NDIS manager for Northern Territory shifted to Adelaide
Jul 20, 2018 7:14:27 GMT 7
krystal likes this
Post by Deleted on Jul 20, 2018 7:14:27 GMT 7
NDIS manager for Northern Territory shifted thousands of kilometres away to Adelaide
Disability advocates in the Northern Territory are dismayed at plans to axe a high-level position overseeing the local operations of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
A restructure inside the agency running the scheme means operations in the Northern Territory could be managed from an office thousands of kilometres away in South Australia.
The change comes after an independent evaluation found that the scheme's trial around Tennant Creek had been "ineffective", because it did not adapt to the local context and needs.
The local head of National Disability Services, Noelene Swanson, said the continuing roll-out of the scheme in the Northern Territory needed more, rather than less, on-the-ground attention.
"We're now rolling out in central Australia and other parts of the remote Territory where you're going to need more local knowledge, and more trusted relationships," she said.
"I don't think it is good news at all for the Territory, having a distant manager and decision-maker."
The manager of the disabilities and aged care team at the NPY Women's Council Kim McCrae said her service, which works across South Australia's far north, was overseen from the Northern Territory because it shares more similarities with that jurisdiction.
"We've got a unique set of circumstances in the Northern Territory," she said.
"There are specific issues around service provision that's culturally appropriate, and market readiness for the NDIS, and there needs to be a lot more work and a lot of investment in getting more services out to remote communities.
"Someone based in Adelaide, their time and energy — just if you think about the population in Adelaide — is going to be more likely to be taken up by those urban issues than the remote issues."
The roll-out in the final areas of the Northern Territory to join the scheme began this month, reaching people in central Australia, Alice Springs and Darwin city.
NDIS in Tennant Creek 'almost a theoretical concept'
Earlier this year, an independent evaluation of the NDIS by Flinders University found the scheme's trial around Tennant Creek did not improve the local supply of disability services, and unmet demand remained high.
The review found outcomes for NDIS participants were variable, with those with stronger English language and advocacy skills faring better than others.
The authors described the key promise of the NDIS of "choice and control" for people with disabilities remained "an almost theoretical concept" in the Barkly because of a lack of services.
"The NDIS trial in the Barkly region was never expected to be an easy task," the report stated.
"But at the end of the evaluation period it was still felt that both its approach and implementation were ineffective and that the NDIS had not managed to adapt sufficiently to the specific needs of the region."
Ms Swanson said she had been lobbying the National Disability Insurance Agency to maintain a senior representative in the Northern Territory.
"I really hope this [will be] the case, and that person has the appropriate delegations also to respond to the unique needs of the Territory, but we haven't heard any further on that yet," she said.
The NDIA did not respond to questions about the Northern Territory manager's role.
A spokesperson said no decisions regarding role location have been made.
mobile.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-17/ndis-manager-for-nt-shifted-thousands-of-kilometres-away/10004146
Disability advocates in the Northern Territory are dismayed at plans to axe a high-level position overseeing the local operations of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
A restructure inside the agency running the scheme means operations in the Northern Territory could be managed from an office thousands of kilometres away in South Australia.
The change comes after an independent evaluation found that the scheme's trial around Tennant Creek had been "ineffective", because it did not adapt to the local context and needs.
The local head of National Disability Services, Noelene Swanson, said the continuing roll-out of the scheme in the Northern Territory needed more, rather than less, on-the-ground attention.
"We're now rolling out in central Australia and other parts of the remote Territory where you're going to need more local knowledge, and more trusted relationships," she said.
"I don't think it is good news at all for the Territory, having a distant manager and decision-maker."
The manager of the disabilities and aged care team at the NPY Women's Council Kim McCrae said her service, which works across South Australia's far north, was overseen from the Northern Territory because it shares more similarities with that jurisdiction.
"We've got a unique set of circumstances in the Northern Territory," she said.
"There are specific issues around service provision that's culturally appropriate, and market readiness for the NDIS, and there needs to be a lot more work and a lot of investment in getting more services out to remote communities.
"Someone based in Adelaide, their time and energy — just if you think about the population in Adelaide — is going to be more likely to be taken up by those urban issues than the remote issues."
The roll-out in the final areas of the Northern Territory to join the scheme began this month, reaching people in central Australia, Alice Springs and Darwin city.
NDIS in Tennant Creek 'almost a theoretical concept'
Earlier this year, an independent evaluation of the NDIS by Flinders University found the scheme's trial around Tennant Creek did not improve the local supply of disability services, and unmet demand remained high.
The review found outcomes for NDIS participants were variable, with those with stronger English language and advocacy skills faring better than others.
The authors described the key promise of the NDIS of "choice and control" for people with disabilities remained "an almost theoretical concept" in the Barkly because of a lack of services.
"The NDIS trial in the Barkly region was never expected to be an easy task," the report stated.
"But at the end of the evaluation period it was still felt that both its approach and implementation were ineffective and that the NDIS had not managed to adapt sufficiently to the specific needs of the region."
Ms Swanson said she had been lobbying the National Disability Insurance Agency to maintain a senior representative in the Northern Territory.
"I really hope this [will be] the case, and that person has the appropriate delegations also to respond to the unique needs of the Territory, but we haven't heard any further on that yet," she said.
The NDIA did not respond to questions about the Northern Territory manager's role.
A spokesperson said no decisions regarding role location have been made.
mobile.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-17/ndis-manager-for-nt-shifted-thousands-of-kilometres-away/10004146
