The Coalition says it stands ready to revisit National Disability Insurance Scheme spending for a second time, after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese flagged that further savings may be needed. Source: ABC News.
Earlier this month, Mr Albanese said his Government “[would] always look for spending to produce better value”, after he was asked whether he would revisit NDIS spending, which is projected to cost $64 billion a year by 2029.
“We need to make sure that it is made more sustainable … the vision of the NDIS wasn’t that those sort of numbers that you just quoted go on the system,” he said.
“But you’ve got to be responsible about how you do it and work through with the sector because it’s very easy for vulnerable people to feel like their support is threatened. We don’t want that.”
Asked on Sunday whether the Coalition was prepared to have a conversation with the Government on further reforms to cut costs, Shadow Treasurer Ted O’Brien responded: “Yes, we would”.
“Let’s see what the Government brings forward. But it is absolutely key that they have to stop their spending spree,” Mr O’Brien told Sky News.
Last term, the Government and Opposition acknowledged that the cost of the NDIS was rising so quickly that it would rapidly become “unsustainable” without change.
The major parties agreed to a suite of reforms designed to slow its growing expense from 13.8 per cent a year to 8 per cent by 2026.
Those changes set stricter rules for what supports were available, how plans were managed, and laid the groundwork for a new scheme to be run by the states that could support some people with milder disability, who were joining the NDIS in the absence of more appropriate supports.
The reforms are projected to save the budget $19.3 billion over four years.
But while costs are falling, the latest data from the NDIS shows the scheme’s expense is growing at a rate of 10.6 per cent a year – on track to reach the Government’s target, but still well above it.
The federal Budget is forecasted to remain in deficit for the next decade.
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Coalition willing to discuss further savings to NDIS (By Jake Evans, ABC News)
