‘Optimistic’ Bill Shorten says NDIS reform bill could be passed in a fortnight

Bill Shorten described himself as a “political optimist” as he urged the opposition to help pass legislation and stop the ballooning costs of the NDIS.

NDIS Minister Bill Shorten says he is “hopeful” the Senate will pass a Bill get the $44bn national disability scheme “back on track” within the next fortnight.

Initially introduced in March this year, the legislation became stuck in the upper house after the Coalition and Greens teamed up to delay its vote until after the five-week midwinter break.

Appearing on Sky News on Friday, Mr Shorten said he was “positive,” albeit not 100 per cent certain, that the opposition would work with the government to pass the Bill in its current form.

Prior to the midwinter break, Mr Shorten went on the warpath over the two-month voting delay, saying it would cost taxpayers $1bn.

“The Senate is the master of its own destiny, if it makes amendments, then they’ll have to come back to the (House of Representatives) but if we all focus on the best interests of participants and getting rid of the rorts, then I think we will get there,” he said.

NDIS Minister Bill Shorten urged the opposition to work with the government in the Senate to pass the bill in its current form. Picture: NewsWire/ Martin Ollman

The legislation aims to help the government taper ballooning costs of the $44bn-a-year scheme, with goals to curb its growth by $14.4bn over four years, limiting its growth to $1.5bn-a-year.

However, the proposed Bill has been criticised for offering limited detail and specifics on how the spending cuts will be achieved.

While the Bill will most likely face further amendments from the Coalition and the Greens, Mr Shorten described himself as a “political optimist,” and was hopeful the legislation will be passed within the next two weeks.

“I think if you’ve got the right arguments, if you’re doing in the best interests of the people of Australia, people with disability, their families, the workforces, the providers, if the legislation is in the best interest of the Australian people, I don’t think our system is so broken that the best interest, the national interest can’t prevail,” he said.

On Friday, a report from the Labor-dominated senate committee holding the inquiry into the Bill issued the sole recommendation that the “bill be passes as soon as practicable”.

However, additional comments from Coalition committee members – Opposition NDIS spokeswoman Hollie Hughes, Maria Kovacic and Linda Reynolds – said there were “large gaps” that threatened “to become chasms in due course,” and raised questions around how the projected savings would be achieved.

“As it stands, the current proposed legislation remains ambiguous and is therefore difficult to meaningfully engage with,” the Liberal senators said.

“It holds additional, serious concerns around potential litigation arising from absent detail and minimal clarity as to how savings will be achieved and growth will be capped.”

While they said the Coalition would work with the government to reform the NDIS, they said they would not “simply support poorly formed policy, nor will it hand the government a blank cheque”.

Greens senator Jordon Steele-John said the minor party would not support the government’s NDIS reform Bill. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

A dissenting report written by Greens senators Jordon Steele-John and Penny Allman-Payne recommended the Bill not be supported.

It said foundational supports to be implemented by states and territories needed to be “comprehensively defined,” with current consultation inadequate.

They also raised particular concern over expanded “debt raising” powers given to the National Disability Insurance Agency (NIDA), participant assessment criteria and how the Bill would impact women, who disproportionately take on carer roles.