With the news that the Federal Government is expected to announce new appointments to the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) Board by the 1st January 2017, the Australian Federation of Disability Organisations (AFDO) reinstates its call that the Board of the NDIA be more representative and include people with disability and lived experience.
“The government must genuinely engage with people with disability and family organisations, such as AFDO, and our national member organisations, about sourcing suitably qualified applicants for the NDIA Board”, said Mr Ross Joyce, CEO of AFDO
“As a sector, we can readily identify potential Board members to assist in ensuring the perspective and experience of people with disability informs the governance of the scheme”.
“It should not be automatically assumed that people with disability do not have the governance, financial and industry expertise required to fully participate on the Board of the NDIA. It is critical that the Board is representative of the very people it is designed to empower and support, and that is people with disability”, said Mr Joyce.
This call comes on the back of concerns raised by AFDO in 2015 and again in 2016, on the advertisement of positions on the NDIA Board, where experience of disability was omitted as a key selection criteria for nomination.
“AFDO acknowledges the need for the NDIA Board to represent a range of different perspectives, skills and experience. It is critical that the NDIA Board includes qualified and skilled people with disability to administer a scheme that is designed for, and about, people with disability”.
“Having a genuine understanding of what it is like to have a disability is critical to the good governance and operation of the scheme being implemented by the NDIA, which is one of the most important social changes for our country. This experience is not something that can omitted”, said Mr Joyce.
Please direct all media enquiries to AFDO CEO, Mr. Ross Joyce on 0402 842 040
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