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I’m still waiting on Rebecca’s response to my email.

NDIA SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEIR ONGOING UNETHICAL CONDUCT TO GATEKEEP ACCESS TO THE SCHEME FOR THOSE IN NEED FOR THE PURPOSES OF CUTTING SPENDING. THESE ARE REAL PEOPLES LIVES YOU ARE DESTROYING.

Why does the NDIS continue to support the group home model? We got rid of institutions 40 years ago and replaced them with smaller ones that are now owned privately rather than government. My son is in his own place but NDIS will not fully support it and he has a short fall in his funding which we have to cover despite our increasing incapacity as we age. Come on NDIS you can do better.

What i want to know is should my ndis funding pay for my helpers lunch breaks cos thats whats happening

just spent 60 minites inputing 7 individual claims into the new NDIS portal. Dates, ABN no's, scanning/uploading copies of each invoice ($5 to $633), company names, services rendered, etc., etc. And the biggest joke is that the Feds/NDIS think that his will curb the rorting !! BTW, where do I send the invoice for my time?

The fact that you have taken psychology support away from my son after 2 years of funding it is absolutely appalling. Who on earth decided that people with serious psychosocial disabilities need support workers more than a psychologist?! We have always done the right thing by the NDIS and this is just a massive kick in the guts and may potentially cost my son his life.

Hi can you please share with me the list of services unregistered providers can offer? Thanks

No mention of addressing the ISW issue.

So every participant will have to be assessed again to find which categories they fit.

11 years - that includes3 years of trial period. Theres been at least 3 major reviews in that time. 7 years of running under exactly what she describes - amount of funding and time frame have always been spelt out. Feedback I’m loathe to give having experienced negative kickback from it being shared to a planner who made incorrect assumptions. Cutting funding to the NACBO organisations is not listening to what pwd need and want. These organisations have always been life saving, providing resources, education and personnel to assist pwd to live lives as ordinary as possible.

What I want to know with the more flexibility to purchase does the receipt/invoice still have to have an ABN on it. I purchased my glasses from America because that is where I could find the glasses for light sensitivity (I don't know if they exist in Australia but was being told that there is no research to show that they make a difference, which doesn't make sense as they are automatic for someone with albinism, but for some reason it is thought that they are the only people who can have light sensitivity) to find out that I couldn't claim them because no ABN.

Something that really gets me with the narrative of that if they are NDIS approved that means that they have been verified. Being NDIS approved just means that they (the organisation, occasionally an individual) has filled in the paperwork (which includes a course on handwashing regardless of what service it is that they are going to provide) and paid the processing fee (which came in when that was outsourced). NDIS doesn't do any visits to make sure what was on the paperwork is reflected in the organisation or that their employees are actually capable of doing the work that they are hired for.

When you were talking about supporting one diagnosis and not another I remember when they were telling people who are AuDHD that they support autism but not ADHD and so they needed to work out which parts were being caused by autism and which by ADHD because they could only list the autism ones. That shows how they don't understand how they symptoms overlap but also I have seen it in writing that the reason that they keep saying that they don't support ADHD is because the recommended treatment for it is medication and therapy that they believe should be accessed through the 10 Medicare sessions. This means that they also don't fundamentally understand what ADHD actually is or what it is possible to achieve if you are seeing someone once every 6 weeks (unless they think that if you see someone once a week for 10 weeks that it will be all sorted).

It's not anxiety, it's justified concern and fear in the face of relentless abuse, goal post shifting, gaslighting, withholding of life affirming supports and casual eugenics. The fact that Rebecca calls it anxiety is quite ableist and sickening, and shows her lack of understanding and concern.

I’m autistic reducing my anxiety is a primary goal for me ..I love massages & float tank they really wk for me . Living on dsp I can’t afford either but ndis could help me to acess these therapies.

Ndis & ndia both insist on extensive & expensive reports from specialists ie O/T report is $2000 but there is no one employed (VIA SERCO ) in either agency who is qualified to read ,interpret & apply the report to funding !

Great interview as always

With respect, this is not rocket science. The NDIS is a Funding Authority. Assessments should outline Benefits first. This provides participants the opportunity to outline to the NDIS and taxpayer the personal/financial/non financial/economic benefits lthat will be realised from funds spent. For example, I will benefit the taxpayer by developing my participation in the Community rather than spending more time in a mental health ward which is far more costly. Government and taxpayer understand this data, not that you spent $40 billion a year. Measure benefits realised. This will drive the appropriate level of funding for participants and will prevent providers committing fraud. Do you understand?

Participants might not over use their funds if the NDIS listened to participants and funded what they needed.

Read through the lists on the website. There seems to be lots of room for interpretation and loop holes even. Can’t see how much is going to change really.

Hi George, I was wondering in the context of Rebecca suggesting to get in touch with her if we want to provide feedback etc how we can get in contact with Rebecca?

I think a lot of these changes were needed. But some wernt. Not sure what they mean buy tellingbus how long our funds last that's always been the case.

I hope you've read your emails Rebecca since this whole thing began and you decide to turn up on screen now? 😢 where have you been when transitional rules were written maybe you would have given this speech to the lawyers youre funding with public money?

The NDIS is becoming very clear they are funding ONLY imparements that one is LISTED on the scheme for. Why is the NDIS making it soooo difficult to find out what one is on the scheme for? With mental health challenges, I had very little to do with the initial application, it all being done by supports around me at the time. I have no documentation. I fear whats coming because I dont know what I'm funded for. My disability is integrated with my mental health diagnosis. How do I apply a list? Why are the NDIS waiting to tell participants their impairment notice ? I fear that many are going to come to the functional assessment period and find out they've been funded for one impairment, and not others. Why not tell us as soon as possible ? Its hard enough to get an OT now. Imagine what its going to be like once these imparement notices come out and MUST be challenged because they're wrong. The way I understand it, things will be removed as supports until they can be "added imparements". Thats going to mean loss of support, then OT report, then submission, then probably plan review for funding. Months could go by without supports one needs because the imparement list is incorrect. Is there going to be a grace period to collate reports etc, who's going to pay for those reports because the imparement notice is wrong, and, will finding be pulled until its correct if one is mid plan ? Not looking forward to this at all.

Please add subtitles to your videos for those of us who need them.

My doctor told me I should quit my job and apply for DSP instead of trying to apply for NDIS. I just need support to be able to keep working 😕. I anticipate a long fight based on what I’ve seen in ndis support groups 😢

I do hope that general handyman type services for odd jobs and gardening are still covered. I have a guy doing this stuff but he doesn’t do big repairs, plumbing or electrical work as these are not covered. I also hope that the support needs assessment won’t focus on functioning capacity from an occupational therapist view as this seems to be about justifying the type of support needed. Finally, I hope existing participants don’t have to go through the same justifications and access requirements as people who are entering the scheme. It’s insulting to have to answer the same questions as a new participant every time a plan is up for review and explain what you can and cannot do, along with your disability. All we should have to do is state whether or not our disability has changed, and if any other relevant circumstances have changed. All other information should be on the system and can be looked up. Oh yeah, I almost forgot to mention that awful use it or your budget will be reduced next time policy that nobody talks about.

There's a big difference to anxiety levels between being able hear the intention behind the NDIS changes Vrs lists on a web page where some might apply and most doesn't. Specifically the comments about substitution supports. I did not know how that area worked when I tried reading it vrs Rebecca's passionate and sincere response. DR George and Rebecca Thanks for this great interview its helped me a lot.

Is anyone thinking about the rights of the tax payer ? ? ? ? by a green politician . . . HELL NO!

As a tax payer, you don't have a right to continually help yourselves to more and more of my money. It may come as a shock, but I and my family needs money too.

Scammers are very innovative.

Prevention is always better than cure. - Patient confidentiality stops medical doctors from initiating investigations into workplaces where physical or psychological injuries have occurred. - How would you know Labor are worried about the truth, if you do not know the truth ? When John Howard was Prime Minister at around Y2K, there was a fatality among the workers on Melbourne CBD construction sites about every ten days. Australia's industrial safety laws had become risk-based instead of prescriptive in all jurisdictions ten years earlier, Howard went after the disability pensioners and sent the Cole Royal Commision to Melbourne on a witch hunt. When the Royal Commission was in Melbourne, they found three construction unions cooperating to perform job safety analyses, prior to work. The fatalities had ceased. It was an unfunded productivity gain. However Justice Cole was not there to find out good things about unions. Labor's misinformation bill might mark the beginning of the end for manipulative media deceit. Our media should report the news - NOT create it! Rupert Murdoch is a danger to democracy - no one person other than the Governor General should have that much power. - 'Privatise the profits and socialise the costs' ?

Prevention is always better than cure. - Patient confidentiality stops medical doctors from initiating investigations into workplaces where physical or psychological injuries have occurred. - How would you know Labor are worried about the truth, if you do not know the truth ? When John Howard was Prime Minister at around Y2K, there was a fatality among the workers on Melbourne CBD construction sites about every ten days. Australia's industrial safety laws had become risk-based instead of prescriptive in all jurisdictions ten years earlier, Howard went after the disability pensioners and sent the Cole Royal Commision to Melbourne on a witch hunt. When the Royal Commission was in Melbourne, they found three construction unions cooperating to perform job safety analyses, prior to work. The fatalities had ceased. It was an unfunded productivity gain. However Justice Cole was not there to find out good things about unions. Labor's misinformation bill might mark the beginning of the end for manipulative media deceit. Our media should report the news - NOT create it! Rupert Murdoch is a danger to democracy - no one person other than the Governor General should have that much power. - 'Privatise the profits and socialise the costs' ?

Patient confidentiality stops medical doctors from initiating investigations into workplaces where physical or psychological injuries have occurred. - How would you know Labor are worried about the truth, if you do not know the truth ? When John Howard was Prime Minister at around Y2K, there was a fatality among the workers on Melbourne CBD construction sites about every ten days. Australia's industrial safety laws had become risk-based instead of prescriptive in all jurisdictions ten years earlier, Howard went after the disability pensioners and sent the Cole Royal Commision to Melbourne on a witch hunt. When the Royal Commission was in Melbourne, they found three construction unions cooperating to perform job safety analyses, prior to work. The fatalities had ceased. It was an unfunded productivity gain. However Justice Cole was not there to find out good things about unions. Labor's misinformation bill might mark the beginning of the end for manipulative media deceit. Our media should report the news - NOT create it! Rupert Murdoch is a danger to democracy - no one person other than the Governor General should have that much power. - 'Privatise the profits and socialise the costs' ?

Patient confidentiality stops medical doctors from initiating investigations into workplaces where physical or psychological injuries have occurred. - How would you know Labor are worried about the truth, if you do not know the truth ? When John Howard was Prime Minister at around Y2K, there was a fatality among the workers on Melbourne CBD construction sites about every ten days. Australia's industrial safety laws had become risk-based instead of prescriptive in all jurisdictions ten years earlier, Howard went after the disability pensioners and sent the Cole Royal Commision to Melbourne on a witch hunt. When the Royal Commission was in Melbourne, they found three construction unions cooperating to perform job safety analyses, prior to work. The fatalities had ceased. It was an unfunded productivity gain. However Justice Cole was not there to find out good things about unions. Labor's misinformation bill might mark the beginning of the end for manipulative media deceit. Our media should report the news - NOT create it! Rupert Murdoch is a danger to democracy - no one person other than the Governor General should have that much power. - 'Privatise the profits and socialise the costs' ?

When John Howard was Prime Minister at around Y2K, there was a fatality among the workers on Melbourne CBD construction sites about every ten days. Australia's industrial safety laws had become risk-based instead of prescriptive in all jurisdictions ten years earlier Howard went after the disability pensioners and sent the Cole Royal Commision to Melbourne on a witch hunt. When the Royal Commission was in Melbourne, they found three construction unions cooperating to perform job safety analyses, prior to work. The fatalities had ceased. It was an unfunded productivity gain. However Justice Cole was not there to find out good things about unions. Labor's misinformation bill might mark the beginning of the end for manipulative media deceit. Our media should report the news - NOT create it! Rupert Murdoch is a danger to democracy - no one person other than the Governor General should have that much power.

Thank you Sam, intro having our backs thank you

It would be good to know how this has worked for severely disabled people who need transfers ect

Great podcast George and great timing with the release of the context of the recent Grattan Institute report, Better, safer, more sustainable: How to reform NDIS housing and support (by Sam Bennett and Hannah Orban). Interesting to hear some more details about the options being proposed by Grattan - housemate and host family arrangements. It would be good to hear from participants about their experience of these options compared to living in group homes; to read some evaluation of these options and; talk about the safeguards that are in place to ensure participants' rights are upheld.

Why is the SDA funding going to pay-off mortgages of folk without disability. It would be mymuch more economical for our SDA funding oaying off houses that actually suit us. We are meant to have the same rights as able people yet we don't. Semi supports sounds like a con.

I'm proud of both of you. I very much appreciate that you both put yourselves out there. We all must be brave and get out in the world rather than be comfortable with self-segregation. If you guys with your profound challenges can do it, then we all should try a bit harder because it's good for us, our loved ones, and the community. Thank you both!

I live in WA in a Department of Community Disability Housing. I am unable to safely use my kitchen due to Spinabifida and balance issues. WA Government didn't join up to the National Minimum Standards for Disability Housing saying that it would "cost to much". My property has lino directly on the concrete slab. I have constantly been asking Housing to at the very least change the flooring throughout the house to non slip. Dr George, I was wondering if I could please provide me your contact details I would really like to pick your brain on this and other disability housing issues.

This was a fantastic episode. Loved hearing about the people's stories and so wish this kind of thing was available for people with psychosocial disability instead of just people with intellectual disability. About three years ago i tried to start getting ILO, when I first entered the scheme. i got told that people with mental health issues aren't allowed to have overnight support through the scheme. These kinds of support ls would be so brilliant for me. Especially the option of shared equity loan so i could own my own place and get a ling term housemate for support. One of the hardest things is not having consistency of support people in my life. It makes me pull away from getting half the support i actually need to live a good life. I think the NDIS need to stop changing the goalposts on people so that certainty of ongoing funds can be reliable if you work to set this stuff up.

I'm curious how participants were even able to get gambling, guns, and alcohol approved in the first place. I'd like to know who at the NDIA looks at the INVOICES submitted for things like gambling, guns or alcohol and says to themselves "Yeah, this gun/bottle of vodka/gambling spree is both resonable and neccessary for this participant to manage their disability. I approve of this." That is more of an issue with administration staff within the NDIA - not the participant.

thank you so much for this discussion. I haven't heard any analysis yet on the replacement of support coordination with navigators. This is more complex than saying "coordinators or navigators or what ever you call this system". Navigators and specialised navigators will be (indirectly) paid by the Agency to the Partners In The Community. That means that navigators are controlled by the Agency and caseloads are massive. There will be no choice as to who participants want to work with or the intensity of their workload. Coordinators are chosen and paid for by the participants themselves. This is a huge difference and will have a big impact on plans, funding and the understanding how to navigate a system that is so complex. A good coordinator finds the right supports for the specific needs of their client and will make sure that everyone works together to achieve the goals in the plan. I am really concerned that this will create more gaps in the supports provided and creates a class system where participants who are able to advocate for themselves and have an understanding how to get the best out of a plan reassessment meeting are advantaged over the people who need more support to achieve this than a specialised navigator has to offer.

We have already been labelled as taking advantage, why can we as participants have more control over our own daily expenses and if you blow it you blow it are indemnified and given help to manage their funds. 8mnths to sort out a line item number to get othotics is absolutely disgraceful with a degenerative disability. Have to pay 600 for a usb charger we could get off ebay for 15bucks n installed by a local tradespeople. So much assessments for bit of AT that able people can get without the actual need turning them into "fashion" even the fact glasses frames are a fashion accessory, the lenses medical even if your visual impairment is part related to degenerative disability. The last thing is why do we need a full plan review just to change wording ndia have stuffed up.

Smart watch preventing Sam’s son from ending up in quite a traumatic experience at emergency has a huge Knock on effect. Leading Sam’s son to never want to return to another ER visit.

Empowerment through technology. Great example of why smart watches should not be in the out list.

Thank you so much George, Sam and Chris, most grateful

The smart watch example is brilliant! My autistic young adults also struggle with communicating their injuries and trusting medical staff they don’t know.