The latest NDIS news - without the spin or jargon

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Hi Supporter,

This week the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability held hearings looking into the experience of people with disability and their families during the Coronavirus pandemic.

We wanted to make sure your stories were heard. So we talked to the Commission about what you told us in the survey we conducted a couple of months ago. What issues you were facing, how you were coping – and what you thought of changes made to the NDIS at this time.

Here’s what happened.

“Left out and locked down” the results of our community survey

A couple of months ago we asked you to tell us about your experiences [[link removed]] during the first wave of the Coronavirus pandemic. More than 700 of you answered the call and told us exactly what the pandemic and lockdown had meant for you and your family.

What many of you told us was that you felt forgotten and ignored by the government – right at the time that you needed help the most.

People were stressed, anxious and overwhelmed. And everyone needed the NDIS to get on board and respond.

And while changes made to the NDIS during this time helped some, others found themselves still struggling to get what they needed.

The problems were the same issues we hear about all the time – confusing, changing and inconsistent information, lengthy delays, lack of flexibility, poor treatment at the hands of Local Area Coordinators or NDIA staff.

These issues are bad enough at the best of times. But in the middle of a global pandemic they stood in the way of people with disability getting what they needed to stay safe and well.

A BIG thank you to everyone who took the time to fill in the survey. We know it is never easy to find time for things like this so we are really grateful.

And we will use the findings to keep pushing for the changes you told us you need.

You can read a summary of “Left out and locked down” [[link removed]] on our website as well as the full report [[link removed]].

Read the full survey report [[link removed]] Disability Royal Commission

The Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability is holding public hearings this week looking at the experience of people with disability during the COVID19 pandemic.

We joined with Women with Disabilities Victoria [[link removed]] to talk about what we heard from the Every Australian Counts community during the first wave of the pandemic.

Our strong message to the Commission [[link removed]] – people with disability and their families urgently need more support. They need financial assistance, more support from the NDIS and urgent action when things go pear shaped. No-one has time to be hanging on the end of the phone or waiting weeks for things to be fixed in the middle of a global pandemic.

The National Disability Insurance Agency will be giving evidence to the Royal Commission tomorrow so we will be tuning in to hear what they have to say.

You can watch the hearings on the Disability Royal Commission website [[link removed]].

Check what we had to say at the Disability Royal Commission yesterday [[link removed]] Accessible housing review survey

The Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) has recently issued a Consultation Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) about accessible housing. Phew - that really is a mouthful.

Basically the report looks at the benefits of accessible housing as well as the costs.

Unfortunately it concludes that the costs outweigh the benefits.

So they are suggesting that the building code stays as it is and stays voluntary - instead of introducing legislation to make minimum standards for accessibility compulsory.

We know voluntary standards rarely get the kind of change we want to see.

The folks at Melbourne Uni reckon the report does not take into account the views of people with disability and what they have to say about the importance of accessibility and universal design.

So they have come up with a short survey to try and capture those views.

It only takes between 10 mins and 30 mins to complete depending how much you want to say.

But you have to get your skates on because the survey closes August 26.

You can find a copy of the RIA report [[link removed]] here [[link removed]].

You can find a copy of the Melbourne Uni survey [[link removed]] here [[link removed]].

Fill out the survey [[link removed]]

Can we just say again … thank you to everyone who filled out the survey. It’s a tough time and everyone is juggling so much. So thanks for adding your voice to the hundreds of others calling for change.

Until next time – please stay safe.

Kirsten and the Every Australian Counts team

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