Since the last election, the Morrison-McCormack Government has implemented a number of changes to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) to ensure high standards of quality and care are given to NDIS participants.

Federal Member for Cowper Pat Conaghan made a speech in the House of Representatives in Parliament this week to advocate for greater compliance of unregistered NDIS service providers and to encourage NDIS participants to report any concerns they may have to the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.

“I thank Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme Stuart Robert for leading the considerable work that has been done on the NDIS, including organising an independent review into the legislation underpinning the NDIS,” he said.

“This review affirmed that while many participants had had excellent experiences and are benefitting from the scheme, there is still a great deal of work to do to ensure it delivers on the promise of the NDIS.

“I have also had concerns with the quality and accountability of some unregistered NDIS service providers, due to experiences shared with me by constituents who are also NDIS participants.

“And I say to unregistered NDIS service providers, you have been put on notice as the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission will stringently review all complaints referred to it.”

Since it started operating on 1 July 2018, the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission has taken compliance and enforcement action in response to breaches of the NDIS code of conduct by more than 15 people and providers, including five who were not registered and were providing NDIS support and services to self-managing NDIS participants.

The NDIS Commission has also received and responded to complaints from NDIS participants about unregistered providers. The NDIS Commission can deploy all of its compliance and enforcement powers, as required, in response to complaints about unregistered providers.

NDIS participants and their families can contact the independent Commission on 1800 035 544 or they can make a complaint online at www.ndiscommission.gov.au/about/complaints

Other actions the Coalition Government is undertaking to make the NDIS better are getting the foundations for a new Participant Service Guarantee. During the 2019 Federal Election, the government promised to develop and legislate an NDIS Participant Service Guarantee to improve participant experiences with the NDIS.

The Guarantee will set new standards for the time it takes for key steps in the NDIS process. This means there will be shorter, agreed timeframes for people to get their access decision, to have their NDIS plan approved and to have their plan reviewed.

The independent review into the legislation underpinning the NDIS was prepared by independent reviewer David Tune AO PSM and is publicly available from the Department of Social Services website.

As of December 31 there were 338,982 Australians benefitting from the NDIS, receiving services such as support to carry out daily personal activities, develop daily living and life skills or support to gain employment or access social activities.