12 December, 2012
QUEENSLAND LAYS FOUNDATIONS FOR NDIS
Premier Campbell Newman and Disabilities Minister Tracy Davis are to be congratulated for their persistence in seeking a deal on the NDIS with the Commonwealth in the face of constant misrepresentation by Julia Gillard and Jenny Macklin.
Premier Newman and Minister Davis have made clear since election to office that they are strong supporters of the NDIS and wanted to be part of a full national roll out.
Queensland inherited significant under funding of disability services from the Beattie-Bligh Government and Premier Newman indicated at the July COAG his determination to lift Queensland’s disability spending as budget repair occurred.
While Queensland is not hosting a launch site the State is already rolling out its own initiative Your Life Your Choice in preparation for an NDIS. It is important to note that the Productivity Commission never envisaged every jurisdiction hosting a formal NDIS launch site and the absence of one was never a bar to participation in a full national roll out.
The letter today from Premier Newman to Prime Minister Gillard outlining new Queensland disabilities funding of $868 million and confirming readiness to be part of a full NDIS roll out represents the dividend of good budget management by Treasurer Tim Nicholls.
I hope the Commonwealth continues its new found constructive approach towards the states demonstrated in the agreement last week with New South Wales.
Queensland has provided the opportunity for the Prime Minister to demonstrate that she can again rise above politics on the NDIS as Premier Newman has done.