Taxpayers will be $1 billion worse off, a cabinet minister has warned, after Greens and Opposition MPs teamed up to delay the federal Government’s disability support overhaul. Source: Canberra Times.
The changes are aimed at reining National Disability Insurance Scheme costs, which are expected to swell to more than $50 billion in 2025/26 – higher than the annual bill for Medicare.
Under the legislation, the Albanese Government would save $14 billion over the next four years by reducing the number of new participants and changing eligibility criteria.
But the Greens and Coalition say more consultation is needed and have voted to delay the bill until August.
NDIS Minister Bill Shorten accused the Opposition of failing to understand the value of taxpayer money during a cost-of-living crisis.
“I’m horrified,” he told ABC Radio yesterday.
“The people opposing the bill aren’t going to change their mind in the next eight weeks.
“The truth of the matter is that this is going to cost a billion dollars to taxpayers – about $15 million a day.”
The Greens have accused the Government of attempting to siphon money out of the system without consulting the disability community.
However, the Government has undertaken a 12-month review in consultation with 10,000 people and held nine public meetings with another 5000 people across the nation.
FULL STORY
‘Disingenuous’ NDIS delay to cost $1 billion (By Kat Wong, AAP via Canberra Times)
