IAC meeting bulletin, 21-22 May 2024
The Independent Advisory Council (IAC) to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) met in Melbourne on 21-22 May 2024. Members discussed work on their Advice to the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) Board, as well as:
what Members have heard in their community
the IAC’s submission to the NDIS Provider and Worker Registration Taskforce
the IAC’s 2024-25 Work Plan.
The IAC also met with Adjunct Professor Janine Mohamed, the NDIA’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer, First Nations. They discussed the NDIA’s work to improve outcomes for First Nations people with disability.
Ms Leah van Poppel, IAC Principal Member, led the meeting. She welcomed Mr Kurt Fearnley AO, NDIA Board Chair and Dr Peta Seaton AM, NDIA Board Member to the meeting. Representatives from the NDIA’s leadership team also came to the meeting to hear Members’ reports from the community.
What Members have heard in their community
Members highlighted the positive impact of the NDIS on people with disability and the importance of improving it for participants. They also shared that many people in their communities are worried about what might change in the NDIS. Members called for the NDIA to share information with the community in ways that ease their concerns.
Members shared issues with planning. They raised concerns about delays in planning meetings for children and people whose circumstances have changed. They also reported that the NDIS sometimes contacts participants about their plan outside planning meetings. Some participants have told IAC Members that their plan changed after this contact.
Members shared ideas for making some NDIS processes better for participants and easier for providers. They advocated for changes to how the NDIA reviews and pays for supports. They also called for clear and consistent processes for checking in on participants with complex needs.
Members shared that some community organisations who support people with disability are at risk of closing. They advocated for change to help these organisations stay open and continue their important work.
Members also shared that the NDIA sometimes gives different answers to the same question. This can be confusing for participants trying to understand if the NDIS will pay for a support.
Advice on participants who are ageing
The IAC discussed their draft Advice to the Board on participants who are ageing. They talked about premature ageing and the impact of institutions on older people with disability. They also discussed equity and how the NDIS relates to other systems, such as aged care.
Members raised the importance of supporting ageing participants and their families to plan for the future. This includes sharing information on a participant’s right to choose where they get support. Members also highlighted how gender and culture affects someone’s experience of ageing.
NDIS Provider and Worker Registration Taskforce
The IAC met with representatives from the NDIS Provider and Worker Registration Taskforce (Taskforce). They discussed the IAC’s submission to the Taskforce and the Taskforce’s progress on building a risk-proportionate regulatory model. This model will address Recommendation 17 of the NDIS Review.
Members praised the Taskforce’s work to engage with the disability community. They shared that the regulatory model should protect participants without limiting innovation. Members discussed how foundational supports and building a participant’s capacity also help to keep them safe.
2024-25 Work Plan
The IAC discussed their 2024-25 Work Plan, which sets out their priorities and advisory work for the next financial year. It will focus on broad themes instead of specific details, allowing the IAC to respond to change. Members also agreed to prioritise work related to key ideas from the NDIS Review.
Members noted that the NDIA is doing a lot of co-design work to improve the NDIS. The IAC will keep their advisory work separate from this work, to ensure co-design is genuine with the community. They will also try to bring useful ideas from previous Advice to the Board into their current advisory work.
More information on the IAC
The IAC will next meet on 3-4 July 2024. Find out more about IAC meetings and bulletins at the IAC website. The IAC publishes an Easy Read version of this bulletin. This is part of its commitment to accessibility.
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