The Territory Labor Government has welcomed the announcement of Maningrida as the first of two trial sites in a $7.6 million investment into the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
Minister for the NDIS, Bill Shorten revealed that Maningrida would be a beneficiary of the pilot program for alternative commissioning approaches in thin markets where there are not enough services available to meet participants' needs.
This is to ensure that participants can better access supports in remote and First Nations communities and will build on the work the Northern Territory Government is undertaking in partnership with the community, NDIA and sector as part of the deep dive into how the NDIS is working in Maningrida.
Alternative commissioning will be undertaken in partnership with First Nations and remote communities to ensure the pilot is both culturally appropriate and underpinned by an understanding of community strengths and preferences.
Minister Shorten announced Maningrida's inclusion as a trial site following a gathering with all State and Territory Ministers for Disabilities for a meeting of the Disability Reform Ministerial Council (DRMC) in Darwin.
The DRMC is continuing work on the reform of the NDIS and improving NDIS service delivery outcomes, particularly in remote communities.
Quotes attributable to Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme, Bill Shorten:
"Alternative commissioning could be a key step in ensuring participants in remote and First Nations communities are better supported in persistently thin markets.
"We live in a proud, diverse, vast nation with people of varying needs and abilities.
"Alternative commissioning approaches could strengthen the way that people access NDIS supports, by everyone working together within the community to achieve better outcomes for participants.
"This pilot will allow us to gain invaluable information on how we can ensure Australians with disability living in remote and First Nation communities can access supports and provide lessons on how to build the capability of communities and governments, and the types of alternative commissioning that work best."
Quotes attributable to Minister for Disabilities, Ngaree Ah Kit:
"People with disability deserve inclusion, accessibility, opportunities and support - no matter where they live.
"We welcome any support that improves the ability for NDIS participants in the bush to access disability services and addresses the challenges identified in the deep dive work.
"Alternative commissioning approaches will enable the community to identify new and innovative ways to bring disability services to communities that have historically not been able to access the services they need."
Quotes attributable to Member for Lingiari, Marion Scrymgour:
"All Australians deserve to have dignified care and support regardless of where they live.
"With some of the most remote communities in Australia, it's absolutely critical to look into new ways of supporting people in the Northern Territory with complex needs."
Quotes attributable to Member for Arafura, Manuel Brown:
"The recently launched deep dive in Maningrida examines how to improve the outcomes of the NDIS in remote and very remote communities across the Northern Territory.
"This will be a community led approach working in partnership with Traditional Owners, the disability sector, Aboriginal Health Organisations and all levels of government to create innovative solutions.
"The alternative commissioning trial is one way that utilisation barriers can be addressed and the deep dive will continue to examine other potential solutions."
Northern Territory Government
