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Bill
- 13 Agency may provide coordination, strategic and referral services etc. to people with disability
- 14 Agency may provide funding to persons or entities
- 15 Agency may provide information
- 16 Agency may assist in relation to doing things under Chapter
- 17 National Disability Insurance Scheme rules
- Part 1—Preliminary
- Part 2—Objects and principles
- Part 3—Simplified outline
- Part 4—Definitions
- Part 5—Ministerial Council
- Part 1—Becoming a participant
- Part 2—Participants’ plans
- Part 1—General matters
- Part 2—Privacy
- Part 3—Registered providers of supports
- Part 4—Children
- Part 5—Nominees
- Part 6—Review of decisions
- Part 1—Requirement to take action to obtain compensation
- Part 2—Agency may recover compensation fixed after NDIS amounts have been paid
- Part 3—Recovery from compensation payers and insurers
- Part 4—CEO may disregard certain payments
- Part 1—National Disability Insurance Scheme Launch Transition Agency
- Part 2—Board of the Agency
- Part 3—Independent Advisory Council
- Part 4—Chief Executive Officer and staff etc.
- Part 5—Reporting and planning
- Part 6—Finance
- Part 7—Miscellaneous
- Part 1—Debt recovery
- Part 2—General matters
- Part 3—Constitutional matters
- Part 4—Review of the Act
- Part 5—Legislative instruments
The Parliament of the
Commonwealth of Australia
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Presented and read a first time
National Disability Insurance Scheme Bill 2012
No. , 2012
(Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs)
A Bill for an Act to establish the National Disability Insurance Scheme, and for related purposes
Contents
Part 1—Preliminary 1
1............ Short title............................................................................................. 1
2............ Commencement................................................................................... 2
Part 2—Objects and principles 4
3............ Objects of Act..................................................................................... 4
4............ General principles guiding actions under this Act............................... 5
5............ General principles guiding actions of people who may do acts or things on behalf of others 6
6............ Agency may provide support and assistance....................................... 7
7............ Provision of notice, approved form or information under this Act etc. 7
Part 3—Simplified outline 8
8............ Simplified outline................................................................................ 8
Part 4—Definitions 10
9............ Definitions........................................................................................ 10
10.......... Definition of host jurisdiction ........................................................... 16
11.......... Definitions relating to compensation................................................. 16
Part 5—Ministerial Council 18
12.......... Ministerial Council functions etc....................................................... 18
Chapter 2—Assistance for people with disability and others 19
13.......... Agency may provide coordination, strategic and referral services etc. to people with disability 19
14.......... Agency may provide funding to persons or entities.......................... 19
15.......... Agency may provide information...................................................... 19
16.......... Agency may assist in relation to doing things under Chapter............ 20
17.......... National Disability Insurance Scheme rules...................................... 20
Chapter 3—Participants and their plans 21
Part 1—Becoming a participant 21
18.......... Person may make a request to become a participant.......................... 21
19.......... Matters relating to access requests.................................................... 21
20.......... CEO must consider and decide access requests................................ 22
21.......... When a person meets the access criteria............................................ 22
22.......... Age requirements.............................................................................. 23
23.......... Residence requirements..................................................................... 24
24.......... Disability requirements..................................................................... 25
25.......... Early intervention requirements......................................................... 25
26.......... Requests that the CEO may make..................................................... 26
27.......... National Disability Insurance Scheme rules relating to disability requirements and early intervention requirements.......................................................................................................... 27
28.......... When a person becomes a participant................................................ 28
29.......... When a person ceases to be a participant........................................... 28
30.......... Revocation of participant status......................................................... 29
Part 2—Participants’ plans 30
Division 1—Principles relating to plans 30
31.......... Principles relating to plans................................................................ 30
Division 2—Preparing participants’ plans 31
32.......... CEO must facilitate preparation of participant’s plan........................ 31
33.......... Matters that must be included in a participant’s plan......................... 31
34.......... Reasonable and necessary supports.................................................. 33
35.......... National Disability Insurance Scheme rules for statement of participant supports 34
36.......... Information and reports for the purposes of preparing and approving a participant’s plan 35
37.......... When plan is in effect........................................................................ 36
38.......... Copy of plan to be provided.............................................................. 36
39.......... Agency must comply with the statement of participant supports....... 36
40.......... Effect of temporary absence on plans................................................ 36
41.......... Suspension of plans.......................................................................... 37
Division 3—Managing the funding for supports under participants’ plans 38
42.......... Meaning of managing the funding for supports under a participant’s plan 38
43.......... Choice for the participant in relation to plan management................. 38
44.......... Circumstances in which participant must not manage plan to specified extent 40
45.......... Payment of NDIS amounts............................................................... 40
46.......... Acquittal of NDIS amounts.............................................................. 41
Division 4—Reviewing and changing participants’ plans 42
47.......... Participant may change participant’s statement of goals and aspirations at any time 42
48.......... Review of participant’s plan.............................................................. 42
49.......... Outcome of review............................................................................ 43
50.......... Information and reports for the purposes of reviewing a participant’s plan 43
Chapter 4—Administration 45
Part 1—General matters 45
Division 1—Participants and prospective participants 45
51.......... Requirement to notify change of circumstances................................ 45
52.......... Requirements relating to notices........................................................ 45
53.......... Power to obtain information from participants and prospective participants to ensure the integrity of the National Disability Insurance Scheme............................................................. 45
54.......... Written notice of requirement............................................................ 46
Division 2—Other persons 47
55.......... Power to obtain information from other persons to ensure the integrity of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.......................................................................................................... 47
56.......... Written notice of requirement............................................................ 48
57.......... Offence—refusal or failure to comply with requirement................... 48
Division 3—Interaction with other laws 49
58.......... Obligations not affected by State or Territory laws........................... 49
59.......... Interaction with Commonwealth laws............................................... 49
Part 2—Privacy 50
60.......... Protection of information held by the Agency etc............................. 50
61.......... Offence—unauthorised access to protected information................... 50
62.......... Offence—unauthorised use or disclosure of protected information.. 51
63.......... Offence—soliciting disclosure of protected information................... 51
64.......... Offence—offering to supply protected information.......................... 52
65.......... Protection of certain documents etc. from production to court etc..... 52
66.......... Disclosure of information by CEO................................................... 53
67.......... National Disability Insurance Scheme rules for exercise of CEO’s disclosure powers 54
68.......... Part does not affect the operation of the Freedom of Information Act 1982 54
Part 3—Registered providers of supports 55
69.......... Application to be a registered provider of supports........................... 55
70.......... Registered providers of supports...................................................... 55
71.......... When a person or entity ceases to be a registered provider of supports 56
72.......... Revocation of approval as a registered provider of supports............. 56
73.......... National Disability Insurance Scheme rules for registered providers of supports 57
Part 4—Children 59
74.......... Children............................................................................................ 59
75.......... Definition of parental responsibility ................................................. 60
76.......... Duty to children................................................................................ 61
77.......... Revocation of determinations under section 74................................. 62
Part 5—Nominees 63
Division 1—Functions and responsibilities of nominees 63
78.......... Actions of plan nominee on behalf of participant.............................. 63
79.......... Actions of correspondence nominee on behalf of participant............ 64
80.......... Duty of nominee to participant.......................................................... 64
81.......... Giving of notices to correspondence nominee................................... 65
82.......... Compliance by correspondence nominee.......................................... 66
83.......... Nominee to inform Agency of matters affecting ability to act as nominee 67
84.......... Statement by plan nominee regarding disposal of money.................. 68
85.......... Right of nominee to attend with participant....................................... 69
Division 2—Appointment and cancellation or suspension of appointment 70
86.......... Appointment of plan nominee........................................................... 70
87.......... Appointment of correspondence nominee......................................... 70
88.......... Provisions relating to appointments.................................................. 70
89.......... Circumstances in which the CEO must cancel appointment of nominees 71
90.......... General circumstances in which CEO may cancel or suspend appointment of nominees 72
91.......... Suspension etc. of appointment of nominees in cases of severe physical, mental or financial harm 73
92.......... Other matters relating to cancellation or suspension of appointment. 74
93.......... National Disability Insurance Scheme rules may prescribe requirements etc. 75
94.......... CEO’s powers of revocation............................................................. 75
Division 3—Other matters relating to nominees 76
95.......... CEO’s powers to give notices to participant..................................... 76
96.......... Notification of nominee where notice is given to participant............. 76
97.......... Protection of participant against liability for actions of nominee....... 76
98.......... Protection of nominee against criminal liability................................. 76
Part 6—Review of decisions 77
99.......... Reviewable decisions........................................................................ 77
100........ Review of reviewable decisions........................................................ 78
101........ Variation of reviewable decision before review completed............... 79
102........ Withdrawal of request for review...................................................... 80
103........ Applications to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal........................ 80
Chapter 5—Compensation payments 81
Part 1—Requirement to take action to obtain compensation 81
104........ CEO may require person to take action to obtain compensation........ 81
105........ Consequences of failure to comply with a requirement to take action to obtain compensation 82
Part 2—Agency may recover compensation fixed after NDIS amounts have been paid 83
106........ Recovering past NDIS amounts from certain judgements................. 83
107........ Recovering past NDIS amounts from consent judgements and settlements 84
108........ Debts resulting from section 106 or 107........................................... 85
Part 3—Recovery from compensation payers and insurers 86
109........ CEO may send preliminary notice to potential compensation payer or insurer 86
110........ Offence—potential compensation payer or insurer........................... 87
111........ CEO may send recovery notice to compensation payer or insurer.... 87
112........ Preliminary notice or recovery notice suspends liability to pay compensation 89
113........ Compensation payer’s or insurer’s payment to Agency discharges liability to participant 89
114........ Offence—making compensation payment after receiving preliminary notice or recovery notice 90
115........ Liability to pay the Agency if there is a contravention of section 114 91
Part 4—CEO may disregard certain payments 92
116........ CEO may disregard certain payments............................................... 92
Chapter 6—National Disability Insurance Scheme Launch Transition Agency 93
Part 1—National Disability Insurance Scheme Launch Transition Agency 93
117........ Establishment.................................................................................... 93
118........ Functions of the Agency................................................................... 93
119........ Powers of the Agency....................................................................... 94
120........ Charging of fees................................................................................ 94
121........ Minister may give directions to the Agency...................................... 95
122........ Agency does not have privileges and immunities of the Crown........ 96
Part 2—Board of the Agency 97
Division 1—Establishment and functions 97
123........ Establishment.................................................................................... 97
124........ Functions of the Board...................................................................... 97
125........ Minister may give the Board a statement setting out strategic guidance for the Agency 97
Division 2—Members of the Board 99
126........ Membership...................................................................................... 99
127........ Appointment of Board members....................................................... 99
128........ Term of appointment....................................................................... 100
129........ Acting appointments....................................................................... 100
130........ Remuneration and allowances......................................................... 102
131........ Leave of absence............................................................................. 102
132........ Outside employment....................................................................... 102
133........ Resignation of Board members....................................................... 103
134........ Termination of appointment of Board members.............................. 103
135........ Other terms and conditions of Board members............................... 104
Division 3—Meetings of the Board 105
136........ Convening meetings........................................................................ 105
137........ Presiding at meetings...................................................................... 105
138........ Quorum........................................................................................... 105
139........ Voting at meetings.......................................................................... 106
140........ Conduct of meetings....................................................................... 106
141........ Minutes........................................................................................... 106
142........ Decisions without meetings............................................................ 106
Part 3—Independent Advisory Council 108
Division 1—Establishment and function 108
143........ Establishment.................................................................................. 108
144........ Function of the Advisory Council................................................... 108
145........ Advice of the Advisory Council..................................................... 109
Division 2—Members of the Advisory Council 110
146........ Membership.................................................................................... 110
147........ Appointment of members of the Advisory Council........................ 110
148........ Term of appointment....................................................................... 111
149........ Acting appointments....................................................................... 111
150........ Remuneration and allowances......................................................... 112
151........ Leave of absence............................................................................. 113
152........ Disclosure of interests to the Minister............................................. 113
153........ Disclosure of interests to the Advisory Council.............................. 113
154........ Resignation of members of the Advisory Council.......................... 114
155........ Termination of appointment of members of the Advisory Council. 114
156........ Other terms and conditions of members of the Advisory Council.. 115
Division 3—Procedures of the Advisory Council 116
157........ Procedures of the Advisory Council............................................... 116
Part 4—Chief Executive Officer and staff etc. 117
Division 1—Chief Executive Officer 117
158........ Establishment.................................................................................. 117
159........ Functions of the CEO..................................................................... 117
160........ Appointment of the CEO................................................................ 117
161........ Acting appointments....................................................................... 118
162........ Remuneration and allowances......................................................... 118
163........ Leave of absence............................................................................. 118
164........ Outside employment....................................................................... 119
165........ Disclosure of interests..................................................................... 119
166........ Resignation of the CEO.................................................................. 119
167........ Termination of appointment of the CEO......................................... 119
168........ Other terms and conditions of the CEO.......................................... 120
Division 2—Staff etc. 121
169........ Staff................................................................................................ 121
170........ Services of other persons to be made available to the Agency........ 121
171........ Consultants..................................................................................... 121
Part 5—Reporting and planning 122
Division 1—Reporting 122
Subdivision A—Reporting by Board members 122
172........ Annual report.................................................................................. 122
173........ Giving certain information to the Ministerial Council..................... 123
174........ Quarterly report to the Ministerial Council...................................... 124
Subdivision B—Reporting by the Agency 125
175........ Giving information requested by Commonwealth, State or Territory Ministers 125
Subdivision C—Reporting by the Minister 125
176........ Giving certain information to the Ministerial Council..................... 125
Division 2—Planning 127
177........ Corporate plan................................................................................. 127
Part 6—Finance 128
178........ Payments to the Agency by the Commonwealth............................. 128
179........ Payments to the Agency by the host jurisdictions........................... 128
180........ Application of money by the Agency.............................................. 128
Part 7—Miscellaneous 130
181........ Taxation.......................................................................................... 130
Chapter 7—Other matters 131
Part 1—Debt recovery 131
Division 1—Debts 131
182........ Debts due to the Agency................................................................. 131
Division 2—Methods of recovery 132
183........ Legal proceedings........................................................................... 132
184........ Arrangement for payment of debt................................................... 132
185........ Recovery of amounts from financial institutions............................. 133
Division 3—Information relating to debts 135
186........ Power to obtain information from a person who owes a debt to the Agency 135
187........ Power to obtain information about a person who owes a debt to the Agency 135
188........ Written notice of requirement.......................................................... 135
189........ Offence—refusal or failure to comply with requirement................. 136
Division 4—Non-recovery of debts 137
190........ CEO may write off debt.................................................................. 137
191........ Power to waive Agency’s right to recover debt.............................. 138
192........ Waiver of debt arising from error.................................................... 138
193........ Waiver of small debt....................................................................... 138
194........ Waiver in relation to settlements...................................................... 139
195........ Waiver in special circumstances...................................................... 140
Part 2—General matters 141
196........ Method of notification by CEO....................................................... 141
197........ CEO not required to make a decision.............................................. 141
198........ Protection of participant against liability for actions of persons...... 141
199........ Protection against criminal liability.................................................. 141
200........ Evidentiary effect of CEO’s certificate............................................ 142
201........ Delegation by the Minister.............................................................. 142
202........ Delegation by the CEO................................................................... 142
203........ Application of Act to unincorporated bodies................................... 143
204........ Time frames for decision making.................................................... 144
Part 3—Constitutional matters 145
205........ Act binds Crown............................................................................. 145
206........ Alternative constitutional basis........................................................ 145
207........ Concurrent operation of State laws................................................. 146
Part 4—Review of the Act 147
208........ Review of operation of Act............................................................. 147
Part 5—Legislative instruments 148
209........ The National Disability Insurance Scheme rules............................. 148
210........ Regulations..................................................................................... 150
A Bill for an Act to establish the National Disability Insurance Scheme, and for related purposes
The Parliament of Australia enacts:
Chapter 2 — Assistance for people with disability and others
13 Agency may provide coordination, strategic and referral services etc. to people with disability
(1) The Agency may provide general supports to, or in relation to, people with disability who are not participants.
Note: Chapter 3 deals with the provision of general supports to, or in relation to, participants.
(2) In this Act:
general support means:
(a) a service provided by the Agency to a person; or
(b) an activity engaged in by the Agency in relation to a person;
that is in the nature of a coordination, strategic or referral service or activity, including a locally provided coordination, strategic or referral service or activity.
14 Agency may provide funding to persons or entities
The Agency may provide assistance in the form of funding for persons or entities:
(a) for the purposes of enabling those persons or entities to assist people with disability to:
(i) realise their potential for physical, social, emotional and intellectual development; and
(ii) participate in social and economic life; and
(b) otherwise in the performance of the Agency’s functions.
15 Agency may provide information
(1) The Agency may provide information about the following:
(a) matters relevant to the National Disability Insurance Scheme;
(b) the functions of the Agency.
(2) The Agency must use its best endeavours to provide timely and accurate information to people with disability and other people in order to assist them in making informed decisions about matters relevant to the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
16 Agency may assist in relation to doing things under Chapter
The Agency may provide support and assistance to people in relation to doing things under, or for the purposes of, this Chapter.
17 National Disability Insurance Scheme rules
The National Disability Insurance Scheme rules may prescribe matters for and in relation to this Chapter.
Chapter 6 — National Disability Insurance Scheme Launch Transition Agency