NDIS Minister Bill Shorten says Victoria failing to engage

Bill Shorten has accused Victoria of failing to engage over the proposed changes to the NDIS, as a war of words erupts between the Allan and Albanese governments.

A war of words has erupted between the Allan and Albanese governments over work to overhaul the NDIS.

Victorian Disability Minister, Lizzie Blandthorn, this week accused the federal government of being “underhanded” in its dealings on how to rein in the cost of running the $41.9bn scheme.

She criticised the government for keeping Victoria in the dark and said little detail had been provided about pending changes to the program.

Now, Ms Blandthorn has been accused of failing to engage with her federal counterparts and key stakeholders.

A spokesperson for NDIS minister Bill Shorten said Victoria was the only state or territory to not yet properly engage over the proposed changes.

“The Minister is bemused as the Victorian Minister was supposed to attend a briefing with the NDIA on 16 October to go over costings and how we will achieve the 8 per cent target, but we are advised by the NDIA that the Victorian Minister cancelled at the last minute and has never rescheduled,” she said.

Federal NDIS Minister Bill Shorten singled out Victoria as the only state yet to engage on the issue. Picture: Martin Ollman

Victorian Disability Minister Lizzie Blandthorn labelled the federal government’s dealings as underhanded. Picture: AAP

“The Minister’s office has been informed the other seven states and territories’ Ministers have all met with the NDIA CEO and the Scheme’s actuary to go over the budget and forward estimates, including the 8 per cent target.”

Victoria was a signatory to the 8 per cent target at the last national cabinet.

“The NDIS Review has and will continue to provide detailed information to all governments to support the recommendations and governments’ detailed consideration of them at National Cabinet,” the spokesperson said.

“The Minister is confident that with constructive collaboration that this will all be worked as no one seriously believes the NDIS shouldn’t be improved in best interests of participants.”

But Ms Blandthorn said the government had failed to keep a promise to share NDIS review modelling with Victoria.

“People with disability and their families have entrusted us to make decisions in their best interests – we just can’t do that with the limited information provided thus far by the Commonwealth Government,” she said.

“We want to work constructively with the Commonwealth to deliver world-class disability services, but we won’t compromise the care of Victorians to support a cash grab from the Commonwealth.”

Key recommendations from the review are set to be discussed at a national cabinet meeting in early December because all states and territories must agree to any new rules.

More than 168,000 Victorians were receiving NDIS support in September.

Victoria contributed $2.9bn to the scheme last year under a deal struck in 2019.