NDIS Savings

Question

Senator RUSTON: What I'm trying to get to, because this is a very, very large saving, is just how much risk is associated with the potential for other parts of taxpayer funded services to end up increasing in order to achieve this particular saving. I understand from what you've said, Mr Comley, that you believe there is some but it's impossible at this stage for that to be quantified. Obviously, I accept your evidence, but this is a very large number, so there could potentially be a smaller but still large number associated with costs that are going to be incurred somewhere else. I acknowledge your $10 million of foundational supports, which you've said, but at what point in time are we going to have some clarity around what the offset costs in other areas are going to be for this? Mr Comley: I'm happy to take on notice what we can provide. I will just make another comment that's really important. It is a very big save, $38 billion, but it is a $38 billion save against the growth rate that was baked into the system. If you look in absolute terms of the scheme, it still grows. In 2025-26, the number was $49.7 billion, and it's still going to be $54.2 billion at 2029-30. What we would say we're doing is that we are pulling the growth rate down from an unsustainable level in a system that is-and I think Minister Butler and Minister McAllister have said this a number of times-providing services in the care economy that are out of step, in many respects, of where we do other things in the care economy. That is partly why we would think that the impact on the other systems is not as large as people might think. Senator RUSTON: I absolutely accept everything you've said, but that actually wasn't my question. I'm just keen for the last 10 words you said-that's the piece I want. It mightn't be large, but we need to know what it is. ACTING CHAIR: Thank you.

Answer

Please see attached answer.

Documents

• Question with answer (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
• DHDA SQ26-004554.pdf (opens in a new tab)