National Disability Discrimination Commissioner Rosemary Kayess is calling on the Australian Government to fully address concerns raised by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights (PJCHR) about proposed changes to the NDIS Act and make public its response.
The PJCHR findings reflect our concerns that the cumulative impact of these changes could amount to an interference or regression on the rights of people with disability in Australia.
'The NDIS was designed to allow people with disability to live independently and participate fully in the community - to give them support to make choices and have control over their lives. The proposed amendments risk these supports and the full inclusion of people with disability in society,' Commissioner Kayess said.
'In announcing these changes, the Minister for Disability claimed that the NDIS is one of Australia's greatest human rights achievements. And yet, the changes proposed in the Bill strip back the human rights underpinning the scheme.'
In its submission to the Senate inquiry in May, the Commission raised serious concerns about the Bill's potential human rights impacts. These include reduced access to supports, reduced choice, control and individualisation, and a return to an outdated view that disability is a medical problem to be treated and a cost to be managed. The changes would make it harder for people with disability to get the support they need to live independently as part of the community with a good quality of life.
The PJCHR has now asked the Minister for Disability, Hon Mark Butler, to provide further information on how the proposed measures align with Australia's human rights commitments under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
'The Government must be clear about how they are considering and protecting human rights with NDIS reform,' Commissioner Kayess said.
'They must ensure that the human rights principles which underscored the design of the NDIS are not lost. We look forward to the Minister's response to the Committee's findings.'
Read about the Commission's submission to the Inquiry into the NDIS Bill amendments.
Read the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights' assessment.
