquiry into a Lifelong Care and Support Scheme. The Inquiry will begin early in 2010 and will report its findings by July 2011. You can find out more about the inquiry and register for information updates by clicking here.

While AFDO welcomes the inquiry, we would like to see:

1. More than one person with disability represented on the steering committee for the inquiry, and

2. Discussion of ways to meet the needs of all people with disability, not just those with severe or profound disability. A system based on severity of disability will only encourage people with ‘less severe’ disability to exaggerate their condition in order to get what they genuinely need. This would be both demeaning, because it would encourage people with disability to speak negatively about their needs, and counterproductive, because a number of those meant to be excluded would get access to the system anyway.

AFDO is especially keen to see the Inquiry recommend a Disability Inclusion Allowance which would give people with disability the choice of direct control over funding for their services. To achieve this goal, AFDO has developed a Disability Inclusion Allowance campaign plan to be implemented over the next two years. We will make more information available through the newsletter and on the AFDO website as the campaign begins unfolding during 2010.