NDIS Let’s make it the best it can be

Once fully rolled-out, the National Disability Insurance Scheme will support around a half-million participants. To meet that need, the disability services workforce will double in size by 2020. Ensuring a quality, professional and sustainable workforce is essential to achieving the goal of delivering real choice and control.

Thousands of ASU members working in the Disability and Mental Health sectors have been talking about the good, the bad and the ugly implementations of the NDIS across Australia. We know the gaps and we've identified the priority issues together. ASU members working in frontline services have attended NDIS worker forums, presented at parliamentary inquiries and written submissions for NDIS reviews.

We now know that:

• the pricing units don't reflect the true cost of delivering high quality person centred services;
• we need greater focus on training and ongoing worker development;
• a classification structure which recognises the skills required to work with high support needs clients needs to be developed.

We want secure jobs with predictable hours for worker security and continuity of support for people with disability.

ASU members around Australia are campaigning to make the NDIS the best it can be.

We demand the Federal Government acts to ensure:

IMPROVED NDIS PRICES that recognise:

• fair wages with regular pay increases,
• time for training and support from our supervisors,
• time for administration, travel and peer support,
• our penalty rates and leave entitlements,
• stable and predictable working hours that provide a living wage.

MEANINGFUL CAREERS through:

• a classification structure that properly values the work we do and provides meaningful careers,
• ongoing professional development for all workers.

QUALITY STANDARDS that recognise our skills and ensure safe and high-quality supports for NDIS clients in particular for high needs or mental health clients.

SECURE JOBS with stable and predictable working hours that provide us with a living wage and continuity of supports for NDIS clients.