Australia's National Disability Insurance Scheme in 2020-21

"We have been bullied, berated, intimidated and lied to. We feel diminished and dehumanised." #NDIS participant Verity says "I would rather be dead than deal with more of this" #auspol @SBSNews pic.twitter.com/jPzx8Ec16Y

— Brett Mason (@BrettMasonNews) November 21, 2019

In December 2019 the Morrison Coalition Government was handed the Review of the NDIS Act report.

This report was published and reported on in January 2020 and the Morrison Government released its formal response in August 2020.

Concerns about details in the Morrison Government's response and other statements by the department and minister responsible led the parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme to issue this media release on 16 December 2020:

COMMITTEE LAUNCHES INQUIRY INTO INDEPENDENT ASSESSMENTS

The Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) will conduct an inquiry into independent assessments under the NDIS. 

An independent assessment is an assessment of a person’s functional capacity, which will be used to inform decisions about eligibility for the NDIS and about funding in a participant’s plan. 

The National Disability Insurance Agency proposes to introduce independent assessments as part of the NDIS access and planning processes in 2021. 

“Through its other inquiries, the committee has heard that many stakeholders—particularly in the disability and allied health sectors—have strong concerns about the independent assessments process, and about how assessments will be used to inform access and planning decisions,” Committee Chair, the Hon Kevin Andrews said. 

The inquiry will have a particular focus on: 

• the rationale for introducing independent assessments into the NDIS, and the evidence to support this decision; 

• the assessment process and its impacts; 

• the implications of independent assessments for NDIS access and planning decisions; and 

• the appropriateness of independent assessments for particular cohorts of people with disability. 

The committee is particularly interested in hearing from people with disability, families and carers; allied health professionals; and representative organisations. 

Full terms of reference for the inquiry are published on the committee’s website. 

The closing date for submissions to the inquiry is 31 March 2021.

Terms of reference and guide to making a submission can be found at:

https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Joint/National_Disability_Insurance_Scheme/IndependentAssessments