Submission from John Smith, 28 April 2015

Dear NDIS,

Thank you for the opportunity to provide feedback regarding the NDIS.

Firstly, I would like to point out the obvious regarding the NDIS. The NDIS is brilliant for specific people with disabilities as it was designed for “the white male in a wheelchair with a Physical disability” and meets these people’s needs Extremely Well.

This is brilliant for the above people but since the NSW government is closing government run disability services, the NDIS’s GAPS are exposed for all to see.

For people with Intellectual Disabilities (who are 60 to 70% of NDIS participants), the NDIS is largely a government policy failure and would require the following Safeguards:

– preservation of government run disability services to support complex client needs and their families.
– the above is needed to be the Provider of Last Resort for when clients are abandoned by not for profit organisations or For Profit providers of services. Additionally, the above is needed for Regional Communities for whom it is NOT profitable to provide disability services.

– as clients with intellectual disabilities are unable to make decisions, they will all need full legislative protection of Guardians (not nominees who can be the source of abuse/neglect/fraud)appointed by the Guardianship Tribunal.

– by over emphasising the market model, the government is exposing people with intellectual disabilities to predatory behaviour of Fraud/Abuse/Neglect by For Profit organisations.

Lastly, I would like to say that the consultation process:
– is too rushed.
– is poorly advertised.
– is not accessible for people who have no computer access or who have an intellectual disability.
– is constructed so as to receive your predetermined responses. The above were not included by you as valid options of response.

Please respond to these issues via email

Thanking you,

John Smith