The Albanese Labor Government is strengthening its commitment to accountability and transparency in delivering landmark disability reforms through the release of the Disability Reform Roadmap for 2024 and 2025.
Developed in partnership with states and territories, the Roadmap outlines our initial plans for crucial reforms to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and the broader disability ecosystem.
This Roadmap includes the key actions all governments are taking right now to:
- plan and implement reforms arising from the response to the Disability Royal Commission;
- prepare for and implement a response to the NDIS Review;
- progress legislative and other changes to the NDIS to improve the experience of participants and restore the original intent of the Scheme;
- design additional Foundational Supports to support people with disability outside of the NDIS;
- review and improve Australia’s Disability Strategy.
Minister for the NDIS, Bill Shorten, said the Roadmap reflected the shared commitment of Commonwealth, state and territory governments to communicate clearly with the community about the reforms underway.
“Following the release of findings from the Disability Royal Commission and the Independent Review of the NDIS, Governments have taken time to listen, learn and reflect on all we’ve heard from the disability community to date,” Minister Shorten said.
“Governments are driving a significant set of reforms across the disability ecosystem to ensure that people with disability can access the supports and services they need to thrive.
“The Roadmap helps show how these different reforms fit together and, importantly, how people can get involved.
“We are committed to communicating regularly about the work underway and planned into the future, to ensure people know how they can get involved and help shape the ecosystem of disability supports in Australia.
“Consultation and co-design remains an important part of these reforms.
“We know that for Australians with disability and those that care for them, this has been a time of great promise and change – and also one of uncertainty.
“Today’s release of the Roadmap reflects our commitment to ensuring that we continue to work with the disability community, and the broader Australian public, as we rollout these much needed reforms to the disability support landscape.”
Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth said the Roadmap helps the community understand the progress underway in response to the Disability Royal Commission, and the further work and milestones ahead to enable change and better outcomes.
“Our work under Australia’s Disability Strategy continues to guide our efforts to make Australia a fairer, more inclusive place for people with disability,” Minister Rishworth said.
“It’s vital our work champions the rights of people with disability and ensures that they have access to high quality supports, both now and into the future.
“As we progress this vital work, we will continue to work closely with states and territories and the disability community as we strive for an improved, sustainable model of disability supports and more inclusive mainstream services. We encourage as many people as possible to get involved in the reforms.”
The Roadmap is one of the many ways the Government will communicate with the disability community about the reforms. It will be updated as more information on the reforms becomes available and in accordance with key actions and timing following meetings of the Disability Reform Ministerial Council.
For more information, visit the DSS website dss.gov.au/disability-reform.