COAG Consultation Regulation Impact Statement – COAG Disability Reform Council
On 16 February 2015, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Disability Reform Council released a Consultation Paper canvassing proposals for a quality and safeguarding framework for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). The national framework seeks to maximise the opportunities for people with disability to make decisions about their supports while also enabling them to live free from abuse, neglect and exploitation. The framework also seeks to promote innovation, continuous improvement and best practice in the provision of supports. The Consultation Paper considers options for five specific elements of the framework that potentially have significant regulatory impacts on participants in the NDIS, their families, and community organisations and businesses providing supports under the NDIS. These elements include:
- Registration of providers by the National Disability Insurance Agency;
- Systems for handling complaints;
- Ensuring staff are safe to work with participants;
- Safeguards for participants who manage their own plans; and
- Reducing and eliminating restrictive practices in NDIS funded supports.
The Consultation Paper was prepared by the NDIS Senior Officials Working Group for the Disability Reform Council and assessed as adequate by the Office of Best Practice Regulation in accordance with the COAG Best Practice Regulation Guide.
