In September 2017, Disabled People’s Organisations Australia (DPO Australia) provided a brief submission to the Senate Economics Legislation Committee’s inquiry into the Medicare Levy Amendment (National Disability Insurance Scheme Funding) Bill 2017 (the Bill) and 10 related bills [provisions] expressing support for an increase in the Medicare Levy to fund the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
The package of bills amends the Medicare Levy Act 1986 (Cth) and related legislation to increase the Medicare levy from 2 per cent to 2.5 per cent of a person’s taxable income.
DPO Australia supports the role of the Medicare Levy in funding the NDIS. The Medicare Levy is a permanent element of our tax system, where everyone contributes to the cost of essential universal services according to their capacity to pay. The Medicare Levy increases the revenue base into the future and provides a high level of certainty that essential, universal services are available when they are needed.
In the submission, DPO Australia acknowledged the proposals put forward by the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) in its submission to this inquiry. These principles and proposals aim to strengthen the structure of the Medicare Levy to raise revenue over the long term in a fair and equitable way.
Download the full submission: