SON 2017: Using the NDIS as a political play thing is revolting

Using the NDIS as a political play thing is revolting, The Australian Greens Spokesperson for Finance and Trade, Youth, Schools, Early Childhood Education and Care, Arts, Education, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has told a CEDA audience at State of the Nation in Canberra.

“We are concerned about making sure that the NDIS is funded properly and it’s not used as a political play thing,” she said.

“These are some the most vulnerable people in the community.

“All you need to do is turn on Question Time to see how people in wheelchairs are being used as political fodder.

“I think it’s revolting. We should all just work out how to fund it properly, get it done and stop playing with people’s lives.”

Nick Xenophon Team Leader Senator the Hon. Nick Xenophon said the NDIS could mean money wasted.

“What does concern me is someone quite senior in the disability sector told me the way the NDIS is going at the moment, in terms of the way it’s being run, administrated and rolled out, it could end up being a cautionary tale for the rest of the world on how not to do it,” he said.

“The Productivity Commission said this will unlock the human and economic potential of people who have disabilities and their families and it’s a very worthy goal but it’s a project that must be done properly.

“There are some in the disability sector saying this is turning into a nightmare, we need to be very mindful of that, otherwise money will be wasted and not going to the people who need it most.”

Liberal Democratic Party Leader Senator the Hon. David Leyonhjelm said no to the hike in the Medicare levy to fund the NDIS.

“I haven’t met anybody who doesn’t have tremendous compassion for the disabled but the NDIS has the makings of a massive trough with every snout you can imaging poking in to it,” he said.

“I’m very concerned that it doesn’t end up like that.”

On the topic of the Senate Crossbench itself, Ms Hanson-Young said the support for the major parties is falling away.

“It’s now roughly a third of the Australian electorate that votes for somebody other than Labor or Liberal,” she said.

“I’m quite supportive of the idea that there are more voices in the Senate.

“I still feel very strongly that our job is to be a check on the executive and I think we do a pretty good job at it and the more voices the better.”
Mr Xenophon said the public want the diverse voices in the Senate.

“In effect, there are two mandates and there are hundreds and thousands of Australians who vote differently for the Upper House compared to the Lower House – they actually want that check and balance,” he said.

“It’s a very different atmosphere in the Senate compared to the House of Representatives.

“It is much more collegiate than the House of Representatives where it’s incredibly partisan.”

Mr Leyonhjelm said people are unhappy with what they’re getting from the major parties.

“If you look at voting patterns the share of the minor party vote in the Senate has been increasing since 2007, it’s now up to about 30 per cent,” he said.

“The fact that there is a substantial cross bench is a reflection of that discontent and as long as people remain discontented with Labor and Liberal and to some extent Greens – although they would argue about that – the minor party vote will remain substantial.”

State of the Nation: catch up here

Click here to see all the highlights from State of the Nation 2017