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MEDIA RELEASE

SENATOR JAN MCLUCAS Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities & Carers

CHRIS HAYES MP Member for Fowler

Fowler ready for the NDIS

Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Carers, Senator Jan McLucas and Federal Member for Fowler, Chris Hayes today joined more than 80 people with disability, their families and carers and local service providers at a disability forum in Liverpool.

Mr Hayes said this is the third year he has hosted a Disability Forum.

“These forums give people an opportunity to raise their views and participate in the policy making process,” Mr Hayes said.

“The overwhelming interest in this year’s Fowler Disability Forum demonstrates that our local community is eager to stand up for what they believe”.

“Following the forum I will compile a report that will be presented to Senator McLucas.”

Senator McLucas, who co-hosted the Fowler Disability Forum in 2012, said this was the 40th disability community forum she had participated in since the government received the Productivity Commission’s final report in August 2011 into a long-term disability care and support scheme.

“This is the biggest reform to the disability sector that Australia has ever seen. It will fundamentally change the way we support people with disability,” Senator McLucas said.

“It is essential for me to hear first-hand the issues that are important to people with disability, their families and carers and the disability sector”.

“It is clear from the representation we’ve had today that the local community supports the National Disability Insurance Scheme.”

The Gillard Government is investing $1 billion to deliver the first stage of the NDIS to provide Australians with a disability the care and support they need, when they need it.

“This year, a National Disability Insurance Scheme will become a reality for thousands of people with disability, their families and carers in select locations across the country,” Senator McLucas added.

By 2018-19, more than 140,000 people with disability in New South Wales alone will benefit from the NDIS.

Under the NDIS, people with disability will: • work with local people to identify their plans and goals for the future; • be assessed to receive individualised care and support packages; • have decision-making power about their care and support, including choice

of service provider; • be assisted by local coordinators to help manage and deliver their support; and • access a system they can easily navigate that links them to mainstream

and community services.

Mr Hayes said that he would continue engaging people with disability, their families and carers and the disability sector in his local community as the Federal Labor Government continue to build the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

“An NDIS will involve major changes in the way we work with people with disability, their families, carers and service providers, and we want to make sure we get this reform right so we can build a system that is sustainable over time,” Mr Hayes said.

For more information on the NDIS or to express your views on the policy you can take part in the ‘Your Say’ forums at www.yoursay.ndis.gov.au or visit www.ndis.gov.au

Media Contact: Sandi Gatt (McLucas) 0400 130 568 & Renata Cekic (Chris Hayes) (02) 9726 3988