Bill Shorten reveals major change to NDIS

NDIS Minister Bill Shorten says regulations that allow participants to access government-funded sex workers will be scrapped, saying they do not meet the requirements for a reasonable or necessary service.

In an interview with Sky Sunday Agenda, Mr Shorten said most NDIS participants were “doing the right thing” but admitted the “rules have been applied a little loosely here and there”.

This has subsequently led to service providers abusing the system, allowing people to claim services such as international group tours to Japan, steam baths and cryptocurrencies.

“The way the program works is you get a personal budget. We want to make sure you have your personal budgets set up with a proper needs assessment,” he said.

“What we want to do then is make sure that you have the opportunity to get the things that are reasonable and necessary.

“Part of me groans when I have to go through the junk that some people claim to have, but that’s not what most people do.”

When asked specifically whether participants would still be able to claim the right to use sex workers under the proposed new reforms, Mr Shorten dismissed the idea.

“It’s just not a sustainable proposition. It just doesn’t meet the test,” he said.

However, he added that the government is only aware of “one or two” examples of this.

“That’s not what happens in most cases in this plan,” Shorten said.

‘People with disabilities currently have access to publicly funded sexual support services, but these are subject to strict eligibility requirements.’

Disability advocates previously told a Senate inquiry the NDIS should include a sexuality framework that states disabled women should choose not to date for fear of being exposed to high rates of sexual violence.

“I was able to date on Tinder, but it was toxic, violent and explosive. If I hadn’t met my partner, I would have sought access (to sexual support) because it wasn’t safe to continue dating men in the community,” said Nicole Lee, president of People With Disabilities.

Mr Shorten remained on the warpath after the Coalition and Greens held up the introduction of key reforms for another eight weeks, putting the legislation under scrutiny.

According to the Labor Party, the NDIS reform will save $14.4 billion over the next five years. The reforms focus on tightening the rules around services and expanding safeguards and assessment criteria for people using the scheme.

The disgruntled minister claims the delay will cost taxpayers $1 million an hour until Parliament reconvenes after the winter break.

Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie said the opposition would not be “intimidated” into rushing the decision and that the inquiry was needed to hear more evidence.

When asked specifically whether participants would still be able to claim the use of sex workers under the proposed new reforms, Mr Shorten ruled this out.

“It’s really fascinating that Labour expects the opposition and parliament to support their so-called reforms without any form of scrutiny. We’ve sensibly sent this to a Senate inquiry to investigate the issues further,” she told Sky.

‘Once that’s been finalised and we’ve heard not just from the industry but from customers … then we might develop our own amendments to that legislation. That’s how parliament should work.’

Mr Shorten continued his campaign to get the legislation through parliament last week by launching a mobile billboard reading: “Save the NDIS, put participants first, senators”.

Labor and One Nation also became unlikely allies. One Nation leader Pauline Hanson backed the legislation and urged senators to “put their politics aside”.

“I urge the Coalition and the Greens, if you really care about the people, to put forward your complaint, to put forward your amendments and if they are reasonable, we can certainly support them, because that is what we want,” she said.