States blindsided by Butler's plans for new scheme for autistic children
The federal government stands to save up to $100 billion over the next decade if Butler can contain growth in the NDIS to 5 per cent a year, as he flagged on Wednesday, in part by delivering a new 'Thriving Kids' support scheme for children who have otherwise flocked to the insurance scheme.
But curbing costs of the NDIS, which grew by 10.2 per cent last financial year, will rely on state governments matching Butler's urgency in rolling out the new system for children with developmental delays and mild or moderate autism across Medicare, schools, childcare and playgroups by the middle of 2027.
As Butler on Thursday moved to assure nervous parents that their children would not lose out under his plans, state governments distanced themselves from the new system that will require them to collectively stump up $2 billion over the next four years, to be matched by the Commonwealth.
NSW Premier Chris Minns said he was not going to sign a blank cheque or 'commit sight unseen, but we will commit to working with the Commonwealth government to have a sustainable disability support program'.
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Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said there had been ongoing discussions about challenges delivering the NDIS, but that 'like many states and territories, we heard about the proposed changes from the federal government when the minister made his address yesterday'.
'I'll leave it to the federal government to answer questions on the way they've made this announcement,' she said.
A Tasmanian government spokesman said the Commonwealth was 'yet to provide details on how this will actually work', and Queensland also claimed to have been left in the dark.
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