News
Less haste and more thoroughness needed for DisabilityCare – ALA
1st Jul 2013
The Australian Lawyers Alliance welcomes the official commencement of DisabilityCare today, but is concerned about potential oversights in all the haste.
“DisabilityCare should help thousands of people with disabilities to find greater assistance to manage their support needs,” Australian Lawyers Alliance National President, Geraldine Collins, said today.
“But the ALA does remain concerned about the roll-out of the new authority while there are still unanswered questions about the fineprint governing the scheme,” Ms Collins said.
“DisabilityCare promises to provide greater certainty in accessing support. We hope that this will be the case for individuals accessing it and we applaud the government for its commitment and dedication in developing such an historic reform.
"Privacy, certainty in availability of support, genuine access to review with the assistance of an independent advocate, and increased empowerment and choice are warranted rather than a ‘tick the box’ approach to care,” Ms Collins said.
“Level of support will require constant monitoring and reporting from on-the-ground experience of individuals accessing the scheme.
"It is also of the utmost importance that individual rights are protected and not eroded under any further development to DisabilityCare and its soon to follow National Injury Insurance Scheme,” she said.
Ms Collins said the wisest move the new Prime Minister could make right now would be to ensure that the new scheme, which so many people have pinned so much hope on, has adequate reporting mechanisms to ensure any difficulties, within its operation, can be brought to light and quickly resolved.
“Total transparency of process is needed to ensure DisabilityCare lives up to everyone’s expectations and delivers not just today, but well into the future.” she said.
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