After a decade of corner cutting by the Coalition, the Community and Public
Sector Union (CPSU) today welcomes the Albanese Labor Government's
announcement of a much-needed reboot of the National Disability Insurance
Scheme (NDIS).
The reboot, which was announced in a National Press Club address by
Minister Bill Shorten, includes increases to public service staffing
numbers, bringing the NDIA call centre in-house, investing in staff
capability and addressing the high rates of labour hire use and staff
turnover.
The CPSU has been actively campaigning for these measures and is pleased to
see that the Minister and the Government have not only listened to our
concerns but acted.
This reboot will go a long way towards creating a workplace that values
employees, which in turn will deliver a better scheme for participants and
their families.
Putting people with disability at the heart of the NDIA and ensuring that
it becomes a model employer for people with disability is essential to
improving outcomes for participants. We know that insecure work, poor
culture and lack of support and progression within NDIA has a
disproportionate impact on staff with disability and this needs to change.
The CPSU looks forward to continuing to work closely with our members in
the NDIA and the Government to ensure that the NDIA has the staffing and
capability to ensure the best outcomes for participants.
Quotes attributable to Beth Vincent-Pietsch, CPSU Deputy Secretary:
“After the former Coalition Government cut as many corners as they could
with the NDIA, a reboot is desperately needed, for the sake of both
employees and participants.
“This is a big ship to turn around, with labour hire use at an all-time
high, but we look forward to working with the NDIA and the Government to
increase APS staffing levels as well as give those workers on insecure
labour hire and outsourced contracts the opportunity of secure, ongoing APS
employment.
“CPSU members who work in the scheme know its potential but have been
frustrated by rampant outsourcing and increasing rates of labour hire, that
have led to high rates of staff turnover, poor workplace morale and
inevitable consequences on service delivery to people with disability and
their families.
“Our members in the NDIA work there because they believe in the scheme and
the potential it has to transform people’s lives.
“Since the change in Government, Minister Shorten has worked closely with
the CPSU and our members to identify what needed to change and how to
change it.
“The NDIA can and must be a better employer and an employer of choice for
people with disability if it is to realise its potential and deliver for
participants. This has certainly not been the case in recent years and CPSU
members with lived experience of disability have been raising areas where
the agency must lift its game. We look forward to continuing to work with
the Minister and the agency to ensure that this reboot achieves what it
needs to.
Media Contact: Tori McGregor 0429 000 620