Equal rights in the spotlight in The Advertiser/Flinders University’s Fearless Conversations Series: Watch a full replay

An advocate for the disabled has taken aim at lack of leadership in the sector, in a blistering instalment of The Advertiser/Flinders University’s Fearless Conversations series that lives up to its promise. Watch a full replay

A key South Australian disability advocate has hit out at the lack of leadership in the sector, labelling the national disability insurance scheme (NDIS) a “one-trick pony”.

Professor Richard Bruggemann, the former chief executive office of the Intellectual Disability Services Council, called out the leadership vacuum during this week’s final Fearless Conversation, saying the current system was being run “very poorly”.

Professor Richard Bruggemann and Helen Connolly discuss inclusivity issues during this week’s final Fearless Conversations forum. Picture: Supplied

“What do we have now?” Prof Bruggemann asked. “We have the NDIA, which runs the NDIS. Are they leaders? Do they set direction? No, they just basically shovel out money.

“Is our federal minister a leader? I don’t see leadership coming there. Are they listening to people who have people with leadership knowledge like families, and increasingly, people with intellectual disabilities? No, they have no mechanisms to do that.

“So I think we’re doing this very poorly. We have no leadership, the NDIS is fast becoming, in my view, a new institution – a one-trick pony whose only option is to deal out money to people, taking away many of the options people had previously to contribute to their communities in meaningful ways.”

Flinders University Vice-Chancellor Colin Stirling addresses the Adelaide Town Hall audience during this week’s final Fearless Conversations seminar. Picture: Supplied

Held at the Adelaide Town Hall, Wednesday night’s forum was the conclusion of a 13-week series of Fearless Conversations held by Flinders University in partnership with The Advertiser. The campaign brought together leading South Australian voices in roundtable discussions about some of the big issues facing the state.

Hosted by ABC journalist Charles Brice, the finale – which also incorporated Flinders University’s annual Investigator lecture – focused on Fearless Voices: issues relating to inclusion, diversity and equal rights.

On stage with Professor Bruggemann, panellists included Flinders University Professor of Disability and Community Inclusion Sally Robinson, AFL inclusion and social policy general manager Tanya Hosch, and SA Commissioner for Children and Young People Helen Connolly.

In response to Professor Bruggemann’s comments, Professor Robinson said it was important to recognise the “huge potential” of the insurance scheme.

“We shouldn’t forget there are double the amount of people who now receive funding through the NDIS,” she said. “People who are doing well are doing better. But there are people who get left behind, and the fact that there are people are being left behind is something we should be worried about.”

Panellist Tanya Hosch and moderator Charles Brice. Picture: Supplied

In his opening remarks, Mr Brice – who has relied on a wheelchair since injuring himself in a motorcycle accident more than a decade ago – said the aim of the forum was to explore what was needed in Australia to achieve genuine inclusion, diversity and equal rights “and to provide an equal voice to all”.

Ms Hosch noted while progress had been made in Indigenous affairs, there was still “a long way to go”, with meaningful change only likely to come via the ballot box.

“We’re about to go through a cycle of elections and it’s making me think what sort of conversations are we going to be having,” she said.

“I think it’s incredibly important to be clear about what we value as a society – it’s very easy to talk about inclusion and diversity and things of that nature but it’s a different thing to make it work in practice.”