The next righteous LNP mission: Let's gut the NDIS

[Bunk Moreland]

Leaked laws reveal plan to kick Australians off the $22 billion NDIS

Australians with acquired brain injuries and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder could be kicked off the NDIS under secret changes the Morrison government is considering.

www.smh.com.au

The Morrison government is considering radical reforms to the $22 billion National Disability Insurance Scheme including denying funding to Australians with acquired brain injuries and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder as well as reducing avenue of appeal for participants as part of secret plans to save costs.

The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age have obtained a confidential 300-page draft of proposed legislative changes to the NDIS that includes hundreds of comments from senior decision-makers within the National Disability Insurance Agency, which administers the scheme, raising concerns over proposed changes.

How wonderful. Time for some cost savings! Those *ers with disabilities, they're costing too much!

As somebody with a family member who receives NDIS funding - as well as another family member who works in disability services - I cannot describe what a freaking godsend the NDIS was for people with needs.

The specialist therapy it has enabled this young child in my family to access is amazing. And it costs thousands and thousands per year... if this funding goes or is cut, the therapy simply will not happen (unless you're loaded and can pay for it privately, hi ho all good for the LNP campaigners and their mates! Play on!)

Parents of these kids are absolutely shitting themselves. They're devastated.

Oh and they're doing it in the wake of COVID-ravaged 2020, when many people spent less and simply had to go without because so many providers were closed, so that it looks like the full funding really isn't needed.

Oh and of course, we need a PR campaign for taking funding off the disabled. I've got it!! Let's talk publicly about how NDIS funding is used for 'sex therapists', so that the great unwashed think "it's all a rort, these bastards taking our taxpayer dollars!" I mean that's only in 0.0000000000000001% of cases. And you know, we could just chuck in a simple rule banning the use of NDIS funding for sex therapy. And play on. But no! That won't save us the billions we need to ensure Solly Lew and Gerry Harvey get their JobKeeper bonuses! We've gotta get more money out of the bloody costly disableds!

Having a child with a disability is hellish, and now parents are facing this. Burn this ******* government to the ground.

 

[Doss]

Punch down. And when you still don’t have enough money or political advantage, punch down harder.

That’s their entire ethos.

I’d like to say I’m surprised at the sheer heartlessness of this, but I’d be lying.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Punch down. And when you still don’t have enough money or political advantage, punch down harder.

That’s their entire ethos.

I’d like to say I’m surprised at the sheer heartlessness of this, but I’d be lying.

It’s just unbelievable. These people aren’t even the regular “dole bludger” types these pricks love to boot in the face. Both parents work, in good jobs, they earn okay money, they have a home and mortgage in the outer suburbs, they pay all their tax, obey the laws bla bla bla. They’re all kinds of “normal”.

Except they have a young kid with special needs. He’s a great kid, but (through no fault of his or anybody else’s) he’s got some battles ahead of him. The therapy they get is thousands per month. There’s nobody but the very rich who can afford it.

AND he’s one of the lucky ones! Because he’s got two dedicated parents at home who’ll do whatever they can (though it’s no substitute for a professional). Some kids don’t have that.

The Rudd / Gillard governments actually fixed this with the NDIS. I feel a bit like because it’s not something that touches everybody, like Medicare does, people don’t quite understand what an incredible piece of reform it was for people who really needed it.

So let’s slash it. * you, special needs kids.

 

[Caesar]

Whilst I don’t support ‘gutting the NDIS’, the fact remains that the scheme is bleeding money at a rate of knots - partially thanks to the fact that Labor never bothered to properly fund it when they set it up.

As far as I’m concerned ALP and Greens gave up any right to criticise cuts to the NDIS when they blocked the Medicare levy increase that was designed to fund it.

 

[Rob R]

Did the LNP have a meeting last year to plan how to screw up as much as possible? Either Frydo is making a move or they have money on Albo

On SM-G570F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[undefined]

the fact remains that the scheme is bleeding money at a rate of knots

Though at a much, much slower rate than the money from the collective exemptions allowed to LNP cronies.

As far as I’m concerned ALP and Greens gave up any right to criticise cuts to the NDIS when they blocked the Medicare levy increase that was designed to fund it.

They didn't block it - they were prepared to permit the levy as long as it didn't apply to lower-income earners. The levy was deemed unnecessary by the Libs before it got to the Senate anyway, so your point is moot.

 

[Caesar]

The levy was deemed unnecessary by the Libs before it got to the Senate anyway

It was ditched because the ALP and Greens vowed to block it

 

[Number37]

It's a legacy of Bill Shorten, so naturally the LNP will try to tear it down.

 

[Gough]

Maybe Jenny needs to ask Scott to think about if his daughters are even more special needs than their genetics would suggest they are.

 

[Ned_Flanders]

It's a legacy of Bill Shorten, so naturally the LNP will try to tear it down.

libs have been pulling it apart from the inside since the rollout begun

 

[campbell]

libs have been pulling it apart from the inside since the rollout begun

Sad but true.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Did the LNP have a meeting last year to plan how to screw up as much as possible? Either Frydo is making a move or they have money on Albo

On SM-G570F using BigFooty.com mobile app

This is just standard LNP stuff.

Is there enough votes in it? No

Can we contract it to one of our mates and hand them billions from the taxpayer? Obviously they mustn’t be able to.

Only other option - gut it.

 

[undefined]

It was ditched because the ALP and Greens vowed to block it

No, it was ditched because unforecast receipts to the tune of $4 billion offset the need to increase the levy.

 

[Caesar]

No, it was ditched because unforecast receipts to the tune of $4 billion offset the need to increase the levy.

That was the government’s ostensible excuse, but Albanese was happy to take credit for shutting it down

I’m surprised to see you of all people regurgitating Liberal spin!

 

[undefined]

That was the government’s ostensible excuse, but Albanese was happy to take credit for shutting it down

I’m surprised to see you of all people regurgitating Liberal spin!

Shorten & Bowen, you mean.

Their motivation concerned income tax brackets. Liberal would never have ratified a levy hike specific to their voter demographic, of course.

Perhaps that was spin, but as far as I recall, economic conditions were favourable at the time so it would be relatively low on the scale of LNP bs.

 

[Caesar]

Shorten & Bowen, you mean.

Sorry, brain fade

Shorten crowed about it amounting to Labor delivering an effective tax cut

A bit rich that he lumbered Australia with a huge unfunded scheme in government, then proceeded to block attempts to pay for it in opposition

 

[Nikita Blue]

Just when you think they can't go any lower. Morally bankrupt bunch of campaigners masquerading as righteous.

 

[undefined]

Sorry, brain fade

Shorten crowed about it amounting to Labor delivering an effective tax cut

A bit rich that he lumbered Australia with a huge unfunded scheme in government, then proceeded to block attempts to pay for it in opposition

Evidently some yardage between our definitions of 'blocking' in this instance.

 

[Ned_Flanders]

Just when you think they can't go any lower. Morally bankrupt bunch of campaigners masquerading as righteous.

Don't you know, people with disabilities need to stop being lazy parasites and contribute.

 

[cartwright]

This govt is happy to * up $1.2 BILLION in robodebt

Just shrug when the likes of Gerry Harvey take what he didn’t need

never ever reform something like franking credits costing $6 billion a year

But people with acquired brain damage, or kids with special needs just cost too much

bunch of campaigners.

 

[cartwright]

arrogant prick

 

[Caesar]

He makes a fair point though

 

[Gough]

It's Stuey Roberts though, a man incompetent and nasty enough to make this all plausible. If the Libs didn't have plenty of form for this there wouldn't be so much concern.

 

[cartwright]

He makes a fair point though

the people who will be affected should know what this govt intentions are.

 

[Caesar]

the people who will be affected should know what this govt intentions are.

If that is their intention... early drafts of bills are often unrecognisable compared to what is eventually presented to parliament

I do think it is reasonable for governments to expect they can make early drafts of legislation behind closed doors - being able to workshop a full range of options without fear of how they will play politically is a crucial element that helps with formulating good law

Personally I’ll withhold judgement until I see the proposed legislation