Health Minister Mark Butler accuses states of ‘posturing’ after NDIS reform pushback
Health Minister Mark Butler accused state and territory leaders of “posturing” following an extraordinary attack on reforms to the NDIS.
Disability advocates and the industry appeared ahead of a parliamentary inquiry this week into proposed changes that Labor hopes will save $35bn by removing up to 160,000 people from the scheme and targeting roort and provider requirements.
But the federal government faced backlash from state and territory health ministers, who warned in their own submissions to the inquiry that they had “made no agreements to deliver similar services” that people who launched the scheme would rely on.
On Sunday Mr Butler said states and territories were “busy drawing up those plans” for the Thriving Kids program despite several states, including NSW, raising concerns about co-funding the scheme which would remove children with mild autism from the NDIS.
“They’ve published most of their plans,” Mr Butler told the ABC.
“They are starting to expand their support systems for families and children under the age of nine in places where families will be very comfortable and familiar, child and parent centres, play groups, there will be targeted support. All of this will now be available online.”
Mr Butler said he thought there had been “some posturing in this process”.
“I’ll be clear about this. I think this is an extraordinary application, given the clear commitments signed by Prime Ministers a few months ago and the government providing $25 billion in additional funding for hospitals in return,” he said.
Mr. Butler said he did not know “what they (the states) were trying to do.”
“You’d have to ask them that,” he said.
“But it is a package deal and I think the public now expects all governments to get on with the job of delivering better hospital services and an NDIS that is secured over the long term.”
Earlier this year state, territory and federal health ministers agreed a landmark funding deal for the public health system after months of negotiations.
In their submission, ministers recommended, among a number of proposed changes, that the Bill be amended to require the most financially significant components to be subject to an agreement with all states and territories.
No change in investigation
Mr Butler also rejected calls from the Coalition for the NDIS investigation to be extended by up to six months.
“I have not heard Angus Taylor discuss why this investigation did not last long enough,” he said.
“He is trying to use this as a pawn in a larger chess game that he intends to play in other areas of the budget.
“I think he should focus on what’s best for NDIS reform. He made some very constructive comments about this in his budget response speech. Shadow minister Melissa McIntosh was also very constructive to engage with.”
“So I caution them against using a really important reform process as a pawn in a bigger game.”
Admitting the changes would be “challenging” for some people, Mr Butler promised the government would largely stay on track.
“I’ve certainly heard a lot that people want more assurance that what’s not going to change because of the reforms that we’re putting in place,” he said.
“So I’m certainly not saying we don’t look at things constructively.
“I look forward to the delivery of the report (from the investigation) … but I believe the direction of travel and the need to make major changes to secure this incredibly important social program for the future is the right direction to travel.”
Asked what the government might consider again, Mr Butler said he did not want to “pre-empt” the report with the inquiry due to be handed down on Tuesday.
“This was a comprehensive set of evidence that they (senators) participated in those few days,” he said.
“We received hundreds of submissions that I think they worked on over the weekend to compile and turn into a report.”
