Everything this gov does with the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is hurting the people that are supposed to be supported, either by the NDIS or other community programs funded in concert with it.
For example, as I posted the other day about my experience with having our food charity funding cut to go to the NDIS, of which the service will be lucky to survive at all now. The funding cuts starts at the end of the financial year at the end of June. As our rent has gone up $30 a fortnight we've decided to end getting the service after 4 years. Perhaps this is where Scott Morrison suddenly found $8 billion dollars from an "improving economy"?
Strange that when the gov's on it's ass panicking about the coming election and trying to throw another dogs breakfast of a budget together that this time will be all just lovely? Yep, they don't give a flying fuck about the disabled as we won't vote for the assholes anyway, so they pretty much do what they like to us with hardly any political consequence at the polls. Terrible I know, but that's how the number crunchers work in this gov, otherwise they wouldn't be doing this to us. Otherwise they'd be pampering us as well like they're trying to do to middle Australia.
So anyway, in last year's budget the Treasurer (for want of a better word) must have been in a complete flustering panic about all the money his gov was going through, and actually decided to increase a tax for funding purposes. Increasing any tax is of course anathema to this gov band of RWFW's, but never the less he went ahead with it anyway by announcing an increase in the Medicare levy (you know, that thing I completely rely on for all my health needs) to 2.5% to help fund the NDIS.
The tax was surprisingly popular at 54% approval according to Newspoll. It was after all a worthy cause, unlike say taxes going to pay for a $65 billion tax cut to big business, over $10 billion going straight to the banks. Which are at present in very dire and unpopular straights due to the royal commission revealing what a bunch of crooks they are.
But now, viola, ScoMo has suddenly found $8 billion out of thin air. Gee, I wonder where that might have come from............. And now magically he doesn't need to increase the Medicare levy. It's a miracle born of political panic! A shameless grope to the hip pocket nerve of middle Australia to retain power.
But disabled people who rely on the NDIS as it's being rolled out across Australia, are deeply unhappy about it. Proving once again that this gov gives not the slightest fuck about the disabled. Instead they want to make a plea to middle Australia by putting NDIS funding in jeopardy, affecting the very help disabled people rely on for integration into the community and their own self esteem as a fellow human beings.
Once again, this gov plays politics with vulnerable people's lives intended for their own possible political gain. Why am I not surprised after what they did to us LGBT in the postal survey?
I myself don't qualify for the NDIS as I'm not in a wheelchair sort of thing. However obviously my disabilities are in other areas after what I went through to get the Disability Support Pension at Centrelink. But the gov has even found a way to fuck me over as well even though I'm outside of the NDIS! FFS!
Some disability advocates are worried about what this means for the future of the NDIS. Wheelchair athlete
Kurt Fearnley has expressed concern.
Delivered on the evening of ANZAC Day........ We continue to play politics and kick the can down the road. This move will not go quietly.. #NDIS https://t.co/V6ubCc4u29— Kurt Fearnley (@kurtfearnley) April 25, 2018
As has Therese Sands, the Co-CEO of People with Disability Australia:
“We are stunned at the news that the federal government is walking away from the commitment to fully fund the NDIS, now and into the future. Last year, the Prime Minister said that the increase to the Medicare Levy was essential so that “it is fully funded so… you will know the money is there.”
“People with disability feel betrayed and ambushed by this decision and are left wondering what else is in this year’s budget?” Junkee
It's a move that will save tax payer hundreds, if not thousands of dollars a year. This morning, the government announced they're axing the planned increase to the medicare levy. #9Today pic.twitter.com/6cTdn5KRk4— The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) April 25, 2018
Paralympian and advocate @KurtFearnley says he doesn't care whether the funding comes from a levy, consolidated revenue or cuts, but the #NDIS needs certainty pic.twitter.com/SgcjLHoy8T— ABC News (@abcnews) April 26, 2018
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