Huge shake-up in NDIS as new CEO revealed
The new boss responsible for running the National Disability Insurance Agency has been confirmed after the previous CEO quit due to health reasons.
The new boss of the National Disability Insurance Agency is Graeme Head.
Mr Head’s appointment to the top job has been cautiously welcomed by advocates in the disability service, who have been commenting about it on social media.
Mr Head will take over from acting CEO Scott McNaughton. He stepped in after the former CEO Rebecca Falkingham resigned to concentrate on her health after she was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer.
Mr Head, who will be responsible for the $52 billion a year insurance scheme, is a former boss of the NDIS Quality and Safety Commission. More recently he was the Secretary for the NSW Department of Customer Service.
He was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2019 for service to public administration.
Some reacting to the news described his role as a “poisoned chalice” and said the same few names were moving between jobs, like a “revolving door”.
DSC, which offers training and consulting Australia-wide to businesses in the disability sector, said in a LinkedIn post that the “NDIS leadership has morphed into a sitcom with a limited cast of recurring characters”, in reference to Mr Head’s previous role as head of the regulator.
“Hopefully, his extensive experience in public policy has prepared him for what, if we’re being honest, must be one of the most challenging jobs in the Australian public service.”
Melanie Southwell, an independent consultant said she was “significantly relieved” to hear Mr Head is the new CEO.
“Having dealt with him previously, when I was running the Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) Alliance and he the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, I found him to be honest, considered, thoughtful and intelligent,” she said.
Dr George Taleporos, a disability sector leader, said in a social media post that Mr Head’s appointment had come at “an important moment for the NDIS”.
“Throughout his career, he’s shown a strong commitment to improving systems so they work better for people,” Dr Taleporos wrote about Mr Head.
“As someone who is deeply passionate about the NDIS and its founding vision, I’m hopeful that under Graeme’s leadership, the Agency will refocus on what truly matters, strengthening trust, improving participant experiences, and ensuring that people with disability have genuine choice and control over our supports and our lives.”
Next year Mr Head will oversee the introduction of a new assessment tool, which the disability community has raised concerns about.
He will also be responsible for reigning in the ballooning scheme, which now has more than 700,000 participants, to make it more “sustainable”, as well cutting fraud.
In a media statement Mr Head, who will start the new role on November 24, said he was excited to be given the opportunity to “play this significant role in the NDIA as key reforms to the scheme are being shaped and rolled out”.
NDIS Minister Jenny McAllister said Mr Head will provide the strong and experienced leadership of the NDIA that NDIS participants expect.
More to come.
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Originally published as Huge shake-up in NDIS as new CEO revealed
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