NDIS no longer an election issue

With the Disability Care Australian legislation funded by a 0..5% increase in the medicare level being introduced to Federal Parliament last night by Prime Minister Julia Gilard, the NDIS is no longer an election issue.  Its introduction is supported by both sides of politics and passed through the lower house unopposed.

A truly historical moment as a piece of legislation that started as a grass roots campaign through years of discussion with people with disabilities, their families and the people who work with them on a day to day bases.  A model of care giving people a greater say in how they wanted to be supported was developed and refined. It then underwent a parliamentary inquiry when people with disabilities and family members spoke directly to the inquiry to express their needs and frustrations.       

Currently people with disability live under a cloud of uncertainty. Even those who are currently receiving so funding to meet their support needs, years of political ping-pong leave them unsure of the future.  Many families feel trapped and isolated as funding is tied to an geographical reason and if a family member is transferred due to employment the family is forced to chose between looking for another job or giving up their current support networks with the very real risk there will be no support in the new locations.

These are conditions in the lives of those will disabilities and there families live with.  Conditions that other Australians could not possibility relate too.  Those fortunate to receive sure support are literally bound to an geographically area. 

Older careers with sons and daughters needing 24 hour care live in fear, 'what happens to my child when I die?'  The future has looked bleak for a very long time.  Its a society that has allowed people with very high needs live in nursing homes, while others have only received a shower once a week. A system liked to a lottery by some and justly unfair for others.  

Disability Care Australia is not a change in funding agreements between states and federal governments as a change in funding arrangements could not deliver the kinds of changes that people with disabilities and their families have demanded, campaigned and fought for over the last 5 years. 

I know in my home state of Queensland the Department of Disability Services was built of a fundamental flaw. If is a prehistoric system design in the 1970's to support ex residents of the state institutions to living in the community. In the main these were people thought to have high support physically and intellectual needs and under the care of the adult guardian and public trust.  Today about 46, 000 people with high support needs are supported by the Queensland government.

In recognizing his this original historical group supported by Disability Services Queensland has significant changed since the 1970's a total restructured to better reflect not only today's population but well into the future.  For the first time we will have a structure of disability care for future instead of applying band aids to gaping wounds. 

Disability Care Australia does more than provide hope to people with disabilities and than families. It is the first time that Australia has legislated to meet the basic Human Rights of Australians with disabilities. 

The right to not just enjoy a shower everyday, but a shower everyday at a time and a place of their choice the right to shower after playing sport, not before because that fits in with the staff at the service.  

The service provision model will move for meeting needs to assisting in obtaining goals over the next five years.  It a system designed to end isolation and allow full participation in community life, when, where and how people chose that occurs.  That choice needs to be made on an individual bases, what I choose will look very different to Mary living in Port Linkin South Australia and yet if I chose to move to Lizmore New South Wales  my care package for the first time will remain unchanged.

This is not just a funding reformed that can be changed in September when the opposition  is predicted to take power.  This is about to become law to begin to see social change from July 1 this year.  It is the one budget announcement that will be unchanged by a change in government.  I surspect if Labor wanting a budget to by votes the budget wouldn't of failed to deliver on promise are the promise. Delaying tax cuts is not a typical voting buying budget.  For once the right thing was done for all the right reasons. 

During the progress of writing this post the Disability Care Australia legislation was passed in the Senate.  The NDIS finally nailed in and there's no turning back. The introduction of the NDIS is no longer an election issues.  

Care Connect is an organization that prepares to

deliver support to individuals and families 

living with disability under 

Disability Care Australia.