The Australian Greens are calling on the Federal Government to take stronger action against fraud within the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), following the release today of the Joint Standing Committee on the NDIS’s final report into the Integrity of the Scheme.
The Greens say the inquiry has made clear that provider fraud continues to undermine the integrity of the NDIS, divert public funds away from essential supports, and cause significant harm to disabled people and their families. The report also demonstrates that efforts to combat fraud must be targeted at those exploiting the Scheme, not at participants who rely on it.
The party says protecting the integrity of the NDIS and protecting the rights of disabled people must go hand in hand.
Senator Jordon Steele-John, Australian Greens spokesperson for the NDIS and member of the committee, said: “Report makes clear that fraud in the NDIS is a serious issue, but the Government has been too focused on targeting participants instead of the providers who are exploiting the Scheme for profit.
“Every dollar stolen through fraud is a dollar that should have gone towards supporting disabled people to live with dignity and independence.
“Disabled people deserve an NDIS that is both protected from fraud and designed around their rights, not one where they are treated with suspicion because governments have failed to crack down on those actually exploiting the system.
“We need a fraud response that is evidence-based, properly resourced and focused on those committing the fraud, not one that creates fear and unnecessary barriers for disabled people accessing the supports they need.
“The Greens are calling on the Government to strengthen provider regulation and enforcement, improve whistleblower protections, and ensure stronger accountability across the disability sector.
“The Government must move beyond politicising fraud in the NDIS and start working constructively with disabled people, disability organisations and the broader sector to strengthen the Scheme.
“That means investing in effective compliance, holding dishonest providers accountable, supporting whistleblowers, and preserving the choice and control that sits at the heart of the NDIS.”
