Disability advocates have reacted furiously to the government’s move to rein in spending on the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), after it unveiled a plan that could save the budget $50 billion over the next decade.

Speaking after national cabinet in Brisbane, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the federal government would implement an “annual growth target” of 8 per cent for the total cost of the scheme by 2026, arguing the NDIS was currently not sustainable.

Under the current trajectory, the cost of the NDIS will reach $97 billion by 2032-33. But if the scheme achieves just an 8 percent growth rate instead, the NDIS will cumulatively save more than $50 billion over the next decade.

Disability advocate Elly Desmarchelier said the move equated to a cut in NDIS funds, arguing advocates were blindsided by the announcement.  “I am in shock … I’m incredibly disappointed, I’m disappointed in the lack of detail, I’m disappointed in the direction when it was supposed to be about working with people with disability to find the solutions to make sure the NDIS is sustainable,” she said.

“I feel like people with disability got taken out with the Friday afternoon trash.

Craig Wallace says the government needs to provide more detail on what it plans to change.  Read More…