In his first interview with Dr George Taleporos since becoming the NDIS Minister, Bill Shorten has promised to fast track decisions, sack the lawyers and put people with disability in charge.
Speaking with George in a recent Reasonable and Necessary podcast, Mr Shorten said he wanted to see a more streamlined NDIA decision-making process.
“There’s too much what I call linear decision-making where we want reports to make sure someone’s eligible, then we take time for someone to go and meet them and then everything seems to be 1 decision at a time… it just all seems to go into slow motion… I think the agency can afford to give delegated discretion to skilled planners,” Mr Shorten said.
Reducing the number of appeals and having a lawyer-free dispute resolution process are also on the cards: “…most participants can’t afford lawyers against the agency, so I don’t want the agency having lawyers either…” he said.
And people with disability would soon be appointed to some leadership roles within the NDIA, Mr Shorten said.
Hear the full 18 August interview here.