Will affordable housing also be made accessible for people with disability?.

Speaker 1 00:00

Unlike the last election, issues around disability and the National Disability Insurance Scheme have been scarcely mentioned on the campaign trail. People with disabilities want clarity from policy makers in their plan for the future. Powered media reporter Emma Myers spoke with Minister for the NDIS Amanda Rishworth about key issues like accessible housing and reforms following the findings of the 2019 Royal Commission.

Amanda Rishworth 00:26

Firstly, we've already, for example, increased rent assistance significantly for those that may be on a pension or a payment, but we've also talked about how we elevate and increase the accessibility of housing stock we're building. So through the Australia future housing fund, we've made sure that we have as a minimum silver standard, but we've also talked about things such as on real estate.com ensuring that there is more descriptors of when you're searching for rental accommodation, that you're able to get more accessibility information. That's something that was discussed and committed to in our focus in Australia's disability strategies, choice in housing is important, and that's why supported independent living within the NDIS has been a real game changer for so many people when it comes to housing options. My focus when it comes to the NDIS is to really make sure that we are putting choice and control back at the center.

Emma Myers 01:38

And speaking of CO design, how do you make sure the committee covers the wide range of diversity of disability in these in these co design committees look,

Amanda Rishworth 01:55

I think that's a really important question, because I think we saw, for example, with the disability Royal Commission, when we went out and broadly consulted on some of the recommendations, there were differing views within the disability community. Suggesting there's a homogenous view would be incorrect. So firstly, we've got to prioritize, and that's certainly what we're doing in the NDIS, is there's a lot of reform going, is underway. So rather than having everyone chase their tail, actually providing, in the first instance, very accessible information. And as I said, in the autism strategy, we actually engaged a social enterprise to do, really providing that information in a really understandable way, easy to understand, easy format is the first important, and then also to work to identify critical aspects of reform and making sure that we are deeply discussing. So I'm really pleased that the NDIA, as a result of the sort of discussions we've had, will focus their CO design groups on areas that are of most interest to people with disability. They are the areas that people with disability have said they're interested in focusing on,

Emma Myers 03:19

and people with disability, Australia have contacted me. They want to know how labor will act on the findings from the disability Royal Commission, especially when the campaign has failed to even mention them. Look,

Amanda Rishworth 03:38

I have to say, as the Minister responsible for leading the work across government, we've taken our response to the disability Royal Commission incredibly seriously. We didn't wait until the Royal Commission to actually bring in the disability services and inclusion act, and that was to put a human rights framework around the governance of supports outside the NDIS. So previously, that act had not been updated and was very out of date for any supports or services outside the NDIS. So that was brought in to strengthen the safeguarding arrangements, and was something that was looked at addressing many of the concerns that appeared in the royal commission. But we will continue to get make progress on this. There's 130 recommendations that we've agreed in principle or agreed to that we need to work through. A couple of things that have been a focus will be releasing the Accessible Information and Communication associated plan of Australia's Disability Strategy. This was a really important aspect that was raised. We will continue consultation on reforming the Disability Discrimination Act. Obviously. Inclusive employment. Australia will start that directly responds to removing the eight hour restriction. Anyone that had a capacity of less than eight hours was not able to access that support. We want to get rid of that. Anyone that wants to access disability employment services, and the new program should be able to do that. We have amended legislation to remove immigration barriers for child visa applicants. We've amended the National Disability Insurance Scheme to ensure that the National Disability Insurance Agency board includes one First Nation. So there has been a lot of work going on. There will be, continue to be, a lot of work going on.

Speaker 1 05:40

Minister for the NDIS, Amanda Rishworth fair, speaking with powered medias, Emma Myers.