Source: ABC
Prime Minister Julia Gillard has introduced into Parliament legislation establishing the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
The bill sets out the structure and eligibility criteria for the scheme and will be voted on early next year.
Ms Gillard says she believes the scheme will be the greatest change to Australian social policy in a generation.
“The scheme to be established by this bill will transform the lives of people with disability, their families and carers,” she said.
“For the first time they will have their needs met in a way that truly supports them to live with choice and dignity.”
Labor has announced $1 billion to establish the scheme, but long-term funding still remains unclear.
Proposed by the productivity commission, the NDIS aims to shift funding for disability away from a welfare to one based on social insurance, to which all taxpayers contribute.
Instead funding of being allocated to service providers, individuals will instead be given direct access to funding, which they can then administer either directly or through brokers.
The focus of the scheme will be on early intervention, building on the concept that significant initial financial outlay can offset greater costs incurred if problems are left untreated.
The scheme aims to cover 360,000 people with a profound or severe disability, with a separate National Injury Insurance scheme to cover people who suffer a catastrophic injury.
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