Call for more disability support

A SINGLE mother with multiple sclerosis caring for an autistic son thinks there needs to be more support from the State Government for Federal legislation.
The Federal Government last week introduced legislation into Parliament to establish the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
It invested $1 billion in the first stage of the NDIS which starts from the middle of next year for thousands of people with disibilities in five locations across the country.
La Trobe MP Laura Smyth said the legislation would give eligible people with a disability the right to realise their potential and to have greater choice and control over the decisions that affect their lives.
The NDIS will be trialled in five sites across Australia, including the Barwon region in Victoria, starting in in July next year.
Following the completion of these trials, the Commonwealth Government aims to introduce a full NDIS scheme from 2018.
Berwick resident Shelly Vanderwert, 44, applauded the move by the Federal Government but said the trials should be available throughout all of Victoria.
“I think the Victorian Government is pussy footing around and doesn’t want to support it fully,” she said.
“I don’t think we will see it come into full force in my lifetime.”
Ms Vanderwert recently had to pay thousands of dollars towards her wheelchair and said the NDIS would relieve a lot of financial strain and mental stress.
She also said if the State Government supported NDIS, it would also help her son receive important care such as speech therapy, occupational therapy and a private psychologist.
“It would just make living generally easier,” she said.
Ms Smyth said there was more work to do in Victoria to secure the full roll out of the NDIS, and she encouraged state Liberal MPs to make it a priority.
Ms Smyth said NSW made a full commitment which included an allocation of funding to the scheme and she hoped Victoria also committed to a funding agreement so it can begin the process of delivering the benefits to the more than 100,000 people across the state with disability as well as their families and carers.
“We saw that last week the NSW Government showed what can happen when state governments are serious about this.
“They came to the table ready to talk full scheme, and the Federal Government now agreed to roll out the NDIS across that state by July 2018,” Ms Smyth said.
“It’s up to Ted Baillieu and the Liberals in Victoria to show that same commitment.
“The Federal Government has set the benchmark for roll out of the full scheme and we’ve shown we’re already at the table – the Victorian Government needs to come to the table.”
A State Government spokesperson said the government allocated more the $1.4 billion in this year’s State Budget to support people with disability and would work towards a sustainable full NDIS scheme.
Under the scheme, people with disability will work with local people with their families and carers to identify their plans and goals, be assessed for individualised care and support packages; be assisted by local co-ordinators to help manage and deliver their support; and access a system they can easily navigate and will link them to mainstream and community services.