The Government response to our Disability Royal Commission was releasedlast week and we share the disappointment in our community.
Every Australian Counts (EAC) strongly supports the joint media releasefrom Disability Representative Organisations regarding the government’s inadequate response to the Disability Royal Commission’s findings – read more here.
The acceptance of only 13 out of 222 recommendations after nine months is deeply disappointing. We urgently call on all levels of government to provide clear timelines as soon as possible for implementing all accepted recommendations and to establish a Disability Reform Implementation Council to ensure people with disability lead the changes that affect their lives.
Immediate and effective action is imperative to address the systemic violence, abuse, neglect, and exploitation faced by people with disability.

Join us for the Face-to-Face with Senators: Every Australian Counts NDIS Bill Community Forum

We are pleased to invite you to our next online community forum on the NDIS Bill. At this online community forum facilitated by Dr. George Taleporos, theIndependent Chair of EAC, you will have the opportunity to:

• get an update on the latest news on the NDIS Bill.
• learn about the latest Senate report on the Bill and what it might meanfor the future of the NDIS.
• Share your views and concerns about the bill and discuss what should happen next.

Event Details

• Date: Saturday 10 August
• Time: 12 noon – 1:30pm AEST
• Location: Online via Zoom
• Register: https://events.humanitix.com/face-to-face-with-the-senators-every-australian-counts-legislation-update

EAC Calls for Further Amendments to the NDIS Bill

Recently, EAC appeared for the second time at a Senate hearing to raise our community’s concerns with the NDIS Bill. Our team highlighted the need for significant amendments.
Read more about our appearance here: https://everyaustraliancounts.com.au/eac-advocates-for-stronger-ndis-protections-at-parliamentary-hearing/

Disability Discrimination Commissioner raises concerns with the NDIS Bill

Australia’s Disability Discrimination Commissioner raised concerns with the NDIS Bill and the NDIS Review when meeting with Independent chair of Every Australian Counts, Dr George Taleporos for his latest podcast. When speaking about the Bill she said, “it diminishes the central theme of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability about individual choice and control, personal autonomy, participation and inclusion.”
The Commissioner went on to say, “There was very little info in the Bill about the rules or regulations that would support the Bill, and how it would be applied. And that gets to individual circumstances, so how is it going to operate? Okay, the Bill might say this, but how’s it actually going to be applied? And so normally you would get much more understanding around the rules and regulations when a Bill comes before parliament.”
Regarding the NDIS Review, the Commissioner said, “I mean one of the big concerns with the NDIS Review is some of the recommendations around the provision of services and there looks to be the potential for the imposition of blanket rules on people with disability that takes away their individual choice”.
Check out the full interview by clicking the Youtube video here: https://youtu.be/Q52aiHi6id0?si=I2NTEDyMWtZL21rp

Have your say on what should and should not be funded by the NDIS

Minister Bill Shorten has announced a public consultation on defining NDIS Supports. Draft lists of NDIS Supports, developed with input from States,Territories, and disability advocacy groups, are now available for review.
These lists are being developed by the Minister with the assumption that theNDIS Bill will be accepted by the Senate. Section 10 of the Bill gives the Minister the power to define what is and is not an NDIS support. Our community has voiced serious concerns with this Section of the Bill and we will continue to do so.
If there are things that you need that are related to your disability that are on the excluded items, make sure that you have your say. The public consultation period is open until 18 August 2024. We’ll also seek your feedback at our community forum on Saturday.
Feedback can be provided at: https://engage.dss.gov.au/consultation-on-draft-lists-of-ndis-supports/

The NDIS Provider and Worker Registration Taskforce Report is Out

The NDIS Provider and Worker Registration Taskforce report was released on Friday, 2 August.
Every Australian Counts acknowledges the thousands of voices of people with disabilities and families who said loud and clear that we should decide who provides our support.
By creating a new category of self-directed support that will enable NDIS participants to continue to use both registered and unregistered providers, this report sends a strong message to the government that the principles of choice and control for participants must remain at the heart of the NDIS.
This report also sends a strong message to the government that they need to invest in building the capacity of people with disability self-direct our support. That is what is needed to help to keep us safe.
Now we want to see the government respond to the call by the taskforce to work with people with disability and families to codesign the next steps.

To find out more check out this interview with Taskforce chairperson Natalie Wade discussing the report with Dr George.
We will keep you up to date on further developments. We look forward to seeing you at our community forum on Saturday and hearing your valuable insights.