Outrageous NDIS spending, including sex workers and overseas holidays, exposes ‘deep and systemic’ flaws

The Sunday Telegraph has been granted access to a list of outrageous NDIS spending that includes sex workers, a new car and overseas holidays. See the list.

Does spending your NDIS funding on a $73,000 new car, $3600 on hair extensions, $1200 on theme park tickets or $11,000 on a US holiday pass the pub test?

NDIS Minister Bill Shorten thinks not, and he’s banking on public opinion to help create a definitive list of what’s rorting in order to make headway into the disability scheme that is bleeding $2 billion every year.

The government concedes the issues plaguing the disability insurance scheme are “deep and systemic”, but after failing so far to get reforms through parliament, Mr Shorten is turning to a new strategy – asking the people of Australia.

It can be revealed Mr Shorten will announce a public consultation period on what constitutes NDIS support after the Greens and Opposition blocked overarching reforms in parliament.

After public consultation, Labor will continue its attempts to change legislation.

Does spending NDIS funding on overseas holidays, theme parks, crystal therapy or a new car pass the pub test?

The Sunday Telegraph has been granted access to a list of outrageous NDIS spending which also includes $6000 on return flights to London and $4700 on Uber Eats.

Other spends include services like sex workers, “therapeutic” Dungeons And Dragons games, cuddle therapy, clothes and alcohol.

Mr Shorten said he wants to send a “clear message with clear definitions of what’s acceptable and what’s not”.

“These outrageous claims are historical, we are now detecting them and discouraging them but the message should be clear: don’t ask in the first place.

“There needs to be a clear definition of what is and what isn’t acceptable so we can block the rogue minority of unscrupulous providers and strengthen the integrity of the scheme,” he said.

While services like crystal therapy, theme park tickets and fast food bills had the potential to appear as rorts, Mr Shorten wanted to stress there would always be room for evidence-based cases where people with disabilities genuinely needed the services.

“We really want to discourage people from trying it on. This will build confidence in the scheme.”

Mr Shorten said 228 NDIS applications in past 12 months were “sex worker related”.

While the issues of sex work paid for by the NDIS had drawn much attention of late, Mr Shorten said it was important to note that 228 applications out of one hundred million transactions in the past 12 months were sex worker-related — and none of the sexual services had been approved.

“The message is things won’t just be waved through, and should never have been,” he said.

“It will be evidence based with assessments that should have always happened.

“We want the list so we can start saving some money, stop rorting and build confidence in the scheme. The sooner the better.”

The list will become part of a transitional rule, remaining in place until the Commonwealth, states and territories formally agree on a rule to replace it.

In July Mr Shorten expressed anger over the Greens and the Coalition teaming up to send the NDIS Act reforms back to committee until August for a Senate vote.

He said the delay would cost Australian taxpayers almost $1 million an hour.

So far the bill for the delay has hit $831.4 million.

Concerns include that the legislation isn’t flexible enough to cater to individual circumstances and also centre on the bill’s provision for personal and medical information to be requested.

The legislation had already been the subject of a 12-week Senate committee before the Liberals and Greens decided they wanted more time to consult over the next eight weeks.

Mr Shorten said nothing would change for participants or providers while the

consultation was under way, and all levels of government would closely consider

feedback before finalising the defined supports.

“It’s really important that NDIS participants and their loved ones have a say on these

draft lists – that’s why DSS is running a public consultation period in which anyone in

Australia can provide feedback,” Mr Shorten said.

The public consultation period will be open until 18 August 2024.

The draft lists can be found on the DSS Engage website, and anyone wishing to

provide feedback can do so at the same location: engage.dss.gov.au