Australia: PWDA Calls For Clarity And Inclusion Following Delays To Foundational Supports Rollout
People with Disability Australia, the national peak representative and advocacy body, is calling on the Federal Government to provide greater clarity and to consult more closely with people with disability, following the announcement that the rollout of foundational supports – scheduled to begin on 1 July 2025 – will be delayed.
Foundational supports are designed for people with disability who are not eligible for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). They are especially relevant for Autistic children and people with psychosocial disability.
The delay has created uncertainty in the community about when and how these essential supports will become available.
PWDA President Trinity Ford said that while the disability community understands the complexity of implementing this reform, and the need to get it right from the start, it is critical that all people with disability are brought along and involved.
'Many people with disability who are not eligible for the NDIS still have real and ongoing support needs,' Ms Ford said.
'These foundational supports will hopefully create a more inclusive and equal network of disability supports. But delays and uncertainty around the rollout's details, timelines and co-design means people with disability are still waiting – unsupported and without answers.'
PWDA emphasises that early intervention and accessible community-based supports are key to improving long-term outcomes for people with disability, particularly those who have historically fallen through the cracks of service systems.
'We're calling on the Government to communicate transparently about next steps and to ensure people with lived experience of disability are at the centre of future planning,' Ms Ford said.
'It's vital that the design and rollout of these supports reflect the diversity of our community – including people with psychosocial disability, children with developmental concerns, and others who are not being serviced by the NDIS.'
PWDA welcomes the Government's ongoing commitment to disability reform and stands ready to work collaboratively to ensure foundational supports are implemented in a way that is timely, inclusive, and sustainable.
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