6 December, 2012
COMMONWEALTH-NEW SOUTH WALES NDIS AGREEMENT
The Federal Coalition welcomes the agreement today between the Commonwealth and New South Wales Governments for a full state-wide rollout of the National Disability Insurance Scheme by 2018.
Today’s agreement shows what can be achieved when the Federal Government adopts a constructive attitude in negotiations with the States rather than the adversarial approach of the last COAG meeting.
NSW has achieved what they had sought at COAG. If the Commonwealth had taken a more positive approach this agreement could have been achieved sooner.
Premier Barry O’Farrell and Minister Andrew Constance are to be congratulated for insisting on the Productivity Commission’s funding blueprint.
The Coalition has supported the Productivity Commission’s original work, the one billion dollars in the last budget, the five launch sites, the legislation and now today’s agreement.
The Coalition calls on the Federal Government to build upon today’s agreement and put partisanship aside and accept Tony Abbott’s offer for a joint parliamentary committee chaired by both sides of politics to oversee the implementation of the NDIS with Government and Opposition working together.