Porter questions repairs to NDIS bungle

Christian Porter has criticised the ­National ­Disability Insurance Agency’s handling of a technology bungle.

Federal Social Services Minister Christian Porter has ordered a ‘short, sharp report’ into the NDIS bungle. Picture: Bruce Mounster

Social Services Minister Christian Porter has criticised the ­National ­Disability Insurance Agency’s handling of a technology bungle that has dented confidence in the government’s ability to smoothly roll out a landmark scheme for the most vulnerable.

This comes as audit firm PwC, hired by the Turnbull government for about $350,000, works to complete a review of the new MyPlace payment portal used by the N­DIA.

The IT system, designed and built in-house by the Department of Human Services, is blamed for some providers being left unpaid and some people being ­unable to access services, sending the $22 billion National Disability Insurance Scheme into disarray.

Mr Porter yesterday said he had commissioned a “short, sharp report” and The Weekend Aus­tralian understands its interim findings suggest the main problems appear to be around communication from the NDIA providing the right information to providers and participants, and offering sufficient help.

“While the NDIA assures me that the early technical issue has been fixed ... I remain sufficiently concerned about the adequacy of the assistance,” Mr Porter said last night.

“I have asked PwC to provide any interim observations about more immediate assistance ... I would expect such advice to be available over the next few days and I will be providing requirements regarding what more might be done to the NDIA chair and CEO directly for actioning.”

South Australian upper house Dignity for Disability MP Kelly Vincent, who received a letter from Mr Porter on Thursday expressing concern about the rollout, said it was clear the minister “did not understand the depth of the challenges”.

“Commencing a review of a portal that is not yet fixed seems a ridiculous waste of time and ­resources,” Ms Vincent said.

“As of today, we are aware that there remain significant problems with the portal and that many of the fixes in place to date are in fact short-term work­arounds until more long-term ­solutions can be figured out.”

It is understood large service organisations and allied health associations have been warned by the NDIA and the Department of Social Services not to make any public statements on the IT ­bungle until the problems have been fully resolved.

Some chief executives of large service organisations provided details to The Weekend Australian only on condition of anonymity for fear of repercussions, with one government source confirming that “the NDIA and the feds have put the fear of God into all of them”.

The chief executive of one group said, among a myriad problems, some people were ­unable to access their plans, ­creating mass confusion, while organisations could not bulk upload claims, ­creating a huge backlog.

Another national service ­organisation said some of its therapists still could not access client lists and the portal continued to list providers’ professions incorrectly, preventing them from logging services and claiming for work.

South Australia Disabilities Minister Leesa Vlahos said she would table specific cases at a meeting of federal and state ministers in Sydney on September 2, to “ensure Mr Porter knows the extent of the fiasco”.

Providers reported having received only about 10 per cent of their service payments since the new system was introduced, she said.

National Disability Services chief executive Ken Baker said the new portal should have been thoroughly tested with disability support providers before July 1.