Media Release: Future direction and new protections for people with disability

Published 4th December 2013

Media Release sent out by FACS on 03/12/2013

As part of the International Day of People with Disability, Minister for Disability Services, John Ajaka, today announced further reforms and new protections for people with disability in NSW leading up to the full implementation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) in 2018.

“Over the past few years the Government has been working tirelessly with those in the disability services sector to make sure that our state is in the best position to transition to the NDIS,” Mr Ajaka said.

“Today, I am announcing our Ready Together policy, which paves the way for 47,000 more people with disability to get access to individualised funding.

“This policy reaffirms our State’s $2 billion commitment to transition to an individual model of support and will mean that more people will exercise choice and control of the services and supports they use, without having to wait for the full transition to the NDIS.

“I am also announcing that my agency will begin consultations on new state disability legislation as part of Ready Together in early 2014.

“The draft Disability Inclusion Bill has been developed to clarify the immediate and longer term role of the NSW Government under the NDIS and will provide greater protections for people with disability.

“It will provide for appropriate safeguards and mechanisms which promote the inclusion
of people with disability in the NSW community.

The Ready Together package is a continuation of Stronger Together and the Stronger Together 2 reforms which started in 2006.

The work has been developed based on the feedback of more than 4,000 people with disability, their families, carers and support providers during the Living Life My Way consultations.

For more details about Ready Together visit www.adhc.nsw.gov.au .
 
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Ready Together will:

•    direct Stronger Together 2 investment towards increasing the number of individualised arrangements, and individualised funding for anyone who wants it

•    create a single and cohesive service system based at the heart of the communities in which people live

•    establish a robust foundation for community inclusion and safeguards for people with disability in the lead up to the NDIS and beyond

•    rollout the innovative Ability Links NSW model of local support co-ordination

•    provide My Choice Matters – a fund to help people with disability build their personal skills

•    invest in support at significant life stages such as early childhood, education, transition to school, finding a job and living independently.