- By: sienna
- Nov 4
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On the 25th 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.