We should be proud of the NDIS, not fearful of costs

The NDIS can help to pay for needed therapies, such as physiotherapy or speech therapies to help engage in daily activities. It might involve engaging support workers to help with daily needs such as personal care, cleaning or food preparation. The NDIS should play a role in levelling up the field and helping to give people with disability the same opportunities as those without.

Loading

Supporting NDIS participants to engage in work generates taxable income for the economy, but there is also evidence to suggest that being in good-quality work can have positive implications for broader individual health and wellbeing, which could lead to reductions in spending in other areas of government, such as health.

The government recognises that there is more to do to support NDIS participants in work. According to current figures, 23 percent of working-age NDIS participants report being in a paid job for two years or more. But one of the challenges for the NDIS is that it can’t achieve everything alone. NDIS funding can help to support people with disability in work, but it can’t change views of employers who might discriminate against disabled people.

The NDIS can also help sustaining employment of carers and family members. With the establishment of the NDIS a significant number of unpaid carers have been able to re-enter the workforce. For example, between 2016 and 2020 we saw nearly a 10 per cent increase in employment for carers of 0-14-year-old NDIS participants. Caring roles are highly gendered, with women making up nearly three-quarters of carers. Providing supports so that carers can take on paid employment will also have an important impact on gender equity in the broader workforce.

Spending on the NDIS has an impact on participants, workers and families but also radiates through other areas of the economy. Last year Per Capita tried to bring together the various types of economic impact that the NDIS has and estimates that for every dollar spent on the NDIS, $2.25 is returned to the economy. They argue that under-investing in the NDIS may lead to a significant reduction in jobs and ultimately Australia’s GDP.

Loading

People with disability are parents, friends, active members of the community who contribute to our society in myriad ways. As a society we should be proud that we have such a world-leading scheme that supports people with disability to be full members of Australian society.

The federal government has brought forward the NDIS review seeking to explore how we can make the scheme operate more effectively. No doubt there will be discussions of the affordability and sustainability of the scheme as part of this process. Hopefully we can also hear some discussion of the many benefits of the NDIS and not just the costs.