List of recommendations

Recommendation 1

6.11The committee recommends that the National Disability Insurance Agency assess people according to the totality of their disabilities and no longer require participants to nominate a 'primary disability' and 'secondary disability'.

Recommendation 2

6.14The committee recommends that the National Disability Insurance Agency review, publish and implement changes to List A: Conditions that are likely to meet the disability requirements and List B: Conditions that are likely to result in a permanent impairment to improve inclusion of invisible, episodic, rare and psychosocial disabilities.

Recommendation 3

6.17The committee recommends that the National Disability Insurance Agency develop, publish and implement a mechanism to improve staff knowledge and acceptance of invisible, episodic, rare, and psychosocial disabilities.

Recommendation 4

6.18The committee recommends that the National Disability Insurance Agency develop and implement a mechanism to recruit and retain staff with specialist knowledge and skills regarding invisible, episodic, rare, and psychosocial disabilities.

Recommendation 5

6.22The committee recommends that the National Disability Insurance Agency focus its compliance activities on the activities of service providers and subcontractors, to prevent systematic fraud and to ensure that people with disability do not experience further discrimination in the wider society.

Recommendation 6

6.23The committee recommends that the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission make recommendations to the Fraud Fusion Taskforce for increasing investigation, detection and prosecution of systematic fraud against the scheme.

Recommendation 7

6.25The committee recommends that the Australian Government work with state and territory government counterparts to ensure that children with a disability who need access to early childhood intervention services are able to do so, especially in rural, regional and remote areas.

Recommendation 8

6.28The committee recommends that the Australian Government work with state and territory governments to ensure that the rights and wishes of participants of the National Disability Insurance Scheme are upheld and respected when they are under guardianship and trustee orders.

Recommendation 9

6.29The committee recommends that the National Disability Insurance Agency keep and maintain accurate records of participants under guardianship and/or financial administration orders.

Recommendation 10

6.30The committee recommends that, where a participant is under a guardianship order, National Disability Insurance Agency delegates and planners are required to meet with the participant, including a face-to-face option, to ensure that plans reflect the wishes of the participant.

Recommendation 11

6.32The committee recommends that the Australian Government work with its state and territory counterparts to establish a joint task force with the powers necessary to investigate any instances where National Disability Insurance Scheme participants are exploited, coerced or abused while being supported by the state regulated Supported Residential Services sector.

Recommendation 12

6.34The committee recommends that the Australian Government work with its state and territory counterparts to develop comprehensive guidance regarding the regulation of disability accommodation providers who are also National Disability Insurance Scheme providers.

Recommendation 13

6.35The committee recommends that the Australian Government develop, publish, and implement a mechanism to ensure that a participant's support coordinators, accommodation provider, and support providers do not have conflicts of interest that would impact the quality or safety of participant supports.

Recommendation 14

6.37The committee recommends that the Australian Government re-evaluate the design of grant funding under the Information, Linkages and Capacity Building program, giving consideration to the complexity and transparency of the application process, length of funding periods, and amount of funding available.

Recommendation 15

6.39The committee recommends the Australian Government promote secure, long-term investment in activities that support people with disability, including through Information, Linkages and Capacity Building funding.

Recommendation 16

6.41The committee recommends that the Information, Linkages and Capacity Building program be refocused to better meet the needs of people with disability through ongoing evaluation of outcomes and facilitation of information sharing and strategic development of services across jurisdictions.

Recommendation 17

6.43The committee recommends the Australian Government revise the administrative arrangements for Information, Linkages and Capacity Building grants, consistent with recommendation 5.6 of the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability for the Australian Government to establish new governance arrangements for disability policies and programs.

Recommendation 18

6.45The committee recommends that the Department of Social Services revise the role of Local Area Coordinators to ensure sufficient resources are directed to the roles of capacity building, information sharing and community engagement, alongside coordinating NDIS supports.

Recommendation 19

6.47The committee recommends that the National Disability Insurance Agency ensure that planners fully explore current and future accommodation and support needs with participants during pre-planning, planning and plan reviews.

Recommendation 20

6.49The committee recommends that the National Disability Insurance Agency allow participants to use plan budgets more flexibly, including in situations where short term or emergency accommodation is required.

Recommendation 21

6.51The committee recommends that the National Disability Insurance Agency develop and publish clear, comprehensive guidance material for participants who seek to transition into other forms of supported accommodation, including state disability housing, Supported Independent Living or Specialist Disability Accommodation.

Recommendation 22

6.53The committee recommends that the National Disability Insurance Agency implement mechanisms to support women with disability who are at risk of, or have experienced, domestic, family and sexual violence, including expedited approvals for Supported Independent Living, Specialist Disability Accommodation and Short Term Accommodation, where it is considered reasonable and necessary.

Recommendation 23

6.55The committee recommends that the National Disability Insurance Agency improve connections with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peak organisations with the goal of improving co-design, and access to culturally appropriate services.

Recommendation 24

6.57The committee recommends that the National Disability Insurance Agency improve connections with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse peak organisations with the goal of improving co-design, and access to culturally appropriate services.

Recommendation 25

6.59The committee recommends that the National Disability Insurance Agency invest in building staff capacity to drive an inclusive culture and appropriate support for LGBTQIA+ people with a disability.

Recommendation 26

6.61The committee recommends that the Department of Social Services provide ongoing and adequate funding of advocacy organisations, including disability advocacy organisations.

Recommendation 27

6.63The committee recommends that the Australian Government has regard to recommendations of the Disability Royal Commission 4.7 (right to live free from exploitation, violence, abuse), 6.41 (Legislative prohibition of non‑therapeutic sterilisation), 7.3 (Improve policies and procedures on the provision of reasonable adjustments to students with disability) and 10.1(Embedding human rights) in the implementation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme and throughout the participant planning pathway.