Disability Reform Roadmap

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Disability Reform Roadmap for 2024 and 2025

Overview

All governments are committed to progressing key disability reforms and working with people with disability to make Australia more inclusive, accessible and safe for people with disability.

This Roadmap highlights the key actions all governments will take in 2024 and 2025 to build the foundations and deliver on commitments for the disability and National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) reform agenda.

This includes:

  • progressing National Cabinet commitments to reforms to ensure the sustainability of the NDIS;
  • legislative and other changes to the NDIS to improve the experience of participants and restore the original intent of the Scheme;
  • the adjustment of state and territory NDIS contribution escalation rates (increasing from 4 per cent to align with actual Scheme growth, capped at 8 per cent);
  • the design of additional Foundational Supports.

Goals

We are committed to achieving:

  • Inclusion and access – building more inclusive and accessible systems, services, communities and workplaces for all people with disability.
  • Rights – empowering all people with disability by elevating their rights and voices and maximising autonomy, recognising diversity and intersectionality.
  • Quality services – designing and funding a disability ecosystem that provides high quality, effective and safe services for people with disability.
  • Confidence and sustainability – ensuring that people with disability have trust and confidence they will be able to access the supports and services they need now and into the future.

Foundations

We will work with disability stakeholders to design and implement reforms through:

  • Prioritisng the voice of people with disability, consultation and co-design.
  • System integration.
  • Accountability and authority.
  • Evidence and best practice.

What will our engagement look like?

  • We will work with disability stakeholders to design and implement reforms through engaging with a diverse range of people with disability, their families and carers. There will be a range of different types of engagement activities – aimed to reach people with disability across Australia. Engagement forums will include webinars, workshops, design sessions and community catch-up events.
  • The Australian Government Department of Social Services (DSS), National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), and State and Territory governments are committed to working together to ensure meaningful stakeholder engagement informs disability reforms.
  • Engagement with the disability community through key policy for NDIS Rules will continue throughout 2024 and 2025. This engagement will include discussion papers on DSS Engage, face-to-face workshops and roundtables, as well as online engagement. To be kept up to date on other future engagement sessions, subscribe to updates on the DSS NDIS reforms website.

Key deliverables

There are five themes under key deliverables.

Disability Royal Commision

  • Response to recommendations of the Disability Royal Commission was released in July 2024 including joint recommendations with state and territory governments.
  • A detailed 18 month Disability Royal Commussion implementation plan for joint recommendations will be agreed in November 2024.
  • The first National Disability Royal Commission progress report will be released in June 2025.
  • The Second National Disability Royal Commission progress report will be released in December 2025.
  • Implementation of joint Disability Royal Commission recommendations across governments is ongoing, in partnership with the disability community.

NDIS Review Response

  • Disability Ministers are currently considering the NDIS Review recommendations. A formal response to the NDIS Review is due in December 2024.
  • Reform planning and implementation across governments will commence in January 2025 and is ongoing through 2025.

NDIS Legislation

  • The NDIS Amendment Bill passed in August 2024.
  • The amended NDIS Act 2013 will commence in late September to early October 2024.
  • The transitional Section 10 Rule will commence alongside the amended NDIS Act 2013.
  • Co-design and engagement on the NDIS Rules will occur between July 2024 and continue through to 2025.

Foundational Supports

  • All governments are working together to develop a Foundational Support Strategy that will be agreed by National Cabinet in the future. Future iterations will include updates on key timeframes as they are agreed.
  • Phased implementation of Foundational Supports will commence from July 2025.

Australia’s Disability Strategy

  • Governments will continue to review their disability inclusion plans throughout 2024 and 2025 to ensure they are aligned with Australia’s Disability Strategy and reform priorities.
  • Targeted review of Australia’s Disability Strategy will occur in August and September 2024 to generate learnings and make practical improvements.
  • The full evaluation of Australia’s Disability Strategy will commence from July 2025, with reporting due in 2026.

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