Liberal state governments have been accused of lack of leadership and political point scoring following the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting in Canberra which failed to reach agreement on the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

 

As a result of the meeting, South Australia, Tasmania and the ACT will conduct a trial of the scheme, commencing in July 2013, having agreed to work together on the development of Commonwealth legislation to establish both the scheme and a national launch agency to administer the scheme during the launch phase.  The agency will be responsible for managing Commonwealth and State funds in a single national pool, and undertaking planning, assessment and approval of individual support packages.

 

The three Labor governments agreed that participants in the launch sites will receive ongoing support until a decision is taken to move to a full NDIS, although the funding and governance arrangements agreed for launch do not create a precedent for the full scheme.

 

COAG agreed that, as a first step to settling the design of an NDIS, consultation with people with a disability, their families and carers, the workforce and disability sector and peak bodies would commence from late August on this approach. 

 

Commenting on the outcome, the President of the Australian Medical Association, Dr Steve Hambleton, said that all Australians with a disability, and their families and carers, had been severely let down by a lack of leadership and cooperation at the meeting.

 

Dr Hambleton said that self-interest, petty bickering and political point scoring by the bigger States had dampened the hopes and wants of some of the nation’s most disadvantaged people.

 

“Some of our political leaders should be hanging their heads in shame.  Surely nobody could suggest that the ‘system’ we have now is appropriate,” Dr Hambleton said.  “Today was a rare opportunity for all our Governments to work together to deliver something very important for all Australians – but they blew it.”

 

“The Federal Government presented COAG with a workable proposal to establish the first stage of an NDIS from next year, but the bigger States, for their own reasons, have decided not to participate at this stage.  What we saw today was an old-fashioned COAG blame game.  There was a sad lack of genuine goodwill towards building a scheme to improve the lives of people with a disability and their carers.

 

“The AMA welcomes the decisions of the South Australian, Tasmanian, and ACT Governments to get on board with the NDIS immediately.  It is commendable that the three jurisdictions who have agreed to take the first important steps are those that are currently dealing with broader issues around resource allocation for health care services.  This demonstrates their understanding of the challenges faced by disabled people and their families, and a commitment to inclusive social policy.

 

“The AMA urges the other State Governments to overcome their opposition to the NDIS that is on offer, and put the interests of people with a disability ahead of political squabbling.

 

“The NDIS is an investment in the future and in the quality of the lives of people with disabilities.  It will allow people to participate in daily life and in the community in a more productive and positive way.”

 

The AMA has established a taskforce to ensure medical profession input to the NDIS and the National Injury Insurance Scheme (NIIS), which is for people who are severely injured and require the same levels of support.