QLD Offers NDIS Funding
12 December 2012 at 3:11 pm
Queensland has become the second State to put forward a plan to the Federal Government to fund the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) but the plan has already hit a Federal funding 'snag'.
Premier Campbell Newman announced that under the plan, Queensland would boost disability funding progressively up to $1.77 billion by 2018.
Newman said Queensland stood ready to sign on the dotted line with the Commonwealth on a deal to fund the NDIS in Queensland.
“I have written to the Prime Minister with the Queensland Government’s plan to fund the National Disability Insurance Scheme,” Newman said.
“Our plan will see one of the biggest single increases in disability funding this country has ever seen.
“I look forward to the Prime Minister agreeing to the plan so that we can get on with providing better services to people with a disability.
“Queensland has always supported the NDIS and the plan we’ve put on the table will see that Queenslanders with a disability get the support and assistance they deserve.”
Last week the Federal and New South Wales Governments reached an historic agreement to allow the full roll out of a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) in New South Wales by July 2018 with NSW agreeing to provide more than $3.13 billion in 2018 – 48.6 per cent of the funding needed.
Queensland says it currently spends $959 million per year on specialist disability services, and an additional $200 million per year on associated services.
However, the Federal Government has already responded saying the figures don’t add up and Campbell Newman is raising the hopes of people with disability in Queensland.
The Minister for Disability reform, Jenny Macklin says the Queensland Government does not meet the benchmark of funding for a National Disability Insurance Scheme across the state.
“In fact, it falls far short,” Macklin said.
She says Premier Newman has not explained how his numbers add up.
“The Government has sought urgent clarification from Queensland but so far no response has been received.”
