Tasmania Secures Long-Term Funding Certainty For NDIS
11 December 2018 at 5:24 pm
Tasmania has secured long-term funding certainty for the National Disability Insurance Scheme after signing a five-year deal with the federal government.
Social Services Minister Paul Fletcher announced on Tuesday the state government had agreed to make fixed, upfront funding contributions for the NDIS while the Commonwealth would pay the balance of scheme costs in Tasmania.
The deal also allows Tasmania to access $222.6 million of DisabilityCare Australia Fund payments between 2018-19 and 2023-24.
“This agreement sets in place long-term arrangements for the funding and governance of the NDIS in Tasmania, providing certainty to the people of Tasmania,” Fletcher said.
Tasmanian Premier Will Hodgman said the agreement highlighted the state government’s commitment to supporting people with disability.
“At full scheme, the NDIS is expected to support around 10,600 Tasmanians with disability to achieve their goals,” Hodgman said.
“The NDIA is already supporting more than 5,000 Tasmanians with disability, more than one-third of whom were not previously receiving government funded disability supports.”
Tasmanian Disability Services Minister Jacquie Petrusma added that the NDIS would give Tasmanians with disability greater choice and control over their supports, and strengthen the state’s economy by creating around 2,500 new jobs in the sector.
“All existing clients who are eligible for the NDIS will continue to be supported by the state until they have an approved NDIS plan in place,” Petrusma said.
The NDIS is currently available for people under 49 in Tasmania. It is scheduled to be available to adults aged 50 to 64 from 1 January next year and available to all eligible Tasmanians by 1 July 2019 – the same day the funding deal takes effect.
