Shock as advert for new NDIS chief quietly posted online

The $52.3b a year NDIS is being marred by more contention, this time it’s a job advertisement for its CEO which has ‘sent shockwaves’ through the sector.

An advert for a new CEO for the beleaguered $52.3 billion National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) has been quietly posted online, with applications closing in just over a week.

It is unclear whether the current CEO, Rebecca Falkingham – who on a package of $800,000 a year earns more than the Prime Minister – has resigned.

Earlier this month the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), in charge of the scheme looking after 730,000 Australians with a disability, was forced to issue a statement saying Ms Falkingham was on sick leave, battling Stage 3 breast cancer.

Rebecca Falkingham. Picture: Supplied

Scott McNaughton. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

The agency also confirmed that the NDIA Board, headed by Paralympian Kurt Fearnley, had appointed Scott McNaughton as acting CEO.

It followed rising anger about who was in charge when a controversial decision was made in June to freeze or cut pay for NDIS providers. The move has forced businesses to close and participants to lose supports.

A 60,000 strong petition calling for a reversal of the changes is expected to be tabled in the federal senate.

Now the job ad, which was posted earlier this week and closes on August 8, is also causing controversy.

“The quiet recruitment for the role of NDIS CEO has sent shockwaves through our sector,” Angela Harvey, Managing Director of Supporting Potential, said.

“Not because of the individual who was in the role, but the lack of communication and transparency around the process.

“As one of Australia’s highest paid public servants, the taxpayer still does not know if she has officially resigned.”

Ms Harvey said it has led to disquiet within the disability sector and among participants.

“Decisions are being made without clear communication,” she said. “And the people whose lives are shaped by the NDIA are still in the dark about their own futures.”

There are calls for the NDIS to be more transparent after the quiet posting of a job ad online for its chief. Picture: Mark Wilson

Ms Harvey said the NDIS affects millions of Australians and it’s not unreasonable that they know who is responsible for the life changing decisions that are being made.

Earlier this month Shadow Assistant Minister for the NDIS, Phil Thompson said there was “a clear and concerning culture of silence in the NDIS portfolio at the moment, which is completely at odds with what is in the best interest of Australians living with a disability”.

The job, being advertised by recruitment agency Beaumont & Beaumont, states that the candidate must be able to “guide a national, digitally enabled scheme; strengthen participant trust; and enhance market sustainability.”

On LinkedIn, where the job advert is also being advertised, it showed that 21 people had clicked on ‘apply’ so far.

Dr George Taleporos, an advocate with lived experience, is being urged to apply. Louise Glanville, who is currently head of the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission is another name receiving support online.

An NDIA spokesperson responded and said “The current CEO term expires in mid-October. Consistent with common government practice, the Board will undertake an open merit-based process for the appointment of the CEO.”

Ms Falkingham, who was brought on board during a period of huge reform, sparked outrage earlier this year after revealing agency staff didn’t always have time to read medical reports in full.

The agency also received a damning report card in June on how effective it is at detecting dodgy claims. An audit of the NDIA’s processes for checking whether claims are genuine or not, found it to be only “partly effective”, despite the Albanese Government throwing millions of dollars into fraud detection.

Originally published as Shock as advert for new NDIS chief quietly posted online