Independent senator David Pocock and the Greens have delivered scathing assessments of Labor's proposed NDIS overhaul, warning it goes 'too far, too fast' in a final Senate inquiry report as the bill appears set to pass parliament as early as next week.
Key facts
- Crossbenchers criticised the Albanese government's NDIS overhaul as going 'too far, too fast'.
- The changes aim to curb the growth of the $52bn program.
- The NDIS supports more than 770,000 Australians with disabilities.
- The bill appears set to pass parliament as early as next week.
- The Greens and independent ACT senator David Pocock issued the assessments in a final Senate inquiry report released Friday afternoon.
Crossbench senators have condemned the Albanese government’s proposed overhaul of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), describing the changes as going “too far, too fast”, according to the Guardian. The reforms, aimed at curbing the growth of the $52bn program, appear set to pass parliament as early as next week.
The Greens and independent ACT senator David Pocock delivered scathing assessments of the bill in a final Senate inquiry report released on Friday afternoon, the Guardian reported. They warn the changes will enable blunt and indiscriminate cuts to individual budgets.
The NDIS currently supports more than 770,000 Australians with disabilities. Critics fear the proposed reforms could reduce the individual budgets that fund those supports.
The Greens argued that Labor’s reform is set to “rip life-changing supports away from disabled people instead of raising additional revenue through taxing gas exports”, according to the Guardian.
Despite the crossbench criticism, the bill appears likely to advance through parliament in the coming days, with the government pursuing measures intended to control the scheme’s rising costs.
The Senate inquiry report represents the formal position of the crossbenchers and Greens ahead of the anticipated vote.
Why it matters
The NDIS is a major public program supporting more than 770,000 Australians with disabilities, and any changes to its funding directly affect the daily lives and independence of participants. The dispute highlights a broader debate over how to manage the growing cost of the scheme while protecting the supports people rely on.
Frequently asked questions
How many people does the NDIS support?
According to the Guardian, the NDIS supports more than 770,000 Australians with disabilities.
Why are crossbenchers opposed to the NDIS changes?
The Greens and senator David Pocock warn the bill will enable blunt and indiscriminate cuts to individual budgets, describing the overhaul as going 'too far, too fast'.
When could the bill pass?
The Guardian reports the changes appear set to pass parliament as early as next week.