Opinion: We should be proud of the NDIS, not fearful of costs | Helen Dickinson
If you have heard one thing about the NDIS recently it is probably about the scheme experiencing a “cost blow out”. But what you likely haven’t heard discussed are the benefits of the scheme. This one-sided conversation misses the bigger picture around why the NDIS is a worthwhile investment and why it is important we get the scheme right.
The NDIS now covers around 535,000 participants and is expected to cost $35 billion this year. The scheme has been predicted to have an average forecast growth of 14 per cent a year over the next decade. This might mean the NDIS could eventually cost more than $50 billion per year within four years and be more expensive than many other federal government social programs.
The NDIS has a role in supporting participants around employment goals. By providing support with daily activities, physical assistance and personal care, NDIS participants can find and maintain paid work. This might involve helping to purchase new assistive technology like a wheelchair, prosthetic or equipment to help people who are visually impaired to navigate independently. For some people with disability a lack of these aids means it can be difficult or even dangerous to leave the house.
The NDIS can also help sustaining employment of carers and family members. With the establishment of the NDIS a significant number of unpaid carers have been able to re-enter the workforce. For example, between 2016 and 2020 we saw nearly a 10 per cent increase in employment for carers of 0-14-year-old NDIS participants. Caring roles are highly gendered, with women making up nearly three-quarters of carers.
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