Australia's National Disability Insurance Scheme: Every Australian Counts

Ian C. Langtree - Writer/Editor for Disabled World (DW)
Published: 2011/07/26 - Updated: 2022/02/05
Topic: Australia and New Zealand - Publications List

Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main

Synopsis: Every Australian Counts is the campaign for the introduction of a National Disability Insurance Scheme in Australia. According to the campaign, the NDIS would revolutionize the way people with a disability, their families and carers are supported in Australia.

Introduction

Every Australian Counts is the campaign for the introduction of a National Disability Insurance Scheme. According to the campaign, the NDIS would revolutionize the way people with a disability, their families and carers are supported in Australia. Later this year the Federal Government will decide if they will support a change to the way Australia funds and manages its disability and community care system.

Focus

The Productivity Commission, the Australian Government's independent research and advisory body on issues affecting the welfare of Australians, undertook a public inquiry into a long-term disability care and support scheme and the feasibility of a National Disability Insurance Scheme - the NDIS. At the end of July the Productivity Commission will submit their final report to the Government on the findings of its inquiry.

The Commission released its draft report into disability care and support on 28th February 2011. The report recommended the NDIS as a means of increasing funding, and making the system fairer and more efficient.

Patricia Scott from the Productivity Commission has outlined the findings from the draft report and stated "The key problems the commission has identified with the current arrangements are that they are underfunded, unfair, fragmented and inefficient. We've used the phrase postcode lottery. People's supports vary depending on which side of the border they live on."

The Productivity Commission's final report will go to Government on 31 July, and the Government will respond to their recommendations by the end of the year.

Every Australian Counts is the campaign for the introduction of a National Disability Insurance Scheme. The campaign is supported by an alliance of service providers, carers, advocates, people with disability, their family and friends. The campaign aims to have 100,000 supporters by the end of the year, so every Australian counts. According to the Every Australian Counts campaign, the NDIS will make it easier for people to access essential care, support, therapy, equipment and early intervention and training.

It is estimated that 38,000 community service job vacancies will need to be filled by 2014. Carecareers, as a job site and portal for the disability and community care sector in NSW, will continue to educate their member organizations and users about new developments in the sector and how they will affect employers and employees.

Whether you are new to the sector, searching for a career change, or already employed and looking to connect with the wider community, it is important to be aware of current trends.

The NDIS is one of a number of developments which will have a major effect on the disability and community care sector. We are on the verge of major changes in how people with a disability will be able to access support, and what types of community jobs are available. Those people working day to day in the disability and community care sector see firsthand the strength of people with a disability, their family and carers.

Author Credentials: Ian is an Australian-born writer, editor, and advocate who currently resides in Montreal, Canada. He is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Disabled World, a leading resource for news and information on disability issues. With a global perspective shaped by years of travel and lived experience, Ian is a committed proponent of the Social Model of Disability-a transformative framework developed by disabled activists in the 1970s that emphasizes dismantling societal barriers rather than focusing solely on individual impairments. His work reflects a deep commitment to disability rights, accessibility, and social inclusion. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and accomplishments, visit his full biography.