BackWednesday, 12 July 2017
NDIS future fund: is Jay’s battery already flat?
Queensland grabs federal NDIS funding – SA lags behind
Kelly Vincent is outraged to learn the Queensland State Labor Government has negotiated access to the DisabilityCare Australia Fund (DCAF) while SA has nothing.
“Premier Jay Weatherill has been crowing from the rooftops for years that South Australia was the first state to sign up to the National Disability Insurance Scheme,” says Kelly Vincent.
“But now, Queensland, also a Labor-run state, has managed to become the first place to unlock funding through the DCAF gaining $53 million for citizens.
“Instead of working to secure some of this funding for South Australians, Premier Weatherill has conjured up a special new state-specific bank tax to shore up treasury coffers.
“South Australians have been contributing to the DCAF through their Medicare levy since 2013. Surely we have as much right to access it as Queenslanders do.
“The roll out of NDIS is more advanced here; despite being a state with a third of the population of Queensland, SA currently has two and half times the number of people with NDIS plans as Queensland does.
“But many South Australians who were eligible for NDIS plans up to a year ago are still anxiously waiting to enter the Scheme. I think they’ll be furious that our Premier hasn’t fought for the opportunity to secure more funding for our state.
“I think the Premier needs to get on the phone to the Federal Government and get access to the DCAF for our state.
“It’s time for Jay to play hardball with Federal Social Services Minister Christian Porter for the benefit our state,” said Ms Vincent.
