2 May, 2013
ABC Radio National Drive
With Jonathan Green
2 May 2013
6:10pm
E & OE
Subjects: National Disability Insurance Scheme
JONATHAN GREEN:
Senator Mitch Fifield is the Shadow Minister for Disabilities, Carers and the Voluntary Sector. Senator Fifield, good evening.
MITCH FIFIELD:
Good evening Jonathan.
JONATHAN GREEN:
Now the legislation will be brought to the Parliament. That is in accordance with what the Coalition asked for. That’s going to happen after the budget. Can you say definitely that the Coalition will vote for the legislation lifting the Medicare levy?
MITCH FIFIELD:
Jonathan, we’re looking for ways to see the NDIS become a reality. We’re not looking to be difficult. We’re looking to make this happen. And that’s why Tony said this morning that we’re prepared to consider an increase in the Medicare levy. But there is a little more information that we are seeking from the Prime Minister about how she will fund the balance of the scheme. Because the levy as she proposes only covers about 40% of the cost of a full NDIS. And we also think it’s time that the Prime Minister released the full details as to who will be in and who will be out of the scheme.
JONATHAN GREEN:
What’s your bar there? In terms of how the balance is going to be funded. Yes there is quite a gap left in the funding of the NDIS. What are you looking for in those arrangements?
MITCH FIFIELD:
The Prime Minister up until a few days ago was telling the nation that there wouldn’t be a need for a levy. That she had made full provision from consolidated revenue for the NDIS. And then the other day she said ‘actually that is not the case, we’ve spent money on almost everything else we can think of, and there is nothing left for disability’. That’s why we find ourselves in a situation where she has done a complete about face on the issue of how to fund the NDIS. She has only accounted for about 40% of the funding. She needs to explain what the difference is.
JONATHAN GREEN:
The Coalition was pretty cornered on this politically. How could you have said no to saying yes in the Parliament if it was brought to a vote?
MITCH FIFIELD:
Given the Prime Minister completely changed her ideas as to how to fund the NDIS. We thought that it was appropriate to consider what she had put forward. To do so soberly and carefully. And to ask for some additional detail. Which is what we’ve done. We’re looking to make the NDIS happen. And I don’t see any reason why the Prime Minister wouldn’t provide the additional information we’re seeking.
JONATHAN GREEN:
I wonder how vigorous the discussion was amongst the shadow cabinet on this. Joe Hockey through the week has expressed pretty grave concerns about raising the Medicare levy. Was he rolled on this issue?
MITCH FIFIELD:
No. Everyone was on the same page. We’re looking at how we can make this happen as soon as possible. Australians with disability have had to wait far too long for a better deal. It’s time that they got it. And that is the objective that every member of the parliamentary team has had in sight. And Joe Hockey quite reasonably was acknowledging that any new tax has an impact on household budgets. So whenever the Parliament is looking at raising a new tax or a new levy, you’ve got to give that serious consideration. Because these are real households, real families. But, we ultimately didn’t want to let the mismanagement of this Government get in the way of people with disability getting the deal that they deserve.
JONATHAN GREEN:
Now you’ve asked, Mitch Fifield, for details on how the rest of the cost of the scheme will be funded. Will you be looking for those details before the budget from the Government?
MITCH FIFIELD:
Yes. The Government should give the additional information about eligibility before the budget. And they should give us the information about how they intend to fund the balance of the scheme before the budget or at budget time. They need to give that detail before the Parliament looks to vote on the levy.
JONATHAN GREEN:
Once you see that budget, once you see that detail. Will there be a Senate committee to pick through the detail here?
MITCH FIFIELD:
There won’t be the time I shouldn’t think …
JONATHAN GREEN:
… They don’t take long these days.
MITCH FIFIELD:
No, they don’t take long. But there are only three Senate sitting weeks left and five weeks of the House sitting. I don’t think it is terribly complex legislation that the Prime Minister would be putting forward to put this levy in place. So I think we will probably be able to examine it without a parliamentary committee. And we will also be looking for a locked box arrangement as to where the levy funds go. The Prime Minister has proposed a DisabilityCare fund, into which the funds go. We also ask for that to be legislated before the election. But also that the Guardians of the Future Fund be appointed to supervise that fund so that no government can get their hands on it. And to guarantee that every dollar of the money raised by the levy goes to the NDIS.
JONATHAN GREEN:
The Coalition also wants this to be a temporary levy. What does that mean? How temporary?
MITCH FIFIELD:
Temporary until such time as the budget is in strong surplus. Until it is repaired. Our objective is to have funding for the NDIS come from consolidated revenue so that it is seen as a core part of the function of government. That it’s not an afterthought. It’s not something that you create a levy for when you’ve run out of money that you’ve spent on everything else. This should be core government business.
JONATHAN GREEN:
What would a first term Coalition government look to fund the NDIS out of consolidated revenue? To get rid of that levy increase.
MITCH FIFIELD:
It will be when the budget is repaired and in strong surplus. We don’t know, as I talk to you tonight, what we will inherit in terms of the budget bottom line should we form government. We will have to wait and see.
JONATHAN GREEN:
Mitch Fifield. Thanks for your time.
MITCH FIFIELD:
Thanks indeed Jonathan.