1. National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
Scheme overview and implementation update
Mr David Bowen
CEO
National Disability Insurance Agency
November 2015
Good morning everyone. My name is David Bowen.
I am the CEO of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
It is my pleasure to be here with you all today to discuss the NDIS and mainstream interface with transport.
Before we begin proceedings, I would like to acknowledge the Awabakal people, the Traditional Owners of the land on which we meet today. I would like to pay my respects to their Elders past and present, and to any other Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people who may be here today, wherever you may come from.

2. NDIS and the NDIA
The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) administers the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
The Agency’s job is to:
Deliver the NDIS
Build community awareness of disability
Ensure financial sustainability of the NDIS
Develop and enhance the disability sector
The NDIA Board governs the NDIS.
Role of the NDIA
The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) administers the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
The Agency’s job is to:
Deliver the NDIS
Build community awareness of disability
Ensure financial sustainability of the NDIS
Develop and enhance the disability sector
The NDIA Board governs the NDIS.
Ensure the financial sustainability of NDIS by:
Funding for individualised reasonable and necessary packages of support
Providing innovative and flexible support to people with disability
Taking a lifetime view of support needs and ensuring a sustainable balance of costs and outcomes
Report and advise on the financial sustainability of the scheme
Develop and enhance the disability sector by:
Successful transitioning of existing sector providers
Identifying and addressing barriers to success
Building a sustainable sector and workforce
Build community awareness of disability by:
Managing the expectations of people with disability, their families and carers regarding access to NDIS support in the launch sites
Raising community awareness of disability and the social contributors to capability
Collect, analyse and exchange data about disability and supports by:
Implementing IT systems which capture robust data and produce requisite reports
Analyse and use data to promote awareness and inclusion of people with disability
Undertake research relating to disability and supports by:
Sharing information on and learn from successful participant pathways
Modelling future needs, disability prevention, evaluating early interventions and supports etc.

3. Transport – guiding principles
NDIS
Supports that enable the participant to travel independently
capacity building for independent travel
personal transport-related aids and equipment and training
modifications to private vehicles
reasonable and necessary assistance with taxis and other transport options (where no others are available)
Examples: public transport training, vehicle modifications
Transport system:
Accessible public transport options for people with disability
public transport fares and accessibility
Taxi regulation, availability and accessibility
concessions to travel on transport
transport and parking infrastructure
Examples: accessible buses and taxis, disability concessions on public transport, disability parking

4. Transport service offer
Always NDIS
Always transport
Aids and equipment – to allow the person to travel independently
Training and support to use public transport – where is this required as a result of the person’s functional impairment
Vehicle modifications – plus driver assessment and specialist training
Community transport – plus other innovative transport options
Taxis/private transport costs – only for those who cannot travel independently/use public transport
Accessible public transport
Concessions for public transport – including where a full concession is offered
Modifications to public transport and taxis
Disability parking schemes
All governments in Australia have agreed that our vision is for an inclusive Australian society that enables people with disability to fulfil their potential as equal citizens.
To achieve this vision, all Australian governments, non-government organisations, business and the wide community have a role to play.
The public transport system is responsible for ensuring that transport options are accessible to people with disability, including through concessions to people with disability to use public transport.
The NDIS is responsible for the reasonable and necessary specialist school transport to and from school for children with disabilities. This has largely remained an in-kind support in trial. The agency is negotiating with state and territory jurisdictions as to how this will be provided as the Scheme rolls out.
Others parties will continue to be responsible for transport infrastructure, including road and footpath infrastructure, where this is part of a universal service obligation or reasonable adjustment, including managing disability parking and related initiatives.
Background notes:
In trial, the NSW taxi subsidy schemes are transferring to the NDIS.
Any agreements between Commonwealth and state governments should not provide any incentive for States and Territories to reduce their effort in providing accessible public transport.
Case study
Twenty year old Mathew (pictured) is passionate about all things cars. Like most young adults he looked forward to the day when he would get his licence and his first job.
Since becoming a Tasmanian NDIS participant in 2013 Mathew, who has autism, has gained his license and paid employment and is taking a cooking and budgeting course.
The NDIS funded Ability-a specialist support provider for people with Autsim-to help Mathew sit his learner driver test using cars through role play, rather than the traditional way, to show whether or not he understood the road rules. He passed with flying colours.
He was also placed on a trial basis at an IGA supermarket and planned to move to one of the bigger supermarkets to gain permanent employment. But the IGA wanted Mathew to stay. He now drives himself to work, where he is assisted by a support worker from Ability.
That’s real independence!

5. NDIS and transport
Vision is for an inclusive Australia that enables people with disability to fulfil their potential
Public transport system must ensure transport options are accessible
NDIS can fund reasonable and necessary supports for individuals to enable people with disability to travel more independently
All governments in Australia have agreed that our vision is for an inclusive Australian society that enables people with disability to fulfil their potential as equal citizens.
To achieve this vision, all Australian governments, non-government organisations, business and the wide community have a role to play.
The public transport system is responsible for ensuring that transport options are accessible to people with disability, including through concessions to people with disability to use public transport.
The NDIS is responsible for the reasonable and necessary specialist school transport to and from school for children with disabilities. This has largely remained an in-kind support in trial. The agency is negotiating with state and territory jurisdictions as to how this will be provided as the Scheme rolls out.
Others parties will continue to be responsible for transport infrastructure, including road and footpath infrastructure, where this is part of a universal service obligation or reasonable adjustment, including managing disability parking and related initiatives.
Background notes:
In trial, the NSW taxi subsidy schemes are transferring to the NDIS.
Any agreements between Commonwealth and state governments should not provide any incentive for States and Territories to reduce their effort in providing accessible public transport.
Case study
Twenty year old Mathew (pictured) is passionate about all things cars. Like most young adults he looked forward to the day when he would get his licence and his first job.
Since becoming a Tasmanian NDIS participant in 2013 Mathew, who has autism, has gained his license and paid employment and is taking a cooking and budgeting course.
The NDIS funded Ability-a specialist support provider for people with Autsim-to help Mathew sit his learner driver test using cars through role play, rather than the traditional way, to show whether or not he understood the road rules. He passed with flying colours.
He was also placed on a trial basis at an IGA supermarket and planned to move to one of the bigger supermarkets to gain permanent employment. But the IGA wanted Mathew to stay. He now drives himself to work, where he is assisted by a support worker from Ability.
That’s real independence!

6. NDIS and transport Funding based on individual goals
Funds may be included in plans to offset additional transport costs where a participants disability prevents them from using public transport
The Scheme is not intended to replace other mainstream systems, this includes the availability of public transport. The Scheme’s financial sustainability depends on other systems continuing their efforts to support people with disability
Participants whose disability prevents them from using public transport will have funds included in their plan to offset the additional cost of transport that they will incur. These funds are based on the amounts payable through Centrelink for Mobility Allowance which the NDIA funding replaces.
Usually this funding is paid directly to the participants on a weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis to assist them in their transport costs associated with participating in the community.
The Scheme is not intended to replace other mainstream systems, this includes the availability of public transport. Indeed, the Scheme’s financial sustainability depends on other systems continuing their efforts to support people with disability.
Case study
Maddie (pictured), 18 from Tasmania, transitioned to the NDIS a little over a year ago.
She had trouble getting out on her own, but a small investment in transport skills training has helped improve her life greatly by giving her new-found confidence to try different activities on her own.
Maddie is now catching the bus to college and has even flown on her own to Melbourne to stay with her cousin.
Maddie’s latest report shows that she has achieved the highest mark in one of her four subjects and the second highest in the other. Maddie is now doing some work experience and looking at a traineeship next year where she will combine work with going to TAFE to get the qualifications she needs to work with animals.

7. “As a result of NDIS I have learnt to catch the bus to TAFE and home again by myself and I am gaining more independence
The NDIS is designed to provide the maximum opportunity for people with disability to live a full and rich life.
The NDIS is not designed or intended to replace other mainstream supports and services that are available to all Australians, but rather to work alongside mainstream services.
We will have lifelong relationships with our participants.
As their goals and aspirations change over time, so will their NDIS plans and the supports they receive.
I look forward to people with disability continuing to enjoy more opportunities and seeing our communities across Australia benefit as a result.
Thank you. ”

8. Questions? Visit: www.ndis.gov.au Phone: 1800 800 110
8am to 5pm (AEST) weekdays
September 2015