Our Council Members connect with the community to find out about issues that affect them.

Our Council Members shared these issues with the NDIA.

Council members explained that people are happy about the new NDIA:

• Chairperson – Mr Kurt Fearnley AO

• CEO – Ms Rebecca Falkingham.

The NDIA should use the media to make sure people keep thinking about this.

The media includes:

• TV and radio
• the Internet and social media – like Facebook.

Council Members also shared that the community is happy with the NDIA’s work to:

• support people with disability when they leave hospital

• share information about brain injuries.

Brain injuries can happen when someone:

• has an accident
• hurts their head badly
• damages their brain.

Council Members explained that the way the NDIA checks a decision could be better.

This might mean less people need to use the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT).

The AAT is a government organisation that is separate to the NDIS.

They check the NDIA’s decisions about:

• who can join the NDIS
• NDIS plans.

Council Members also explained that the form people use to join the NDIS is only in English.

This can make it hard for people to apply to the NDIS if they speak a language other than English.

Council Members shared that it is hard for some providers to find disability workers with the right skills.

Providers deliver services and supports to people with disability.

For example, disability workers with the skills to support people with cognitive disabilities.

A cognitive disability affects how you:

• think
• communicate
• understand
• remember.

Council Members shared issues with services from:

• local area coordinators (LACs) – who help people find and use supports

• support coordinators – who help people manage their plans.

This includes the way they:

• give good quality service

• train staff

• plan supports.

Participants are people with disability who take part in the NDIS.

Council Members worry about participants who might get less funding for their plan in the future.

Funding is money from your plan that pays for the supports and services you need.

Some participants are not told their plan will have less funding.

Council Members also shared that some participants get more funding than they need.

Council Members explained that people who write NDIS plans include what participants have said.

But sometimes they include things the participants didn’t say.

Council Members shared that families of some participants want their NDIS plan to last for 2 years.

This is because they have too many forms to fill out every time their plan changes.

Council Members shared there are issues with some types of housing.

For example, there are issues with:

• funding

• filling out forms

• making decisions.

Council Members worry participants who want to live alone don’t get choice and control.

Council Members explained that when decisions about Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) take a long time, participants are at risk.

SDA is accessible housing for people with disability.

When housing is accessible, it is easy to:

• use
• move around in.

The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission (NDIS Commission) makes sure participants:

• are safe

• get good services.

Council Members also explained that people can’t make complaints with the NDIS Commission.

When you make a complaint, you tell someone that something:

• has gone wrong
• isn’t working well.

Many people think the NDIS Commission doesn’t care about participants’:

• safety

• wellbeing.

Council Members shared that some providers think some of the NDIS Commission’s rules are too hard to follow.

Council Members explained that some mental health services are not accessible for people with physical disabilities.

Council Members also explained that it is hard for young First Nations peoples in the justice system to start using the NDIS.

The justice system includes:

• police
• the courts
• the law
• prisons.