QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
Senator McALLISTER (New South Wales—Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme) (14:26): I thank Senator Steele-John for his question. It is correct to say that this is a significant change, it is an important one, and it is a change we recognise is of significance to the disability community. It is why I have spent some time since the announcement was made speaking with representatives of that community and why the minister, Mr Butler, made clear in his remarks to the National Press Club that our intention is to proceed in consultation, in deep engagement, with the disability community about the policy changes that were foreshadowed in that speech.
The reason why this issue is so consequential is because the NDIS is one of Australia's great human rights achievements, and that achievement belongs to all of us but it particularly belongs to the disability movement that campaigned for this scheme. It is a big part of Australia's social policy legacy, it is one that Labor is proud of, and it needs to be sustainable.
These things are not intentioned, but the scheme is still growing too fast. The scheme costs much more than was ever anticipated, and it is distorting other parts of the care economy. The PRESIDENT: Minister, please resume your seat.
Senator Steele-John, on a point of order? Senator Steele-John: It is on relevance. I would ask the minister please to answer the substantive question: Which cohorts of disabled people will be removed from the scheme?
Which cohort within the 160,000 people do you intend to remove? The PRESIDENT: Senator Steele-John, you don't need to repeat the question—there was a lot in that question—and the minister is being relevant. Minister McAllister, please continue.
Senator McALLISTER: The scheme is growing too fast, it is distorting other parts of the care economy, there is too much fraud, and many aspects of the way the scheme is designed make it difficult to get this under control. It is on that basis we have announced reforms that we intend to progress with the disability community. Amongst those other changes to eligibility that your question refers to, the NDIS review found the approach to accessing this scheme is inconsistent and inequitable.
The change that we propose focuses on a fairer and more consistent access decision to return the scheme to its original intent. (Time expired) The PRESIDENT: Senator Steele-John, a first supplementary?