NDIS Apartments Coming to Newcastle CBD

BY ALICE PEART

Newcastle West will soon be home to twenty new NDIS approved apartments which will feature wider door frames, hoist infrastructure and bump rails, as well as the latest technology in touch and voice activation. 

Due to lack of suitable housing across Australia 5,905 people under sixty-five with a disability live in aged-care facilities. 

Since March 2017 the NDIS has pushed to remedy the significant gap in the market for specialist disability accommodation with annual recurring funding of $700 million to users who, critically, have control over where they use they live; creating competition for developers. 

Now in an Australia first, development company Thirdi Group has secured wheelchair accessible vehicles to be permanently available for residents of their Newcastle NDIS apartments. 

Purchasing an apartment will also include three-years worth of credit to use with the GoGet carshare service, allowing residents to effectively use the service for free for a number of years and discounted thereafter. 

The vehicles will also be available to the wider public at a standard fare. 

Labor Roundtable on Regional Services

BY ALICE PEART

Labor representatives met at a Paterson community center today for a roundtable discussion with community members and professionals to identify problems in regional services across the Hunter.

The discussion covered housing, education and health services but predominately focussed on problems with the rollout of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

Shadow Minister for Regional Services Jason Clare said it was about sitting down with the community to hear about what's working with the NDIS, and what's not.

The roundtable reportedly heard from one woman who had her funding cut by 90 percent and other community members who feel they still cannot access adequate support despite the scheme.

Paterson MP Meryl Swanson said people are frustrated and are becoming fearful for the future,

"Particularly out in the regions because we don't always have the level of service you might have in the metropolitan area".

The Shadow Minister said while Labor is in opposition his role is to shine a light on the problems and spend the next three years forming policy.

"Despair" Expressed at Raymond Terrace NDIS Meeting

BY JARROD MELMETH

Disability Services organisations and NDIS participants have taken part in a roundtable at Raymond Terrace to discuss the privatisation of the NSW Government's disability agency.

NDIS participants and their families raised concerns regarding inadequate funding in supports and services while providers said demand for their services is outstripping their capacity.

Acting Shadow Minister for Disability Services Kate Washington said the discussions shed further light on the complex issues facing the sector.

"There was a lot of frustration, a lot of concern and indeed despair," she said.

The Labor MP believes there's a significant risk of market failure emerging, as providers find it difficult to remain financially viable.

The roundtable comes as the NSW Government holds a Parliamentary Inquiry into the rollout of the NDIS and its impact of local services.

Around 50 people including carers, disabled and non-disabled community members have also rallied in Newcastle's Civic Park today, calling for funding to be restored to the system.

Privatisation Of Disability Services Could Affect The Hunter

BY ARIANA GATTI

The NSW State Government has this week, finalised the move to fully privatise disability services previously available across the State and the Hunter.

The full privatisation will restrict the availability of support services for not only those living with a disability but also for their carers.

The State Government has utilised the roll-out of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) as an excuse to shut down all available government-run disability services, with NSW going through with this move alone.

No other state across the country has followed suit in a move to privatise their disability support, fearing the impact it may have on their populations.

Throughout NSW, including the Hunter area, it is approximated that more than 80% of people living with disabilities will not be eligible for NDIS plans anyway.

NSW Labor has recently secured an inquiry into the execution of the NDIS and the provision of support services, with submissions from individuals and support providers now being actively sought after.

Shadow Minister for the Hunter, Kate Washington, says people are suffering and will continue to feel the pressures from the level of support now available.

"Under the heartless Berejiklian-Barilaro Government, there are no safeguards and there is no safety net. The most vulnerable people in our communities are falling through the cracks and there's no-one to catch them".

"We're seeing early intervention services having to close their doors, along with people with complex and profound disabilities are being evicted from their accommodation. This is a situation that is almost in crisis", she says.

Image Sourced: https://www.theherald.com.au/story/4947589/mp-kate-anchors-in-port-stephens/

Participants Voice NDIS Concerns

BY GRACE LANCASTER

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is still causing debate in the Hunter, with a number of parliamentary representatives voicing concerns yesterday.

The briefing session hosted by the Assistant Minister for Disability Services at Parliment House, came in the wake of the latest quarterly report indicating a significant jump in complaints about the scheme.

Paterson MP, Meryl Swanson, was an attendee yesterday, voicing concern for the scheme's staffing cap.

"We need more people providing planning. We need more people as providers themselves of services and we need better training of everyone involved in the NDIS, and we just need more streamlining."

Despite the prevalence of complaints, Ms Swanson is confident of the scheme's importance.

"The NDIS has helped a lot of people and it is a positive thing and that's why we need to get it right", she said.

"We can't allow it to falter the way it is at the moment."

Paterson MP, Meryl Swanson

Cuts To The NDIS Reversed

BY OLIVIA PORTELL

The state government have today reversed cuts to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), instead announcing a $26 million dollar boost for disability advocacy services.

The money is hoped to improve the transition for people moving into new support arrangments.

The announcement has been welcomed by the Hunter's Community Disability Alliance and comes after 60 Novocastrians gathered in March to secure better services.

Disability Services Minister, Ray Williams says the funding comes in response to community outcry.

"We recognise that NSW is well ahead of the curb and that currently there are 84 thousand people in NSW that are currently accessing the NDIS, but we want to make sure that nobody is left behind."

David Belcher from the Community Disability Alliance Hunter says it's fantastic the government has finally listened to the people. 

"The fact that the state government has finally come to its sense and seen that disability advocacy is important for its community and is something that should be funded into the future is a credit to those involved in the Stand By Me campaign," he says.

"I'm just incredibly happy that these groups support some of the most marginalised and vulnerable people in our society will have their funding guaranteed till 2020."

Newcastle MP slams new disability arrangements for NSW

BY LAUREN FREEMANTLE

Federal Member for Newcastle, Sharon Claydon is accusing the state government of shirking its responsibility to provide disability advocacy funding following the rollout of the NDIS.

It comes after Novocastrians gathered on Hunter Street on Friday to rally against the $13 million-dollar funding cut, set to hit in July.

Community Disability Alliance Hunter is one of around 50 services which will suffer under the new arrangements.

Sharon Claydon said the NSW government has used the NDIS as a replacement for advocacy funding, but the two aren't comparable.

"They've turned to the Commonwealth and said, 'when it comes to disability, we are cost-shifting all services to the federal government,' but the problem with that is," she explained, "they leave everyone who's outside the parameters of the NDIS scheme without anything.

"It's more than a problem, it is a fundamental betrayal," Ms Claydon said.

She said regional areas like the Hunter will be affected the most, as there are fewer services available in the area.

Friday's rally on Hunter Street. Image: The Herald.