AAPi was able to meet with Shadow Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme Hon. Bill Shorten late last year to discuss our concerns about the introduction of Independent Assessments. One of the main points we discussed was our concern as to why the NDIA was not working with providers to ensure that assessments were standardised and instructing them on what information was essential for access requests and reviews. AAPi rejects the claims made by the NDIA that providers have ‘compassion bias’ leading to inflated requests for funding and supports. It is the position of AAPi that professionals working directly with participants would have the best information and assessment about what supports are needed for the participant to improve their functional capacity and live an ‘ordinary life’.
Mr Shorten has created an online petition to the Morrison Government to stop Independent Assessments. We thank Mr Shorten for his support and advocacy.