Australia’s largest disability service providers applaud the establishment of a new registration system to benefit NDIS participants.
Image: A support worker and a participant sit together on a bench.
A formal partnership of Australia’s largest disability service providers, the Alliance20, have applauded the announcement by Minister for the NDIS, Mr Bill Shorten, on the establishment of a new NDIS registration system.
The new regulatory system comes after detailed advice from the NDIS Provider and Worker Registration Taskforce that urgent attention was needed to close gaps in the regulation of providers in the NDIS. These gaps have led to a problematic lack of oversight of those responsible for delivering services through the NDIS, and have potentially left people with disability vulnerable to exploitation.
As an immediate response, the Australian Government now requires all platform providers, support coordinators and Supported Independent Living (SIL) providers to be registered to strengthen safeguards for NDIS participants.
“The Taskforce made several recommendations on a new regulatory model that will require co-design with the disability community, including mandatory registration for platform and SIL providers, and support coordinators as our first change,” Minister Shorten said.
Claire Robbs, Life Without Barriers Chief Executive and Alliance 20 Spokesperson, said the sector representing registered providers welcomed the announcement, believing it is a big step forward in ensuring all providers embrace accountability in delivering for people with disability.
“The NDIS is fundamentally about people with disability and the scheme therefore must work for them and be structured in a way to offer protection and assurance of quality of services they choose.” Claire said.
“Safeguarding is a founding principle and necessity of the NDIS and as registered service providers we take our responsibility in safeguarding participants incredibly seriously."
“When the provider community is embracing an announcement of regulation and oversight, then that speaks volumes for the Government in this being a solid step forward for people with disability and the NDIS.”
The new system will tighten regulations for providers and will require all support coordinators, Supported Independent Living and platform providers to be registered as part of the new approach. The Federal Government has also committed to a detailed consultation process with people with disability in designing the new regulatory model.
“We are very pleased to see the Government committing to a codesign process with people with disability as part of todays announcement," Claire said.
“We know the NDIS performs at its best when it recognises the unique and individual choices of people with disability. The best way to ensure ongoing reforms are the strongest they can be, is by ensuring changes are led by people with disability.”
Alliance20 continues to work in partnership with people with disability, government and the sector to strengthen services under the NDIS. The Alliance20 will also continue to engage and support consultation on the NDIS rules, including NDIS Practice Standards for SIL providers.
