#DefendOurNDIS rallies took place over Australia today to prompt politicians to take a closer look and pledge to improve the NDIS.
There are more than half a million Australians with disabilities relying on the NDIS for essential support – with around a quarter of a million workers employed to support them.
Organizers want to make sure your concerns about the NDIS are heard loud and clear all across the country. So that every politician asking for your vote knows the NDIS needs action – urgently.
Why we need to #defendourNDIS
NDIS appeals lodged in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal have had a huge spike. Hence, it increased from 2160 in the 2021 financial year to 4656 between July and March. Because of this, the NDIA spent $30 million on external lawyers fighting these claims this financial year. The NDIA only won 55% of all appeals lodged. It is a considerable amount of money to waste while continuing to cut participants’ funds.
“Bill Shorten, Labour NDIS representative said, people with disability were constantly in fear their plan would be cut when it was reviewed. Putting them in a nightmarish maze of reviews, appeals, and legal action”
The Australian also revealed that the NDIA had put a “no initial call” process when assessing thousands of NDIS policy reviews. The NDIA informing staff not to contact participants to discuss reviews. The NDIA has denied that this is a permanent policy indicating it was to speed up reviews initially.
As a result, these policies have participants and families living in uncertainty. This is not how disability support should be. Recent reports have indicated that the autistic community has been targeted in these budget cuts.
As a result, families reporting that their plans have been halved or in some cases denied
What do participants want.
We can take action. Organisers are urging all participants and their families to contact their local MP’s, take action on social media, come to an event or attend tonight’s Big Night In
