News – Every Australian Counts

Opinion 18 May 2022

Photo from 2012 showing Labor leaders Julia Gillard and Jenny Macklin smiling with Every Australian Counts supporters Lynne Foreman, Kylie Fisher and Jacqui Pierce.

Explainer: What were the original intentions of the National Disability Insurance Scheme?

One of the things people with disability and families have been asking their federal election candidates to reflect on this year is a promise to bring the NDIS back on track with it’s original intentions. To look at why we all fought so hard for the NDIS in the first place. What were the ideas, intentions and principles behind the idea for an NDIS? Our friends from PIAC have written a new helpful explainer…

Opinion 10 March 2022

Dr George Taleporos on stage at an event. He is using an electric wheelchair. A celebrity is wearing a tuxedo at the podium in front. There are red curtains in the background.

Is your organisation returning to face-to-face meetings? You need to read this…

Lockdowns have lifted – and some disability organisations are moving back to face-to-face meetings, and interstate travel. The pandemic is not over. People with disability are still at risk of serious health complications and death – even with some protections from vaccines. And apart from that – we cannot now or ever forget the enormous gains mainstream society has made in online accessibility over the last couple of years. Our friend Dr George Taleporos has some important advice for these organisations based on his recent personal experience.

News 18 December 2020

NDIA CEO Martin Hoffman and NDIS Scheme Actuary Sarah Johnson appearing before a Senate inquiry. Senator Jordon Steele-John appears by video link.

New inquiry into NDIS assessments

The Joint Standing Committee have just announced they will hold an inquiry into the use of independent assessments in the NDIS.

News 1 December 2020

Front cover of the NDIS consultation paper Access and Eligibility Policy with independent assessments. A mockup checklist saying to remove lists A, B, C and D with independent assessments. In the background is the front of an NDIS office building.

It’s the end of the dreaded NDIS Access lists

In the last week the NDIA have released a mountain of paper about the planned introduction of compulsory assessments to the NDIS.

We’ve already looked at what the new assessments will mean for planning in the NDIS. Now let’s look at what they will mean for people applying for the scheme for the first time.

News 25 November 2020

Front covers of two NDIS consultation papers: Planning Policy for Personalised Budgets and Plan Flexibility, and Access and Eligibiliyt Policy with independent assessments. In the background is a WHODAS checklist.

Is this the end of planning in the NDIS?

Today the National Disability Insurance Agency released a mountain of paper about the planned introduction of compulsory assessments to the NDIS.

And tucked away amongst all those pages was some extraordinary news about the future of planning in the NDIS.

News 9 September 2020

A sign on a door with the Administrative Appeals Tribunal sign. Room 4.06. Private.

NDIS Independent Assessment rejected by AAT

You have spent the last week telling us about your concerns about the introduction of independent assessments.

Turns out you are not alone. The Administrative Appeals Tribunal shares them.

News 13 May 2020

illustration of a hand holding a butterfly net trying to catch little squares that represent data.

Data, data, data everywhere. But what does it all mean?

So the National Disability Insurance Agency released the latest NDIS Quarterly Report this week. If you have never checked out the Quarterly Report we encourage you to do so – it’s a great way of finding out how the NDIS is tracking and there’s lots of juicy stuff in there.

News 27 April 2020

A close up of a clipboard with the NDIS Access Request Form (ARF). The first page is folded up revealing some of page 8 below.

One small step for the NDIS … one giant leap for participants

Today the Minister for the NDIS Stuart Robert and the National Disability Insurance Agency made a bunch of announcements about changes to the NDIS.

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