On the 25^th of October 2022, the Australian Government released the 2022-23 Federal Budget. Here’s what you need to know.

Funding for the NDIS

The NDIS supports Australians living with a significant and permanent disability and has been in  operation for nearly ten years. It is funded mainly by the federal government but each state must also contribute to its upkeep.

In the 2022-23 Federal budget, the Labour government promised $166.6 billion dollars over the next four years to provide funding for new and existing participants.

But that $166.6 billion isn’t a limit. The government will continue to contribute to the NDIS budget to meet its commitments. This means that you’re not going to be cut off from your plan  – the NDIS cannot ‘run out’ of money.

However, the government is taking measures to reduce the costs of the NDIS – which is not as scary as it seems.

Securing the NDIS

The government is committed to securing the future of the NDIS – this means making sure that it is sustainable and can continue to be funded. There are a few measures that the government is taking to ensure this is possible.

–          It is contributing $18 million to reviewing the NDIS over the next two years. The Minister of the NDIS, Mr Bill Shorten, has reassured that this isn’t about “a razor gang and cost cutting”, but to focus on improving the efficiency of the scheme. This might change how the NDIS operates – but the finer details are yet to come out.

–          It is also spending $126 million on a taskforce to target fraud by NDIS providers. The taskforce estimates that it will recover $292 million, which would go back into funding the NDIS.

–          Finally, the government has also put in $30 million to reduce the Administrative Appeals Tribunal backlog This means that people making an appeal will be seen sooner.

The NDIS is one of the biggest expenses in the Federal Budget, so it’s good to see the government reaffirming its commitment while also taking steps to ensure it’s future.