Anonymous

Which of the following statements best describes you?

• I’m a person with disability

Question 1:
During the first stage of consultations we heard that the vision and the six outcome areas under the current Strategy are still the right ones. Do you have any comments on the vision and outcome areas being proposed for the new Strategy?

Learning and support: how are you going to ensure this happens? As a part time uni student I have just had to pull out of 2 subjects at the end due to a flare up with my disability. These seems to be no flexibility in place even with a disability access plan with the uni. How can learning be supported when our disability impacts it? Do units need to be mandated to provide further concessions time wise etc?

Question 2:
What do you think about the guiding principles proposed here?

Involve and engage: right now the NDIS is not listening to the overwhelming negative feedback regarding independent assessments. As someone with a less known and understood disability I need a specialist who understands my disability to be involved in its assessment. The NDIS needs to listen and respond to the feedback of the disability community.

Question 3:
What is your view on the proposal for the new Strategy to have a stronger emphasis on improving community attitudes across all outcome areas?

Community access is important. For this to happen education of the whole community needs to occur to help break down barriers to employment, community participation etc.

Question 4:
How do you think that clearly outlining what each government is responsible for could make it easier for people with disability to access the supports and services they need?

I know many people who have disability and are not eligible for NDIS. Although they are told there is support for them they are not given any, nor directed to any support. The available support needs to be clearly communicated: through GPs (who are first line of support but have no idea where to send these people), to hospitals and allied health workers.

In regards to supporting ndis participants: Providing clear easy read accessible information is important. I still find the NDIS website difficult to navigate. It’s like a rabbit warren trying to find information.

Question 6:
What kind of information on the Strategy’s progress should governments make available to the public and how often should this information be made available?

Any reports should be available in easy read versions listing the main points so they are accessible to more people.

Question 7:
What do you think of the proposal to have Targeted Action Plans that focus on making improvements in specific areas within a defined period of time (for example within one, two or three years)?

Unsure.

Question 8:
How could the proposed Engagement Plan ensure people with disability, and the disability community, are involved in the delivery and monitoring of the next Strategy?

We need people with disability on the NDIS board. This should be mandated as an essential requirement that the board should always include a percentage of PWD.

Peak disability bodies that represent us should have input.

Listen to us. For example the independent assessments are not supported by the vast majority. This needs to be listened to and addressed. Telling us why we should be happy about it doesn’t help. Ask us why we aren’t happy and listen and respond accordingly.

Question 9:
Is there anything else you would like to share about the ideas and proposals in the position paper?

No.