ɫ������

NSW wipes its hands of disability services as Productivity Commission raises major concerns – PSA

ɫ������Media release

The Public Service Association (PSA) has slammed the NSW Government for scrapping public disability services as a Productivity Commission report raises serious concerns about access and cost blow outs with the NDIS.

The report also highlighted the PSA’s long held concern that some people with disability are receiving a reduced service under the NDIS.

“The disaster this union has been warning about for some time is now official,” said ɫ������General Secretary, Stewart Little.

“This is the worst possible time for the NSW Government to be washing its hands of public disability services.

“NSW Minister for Disability Services, Ray Williams is about to preside over the greatest social tragedy NSW has ever seen. That’s quite a legacy.”

The fate of tens of thousands of people in NSW with disabilities – the most vulnerable in our community – is being handed to non-Government operators who will be focused on profits.

The Productivity Commission relevations follow a previous report from the Federal Health Department that revealed it under estimated by 30,000 the number of people expected to access the NDIS – leading to a cost blow out of $1 billion.

“There is not going to be the money nor the capacity to properly service people with disability under the NDIS and by June 2018, the NSW Government will have completely stepped out of that space,” Mr Little said.

“NSW will be the only state in Australia with no Government safety net, throwing the care of people with disability into free fall.

“Tens of thousands stand to fall through the cracks destined to land in the state’s hospitals, mental health facilities and even the criminal justice system – areas lacking expertise in specialist disability care.”