NDIS Changes

They could cut so many dollars if they allowed participants to purchase items from standard stores instead of specialized medical providers.

my brother receives ndis funding for his many disabilities, as well as going through terminal cancer treatment. He lives on his own and has to fight tooth and nail to get just the basic supports.

@Bow I know what you mean. Although in my ndis plan I have $2,000 for equipment but the only thing I'm allowed to purchase is a noise canceling headset which is the usual $400 or $500. I've checked with my plan manager and support coordinator. There is nothing else I can get that I need for that $2,000 including fidget objects to help me de-stress which has been proven by science and waited objects to such as weighted blankets because of some kid suffocating in Canada years ago. And they talk about providing supports based on science. It's laughable. Hopefully they fix this up and allow for practical supports. That'll help me in everyday life so that I can live a normal life. For now the things not approved I save up with my small finds from DSP and allowed earning limit from odd things I can do. But there is priorities such as car, food and everything that's going up in price. So I don't know where where I'm going to be able to get those things that I not approved. And then I hear people are wasting money on fake cleaning outings to ndis clients and prostitution through support work and Forest retreats and all kinds of things that are not approved. So I have mixed feelings about the changes. Maybe some of it will be good to rule out incorrect use, especially by self-managed plans. The digital checks and balances verification payment system. Maybe wasn't that possible in the past because of the capacity required, but with the latest AI solutions and faster programming output, I think they're projecting in the next two years to be able to do those things with the necessary accuracy in my opinion. But at the same time, I hope that this arbitrary system doesn't further cut supports that I really benefit from. I'm just going to stop thinking about it as my autism brain is going on overdrive.

@Cuddlebear regarding clients: I checked with online statistical data and there is approximately 130000 to 200000 (Might not be accurate estimates) autistic kids on stage 1 in ndis. If im understanding this correctly. Thats what roughly they've said they will take off the system until Thriving Kids. It's the first cohort that they will be targeting. Might not be accurate estimates. Its all uncertain.

Hey @Cuddlebear ,

Thanks for sharing. What do you mean by NDIS prices are "obscene"? Are they super excessive?

So how to people fight for things to improve? Who do you speak to? Who do you refer to? What can people do? @megamike @Bow @Dimity @Cuddlebear @dogman?

@tyme Hello lovely such a good question. There’s going to be an online community meeting. We’re putting together a website too for those who would like to help with the campaign. 12 days of activism are planned. The website will help people get involved.

There’s lobbying going on behind the scenes try and stop the cuts to PWD. We’re currently also reaching out to organisations that will support our campaign.

Once I have links I’ll post them up under a new NDIS thread.

At the moment People can:

* Contact their local Federal MP by email and tell them that they don’t want the cuts to PWD on NDIS. That people with disabilities have not been consulted and the NDIS legislation says we must be consulted and listened to. That this is an attack on Peoplw with disabilities and not the fraud providers.

Supporting getting provider rorts all in check is all good.

It’s the direct cuts to PWD, using AI to decide if someone can stay on the scheme, what funding they will have is just not on. It is a completely dangerous way to decide functional capacity. It doesn’t work and has been shown by scientific evidence not to work.

They also want to cut off our legal right to appeal and have humans making access and funding decisions.

They won’t allow us to provide our own scientific ie occupation therapist reports re functional capacity. These are professionals who assess us face to face and see us in our homes and in public and how we function and what we can and can’t do. A computer AI cannot do that and will get it deadly wrong.

We need our Community and social support funding and no across the board cuts to that.

Booting 160,000 off the NDIS who prove every year they have significant and permanent disabilities is discrimination. We have already proved we are eligible. Year in year out. It’s a complete waste of money making us do this over and over. To even get on NDIS you need to have permanent and significant disabilities.

Get rid of NDIS price guide and ensure we pay the same for services like able bodied. The Government makes the price guide.

The States and Territories will not fund the gaps and that is the reality of the matter.

Job cuts will happen rising unemployment and affecting our economy.

for every $1 we spend on NDIS $2.46 is returned back into the economy.

People with autism and psychosocial disabilities will be a big target and that’s not ok.

Government can charge overseas gas exporting multinationals 25% for our gas which will raise $17-$18 billion a year. This will fund the NDIS with around $2 billion a year left over for other public services.

AUKUS is a complete waste of money $368 billion for submarines that are old and likely never will arrive.

Bear in mind that there’s 5.5 million people with disabilities in Australia. There’s 770,000 NDIS participants which makes up 14% of the entire people with disabilities population. It is extremely hard to access NDIS. The vast majority of people with disabilities are not on NDIS.

The government have blood on their hands many people are dying

We are being treated like lame horses put down because it's too expensive to treat

NDIS was a life saver originally

Shonky providers wrecked it for everyone

Most of the money is going to public servants and external solicitors

It needs an independent audit

Thank you @Cuddlebear for all the information. I will look into it. This is all very close to home and I can see the impact it will have on many.

If there is any new info, feel free to post it here and tag me in.