Abbott Government holds out on Queensland NDIS rollout

Queenslanders with disability are being unfairly punished as the Federal Government threatens to ration Queensland’s fair share of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) DisabilityCare Australia (DCA) fund.

At their State Conference Queensland ALP members voted unanimously to call on the Federal Government to give Queensland its full and fair share of DCA funding, after Tony Abbott had indicated the state would only receive a proportion of the sum during the first two years.

Disability Services Minister Coralee O’Rourke said Queenslander’s had been paying an additional Medicare levy of 0.5 percent for the implementation of the NDIS since July 2014.

“We aren’t asking for anyone else’s money we just want our fair share.

“Queensland has bent over backwards to meet all of the Federal Government’s requests to finalise the bilateral agreement, yet we have heard nothing and the agreement was due to be signed by the end of August.

“The Premier has written to Mr Abbott on two occasions seeking an outcome and he has not bothered to respond since saying he would consider our request to access funding back in April.”

Minister O’Rourke said if funding was rationed only 13,000 people out of the 97,000 eligible would be able to enter the scheme from July next year, leaving 62,000 people to enter during the final year.

“Mr Abbott and the Federal LNP Government are putting the rollout at risk and causing thousands of Queenslanders with disability undue angst.”

Speaking to the motion at State Conference Minister O’Rourke said the Federal Government had underestimated the resolve of Queenslanders with disability and reinforced that it was time to start taking their needs seriously

“He has underestimated the resolve of people with disability, their family and carers, the broader Queensland community and the Australian Labor Party.

“We will not sit back while the Abbott Government puts this great reform in jeopardy.”

Media Contact:          Minister O’Rourke’s office                 3719 7190 / 0434 849 454