NDIA chairman Bruce Bonyhady’s speech at the 2014 Disability
and Lifestyles Expo in Adelaide on 7 November 2014.
(Speaker Michael Elwood, master of ceremonies of the opening session, introducing Bruce
Bonyhady.)
Our first speaker has paid a role over many years in elevating the issue of disabilities with
governments of all persuasions.
Mr Bruce Bonyhady was formerly the convenor of the independent panel appointed to advise
the Productivity Commission and government during the inquiry into long-term care and support
for Australians with disability.
He was Deputy Chair of the National Disability Insurance Scheme advisory group to the Council
of Australia Government and former chairman of Yooralla, perhaps the largest disability agency
in Victoria.
He is the father of three adult sons, two of whom have disabilities. Mr Bruce Bonyhady was
appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia in 2010 for services for people with disability,
their families carers and the community.
Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the Chair of the National Disability Insurance Agency
Bruce Bonyhady.
BRUCE BONYHADY: Michael, thank you very much for that warm introduction. I would like to
acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we meet and pay my respects to
Elders past and present.
The Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion Zoe Bettison, the Shadow Minister for
Communities and Social Inclusion Duncan McFetridge, ladies and gentlemen, it is a great
pleasure to be here this morning and thank you very much for the opportunity to open this
Disability and Lifestyle Expo and talk to the people who do so much to care for their fellow
Australians.
I don’t know how many of you have had the opportunity to visit South Australia’s Riverland
where Rachel and Karl Klose live.
Their son Harrison has Cerebral Palsy. Harrison was what his parents call a “bottom shuffler”
having difficulty eating, speaking and of course walking.
My sons were “Commando crawlers” so I know a little bit about different walking gaits.
They joined the NDIS not long after the South Australian trial was set up and a year later the
progress is impressive.
Through his plan Harrison has been able to access more therapy and is now walking so well his
parents have had to baby proof their house.
They were also able to access an intensive feeding programme in Adelaide.
They started off with Skype consultations but as part of Harrison’s plan were also funded to
spend a week in Adelaide where they consulted a dietician, occupational therapist and speech
therapist.
As his mum says … Harrison is already blossoming.
With us today is Christine Barwick and her son James, who has special needs.
Four year old James has a global developmental delay and since becoming an NDIS
participant, Christine and James have been able to access mainstream and community based
supports.
Mum is already planning a transition to school next year – and, in fact, James visited his school
yesterday with warmth and inclusion – and as a result of that, he is making great progress.
And also here today, Joshua Mason and his mum Narelle.
Joshua has cerebral palsy and started off on a plan managed by the Agency but has now
moved to a self-managed plan.
The family plan is to concentrate on education once Joshua is school aged.
Their stories are a few of many. The NDIS is off to a terrific start.
We have supported children and adults with severe disabilities to do such everyday things as to
use playgrounds, to dance, to ride bicycles, to learn to drive, to feel safe catching the bus, to go
to the library, to go to a restaurant, and to join the Girl Guides so they can make new friends.
Each of those participants has worked with an NDIA team to ensure that they are getting what
they need for a full and rewarding life. There are now seven trial sites operating around
Australia, here in South Australia, Tasmania, the Perth Hills area of Western Australia, the
Barkly Region of the Northern Territory, the Barwon area around Geelong in Victoria, the Hunter
region of New South Wales and in the Australian Capital Territory.
Our South Australian experience has unearthed one of the many challenges we have faced so
far in launching the NDIS. Eighteen months ago, before the Scheme started, we knew that there
were many potential unknown unknowns, and this is why governments agreed to trial the
Scheme in this first phase of its implementation.
Here in South Australia our first major challenge is, and continues to be, the number of
participants is far greater than first anticipated.
We have had more than twice as many children aged five and under seeking access to the
scheme than expected. Based on the latest indications, it is possible as many as 3,500 children
in this age group may be eligible for the Scheme.
At most of our trial sites around the nation the number of people wanting to join the NDIS is far
greater than original projections.
.
Despite this, NDIS staff got on with the job …. working with the Commonwealth and SA
governments on strategies to support our capacity to respond to this increased demand.
I am hopeful that this issue will be resolved before too much longer, because I am deeply aware
of the anxiety and stress it is causing for families.
One of the very understandable ways that families have responded to the recent uncertainty is
by registering their child for access to the NDIS.
Under our legislation, we must deal with an access request within 21 days of receiving it and as
at the end of September 2,833 children had been approved for access to the Scheme,
compared with an expected number of 2,346, so more than 20% higher than expected.
In contrast, the approval of the actual plans which children need to access the supports they
need is subject to strict phasing, which has been agreed by the Commonwealth and South
Australian governments.
The interaction between these two aspects of our governance arrangements means that we
have had to divert more of the Agency’s limited resources to process access requests than has
been ideal and have had fewer staff to work with families to develop and agree plans for the
children who have been prioritised in the phasing schedules.
As a result, 1,839 children in South Australia had approved plans at the end of September,
which was around 20 per cent less than expected.
I know this is difficult because everyone wants the best for their child, but if you are not
accessing disability support and not due to develop your child’s plan I would urge you not to
lodge an access request until you are advised that the relevant age group for your child has
been opened.
Lodging an access request early will not assist you and will prevent us from working with
another family to meet their needs.
In the meantime let me assure you we are doing everything we can to break the current log-jam
and we will keep you updated.
The purpose of the NDIS is to support people with disabilities and their families to live ordinary
lives. The Vision of the NDIS is to maximise independence and social and economic
participation.
By building people’s resilience and independence, and giving them the control and choice to
purchase exactly the supports they need, the NDIS is reducing the amount and cost of support
in significant ways.
Already we are seeing some of the benefits of this approach, with several participants telling us
that they need less total funding than before, because they can purchase exactly what best
meets their needs.
However, we’ve still got a lot to learn. The internal review processes of the Agency have
identified areas to be refined and strengthened and stakeholders and support groups have
given us lots of very helpful feedback.
Given that the Scheme is still in its trial phase, this is not surprising. The feedback is most
welcome and if you have suggestions please let us know your ideas, as they will contribute to
an even better NDIS when the scheme is fully rolled out from July 2016.
Learning, listening to criticism and showing respect for people with disability, their families and
carers is the only way to keep them at the centre of the Scheme.
A groundbreaking new scheme like the NDIS — the biggest social policy reform in 30 years —
is not perfected by simply willing it. It requires putting in the time and effort to get it right.
An analogy I have used before is that the NDIS is like computer software releases. Each version
offers improvements and each of its successors will be based on user experiences and further
research.
The potential for further improvements was always anticipated and is being operationalised
through a learn-build-learn-build approach by the Agency.
We already have more data on disability in Australia than ever and we are using it to refine the
Scheme – – to give this control, more choice and to make the scheme efficient, effective and as
sustainable as possible.
The results to date are outstanding across all the key measures on which the Scheme should
be judged.
We are on schedule, on budget and most importantly, making a difference to the lives of people
with disability.
In South Australia 2000 participants now have plans and we expect to reach 10,000 nationally
next month.
Participant satisfaction is very high with around 95% of participants saying they are satisfied or
very satisfied
As a result many thousands of lives that have already changed for the better in the relatively
short time since the four NDIS trial sites opened in July last year, and another three in July this
year.
This isn’t to say there aren’t challenges for people who have spent their lives in the disability
sector like many of you here today.
One of the biggest challenges has been for organisations which provide services.
We know it has been a sometimes difficult transition from a block-funded model to an individualfunding model. There are those with displays at this expo who may still be struggling to come to
terms with this change.
We understand the difficulties you have been feeling and have set up structures and protocols
to help you through this period.
As you would be aware, the Agency is working closely with disability service providers to gain a
better understanding of the factors that contribute to service prices and the most efficient price
for the self-care and community participation services which constitute the bulk of the supports
the NDIS offers.
I would like to thank National Disability Services for working with us on this important issue.
I know that this issue of pricing continues to be a source of concern amongst many providers
and so further work and better communication is needed.
But it is very pleasing the methodology for setting prices has been agreed and that the outcome
from this work should be the concept of an efficient price which should be the price used to
determine individual packages.
I see these as great steps forward, because we have a framework for adopting an evidencebased approach, in which areas of debate can be clearly identified and resolved in a wellstructured way.
As an Agency we have responsibilities to both ensure that the Scheme operates within the limits
set by the community’s willingness to pay for the Scheme and to ensure that there is a vibrant
range of disability service providers.
Let me be clear, we are deeply committed to partnering with disability service providers, which
is why I’m so pleased to see so many here today, on this and other issues which are key to the
successful and full delivery of the NDIS.
We recognise the challenges that you all face.
We will work closely with you.
Our starting point is the concept of an efficient price, but while we have published our best
estimate of the efficient price, this should not be seen as either immutable or subject to further
analysis. If the evidence for a different set of assumptions can be provided, we will listen.
From our perspective, the efficient price must enable providers to deliver the high quality
services that consumers need and want, while keeping the Scheme affordable and sustainable
in the face of tight fiscal conditions across the country.
As you will be aware, the National Disability Insurance Agency has a much broader role to play
than simply allocating support packages to participants.
We play a critical role as the principal steward of a new disability eco-system, which will evolve
in the next few years, and which will have insurance and contestability at its core.
The Agency needs to carefully balance all aspects of its policies, procedures and operating
model, so growth in demand for services keeps pace with supply.
We must contribute strategically to market design.
As an insurer our aim is to maximise the well-being of participants and their families, to minimise
the costs of supporting people over their lifetimes and to maximise their opportunities and to
take advantage of the national character of the NDIS to deliver optimal efficiency.
This is reflected in a new outcomes framework which we are developing and will release for
public consultation by the end of the year and our operating budget at full scheme of 7%, which
represents world-best practice.
In our trial sites, some providers quickly recognised the need to adjust their business plans. An
example is Optia in Tasmania which has developed a new strategic plan based on a
comprehensive study and consultation process, and invested in research to ensure practices
are underpinned by demonstrable evidence.
It’s been able to establish
•
four new supported accommodation sites;
•
begin state-wide community access programs;
•
open a respite centre in the south of the state;
•
transition 100 people with disability to the NDIS;
•
and increase its support services by 10 per cent overall.
Optia staff are delighted to see consumers finally being able to exercise choice and control over
the supports that best suit their needs.
Recently we have had Mental Health Week and Carers Week and the Agency and its staff have
been very engaged because it is essential that those who have episodic needs or are at the
margins of eligibility for the NDIS and those who care for them are adequately supported.
Otherwise the NDIS will not be fair or sustainable.
It is particularly important in areas like mental health where small amounts of episodic supports
can be the difference between stability and full psychosis and long-term outcomes can be
unclear for many years.
There are constant enquiries to the NDIS about the role of carers and support for these
wonderful people. Many times I hear the remark: “I’m not a carer, I’m his Mum or Dad.”
Let me assure you, part of the individual plan for a participant in the scheme takes into account
the role of the carer. Required respite services are funded … as is specialist care.
If you haven’t already, there’s a good chance everyone in this room will one day come into
contact with the NDIS, like Christine, Narelle, James and Josh. We want that experience to be
positive with optimal outcomes based on our long-term insurance approach.
So I urge you to find out all you can about the NDIS and the services you can access through
our planners. There’s detailed information on our website or you can call or visit our offices.
The NDIS is about empowering people with a disability to make sure they get the essential
supports they need, NOT what someone else thinks they might need.
The Scheme is designed to enhance the quality of life and increase economic and social
participation for people with disability.
Where possible we want to help people with a disability enter the workforce.
At the NDIS itself, around 11 per cent of staff have a disability … compared with three per cent
for the Commonwealth public service … and more than half of our staff have identified as
having lived experience of a disability.
This gives me great confidence, because it means that working in the Agency and building the
NDIS is not just a job it is a cause in which our staff passionately believe.
On a very personal note, my oldest son was born with cerebral palsy 30 years ago. At that time I
knew nothing about disability.
He and his youngest brother, who also has cerebral palsy, have taught me an enormous
amount.
They have also brought me into close contact with a side of Australian life, which I would
otherwise not have known - an Australia characterised by endurance, resilience and
compassion but also blighted by discrimination and exclusion.
Looking around this room I know I am not alone in my experiences.
It is why I have used all of my experience and energy to campaign for the NDIS.
It is why I am championing the NDIS now.
And it is why I am committed to the good governance, good management and full delivery of the
NDIS contributing to the peace of mind for every Australian, for anyone who has, or might
acquire, a disability.
Your presence at this expo shows your commitment to helping people with a disability.
The theme today is Think Big. As South Australians many of you would know of a horse called
Think Big who was trained by Bart Cummings and won two Melbourne Cups, in 1974 and 1975.
He had to struggle after starting racing as a two year old.
If fact, in 1975 he hadn’t won a race until the Cup.
It’s amazing what can be done with the right direction, help and perseverance.
We can all have great achievements if we work together and Think Big.
(And so it is with much pleasure I declare this important Expo open. Thank you very much.)
(SPEAKER Michael Elwood master of ceremonies): Thank you Bruce Bonyhady for a speech
that actually is really important to us at this particular time in the progress and the development
of the NDIS and the NDIA.
And thank you so much for all the work that you have done over the years and that you continue
to do on behalf of all of us.