To cement the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) as a universal system for all Australians, sufficient and sustainable funding must be secured now, while there is strong bipartisan commitment.
The NDIS must not become a ‘political football’.
The NDIS is a long over-due system for providing individualised funding for support services for people with disability in Australia.
The NDIS is recognised as an essential piece of Australia’s social infrastructure. At some time in our lives, we, or someone close to us will access services provided under this system.
The NDIS is our newest and most innovative social policy reform.
A strong, well-funded NDIS will be of benefit across our community, as people with disability are better supported to fully participate economically and socially.
It makes sense that the costs of the NDIS are shared by everyone, according to our ability to pay.
The NDIS is not part of the social security system. We do not support raising revenue for the NDIS by shifting funding from social security or other human services. The community rightly rejects this option as inequitable.
The best and fairest way to fund the NDIS is through the tax system.
We welcome the major parties’ support for an increase to the Medicare Levy for the purpose of funding the NDIS through the tax system. The Levy is one component of a sustainable funding base that will secure the NDIS in the coming decades.
The Budget session of Parliament is almost finished. We call on Parliament, when it resumes, to secure funding for the NDIS based on the following principles:
- The NDIS must be available to all eligible people;
- Everyone should contribute to funding this universal system according to their ability to do so;
- Through a progressive tax system where people with higher incomes contribute a higher share of their income, and the ability for people to avoid contributing their fair share is restricted.
A Joint Statement by Disabled People’s Organisations Australia, Australian Federation of Disability Organisations, and the Australian Council of Social Service