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QB22-000014
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
Support for Volunteering - Volunteer Management Activity, Volunteer
Grants
HEADLINE RESPONSE
• The Albanese Government is committed to supporting the critical
role of volunteers in communities across Australia.
• The development of the
National Strategy for Volunteering, led
by Volunteering Australia, and funded by my department, will
provide a blueprint to support a reimagined and contemporary
volunteering eco-system.
• The National Strategy wil be inclusive of the interests of
volunteers, Volunteer Support Services (VSSs) and Volunteer
Involving Organisations (VIOs) across Australia.
• The National Strategy wil ensure that Australia’s volunteers, VSSs
and VIOs are given the best opportunity to deliver vital services
to Australian communities, both now and into the future.
• We have also partnered with Volunteering Australia on several
projects seeking to overcome barriers to accessing volunteering
opportunities and streamlining online volunteer management
services.
• The Strategic Awareness Communication Campaign, Volunteering
in Australia Report and the Volunteer Management Online Project,
wil provide a much needed foundation to support volunteering in
Australia.
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KEY POINTS – Volunteer Management Activity
• $33.5 mil ion over 5 years has been provided to state and territory
volunteering peak bodies under the redesigned Volunteer
Management Activity (VMA) to:
o deliver online services to build the capacity of VIOs within their
relevant jurisdictions; and
o break down barriers to volunteering faced by identified priority
groups, including People with Disabilities, First Nations People
and Newly Arrived Migrants.
• Additional one-off funding of $6.6 mil ion was provided in 2021-22
to support a smooth transition to the new Activity.
• The redesigned VMA was based on the understanding that peak
bodies know their state or territory’s needs and are well placed to
work closely with their local volunteer organisations. This new
approach was designed to enable volunteering peak bodies to
respond more efficiently to the current and emerging needs of local
volunteer organisations and their volunteers.
• A review of the implementation of the reformed VMA is currently
underway and wil identify any gaps or early modifications that
could be made to ensure the Activity is meeting the identified
needs as outlined in the VMA policy guidelines.
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KEY POINTS – Volunteer Grants
• In 2022-23, the Government wil provide $10 mil ion in
Volunteer Grants to assist volunteers and encourage volunteering.
• The 2022-23 Volunteer Grants round is currently in the design
phase. Further information on timing of the round wil be
announced once finalised.
• Briefings for all federal Members of Parliament (MPs) are expected
to be scheduled in August 2022 to provide information on MP’s
roles in the round.
• Funding of $19.1 mil ion for 5,521 grants over all 151 electorates
was provided in the 2021-22 double round.
• Volunteer Grants provide funding of between $1,000 and $5,000
to help community organisations to support the efforts of volunteers
in Australia and to encourage the inclusion of vulnerable people
through volunteering.
• Grant funds, expended to benefit the volunteers, are often used for
the purchase of small equipment or fuel, screening and training, to
increase participation and promote awareness of volunteering
opportunities and ensure volunteer safety.
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Volunteer Management Activity
IF ASKED – Why did the VMA service model change?
• I know how important the volunteering sector across our
communities.
• The vital work and support they provide to Australians is deeply
valued by this government.
• It was the Morrison Government who undertook a review and
commenced funding model changes.
• The review recommended funding a smaller number of
organisations.
• It also identified the shift of the volunteer workforce to online
platforms.
• From 1 July 2021, the redesigned VMA now focuses on:
o providing support and resources to increase the capability
of Volunteer Involving Organisations,
o building a more inclusive and diverse volunteering sector; and
o addressing the changing demands for capable and committed
volunteers in local communities across Australia.
• Thankfully, those changes implemented by the Morrison
Government won’t mean all services wil be online.
• Peak bodies wil work with other organisations to build the capacity
of the sector and:
greater engagement in volunteering among First Nation
Peoples, People with Disability and Newly Arrived
Migrants.
• There is a review currently under way looking at how these
changes are impacting organisations.
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IF ASKED – Can the Government ensure that rural and regional
Australia will have representation in the VMA?
• The Government is committed to ensuring no one is left behind.
• The VMA wil have a national footprint and those people in regional
and rural communities need more equitable service delivery.
IF ASKED – Will the redesigned VMA be reviewed?
• A Post Implementation Review (PIR) is currently being conducted
by an external company.
• The review wil include an evaluation framework.
• That evaluation wil inform performance and outcomes of the new
VMA model.
Volunteer Grants
IF ASKED – How much funding wil be available in each
electorate for the 2022-23 Volunteer Grants round?
• The Volunteer Grant round wil open next month.
• $66,225 wil be available to each electorate.
• MPs, in consultation with their community committee, wil be asked
to nominate eligible organisations up to the electorate cap. These
organisations wil then be invited to apply for a grant. Al grant
applications are assessed by the Department against the eligibility
and assessment criteria.
• MPs wil be asked to nominate up to an additional five
organisations above the cap in the event additional funds become
available.
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BACKGROUND / KEY FACTS
National Strategy for Volunteering
• Volunteering Australia (VA) announced the development of the National Strategy for
Volunteering on 1 November 2021, which wil provide a blueprint for a reimagined future
for volunteering in Australia.
• An independent National Strategy for Volunteering Council was established
to provide strategic oversight to the National Strategy project.
• Council representatives have been engaged from across the volunteering eco-system, as
well as a departmental representative, and wil continue to contribute their expertise to the
project.
• VA called for Expressions of Interest to join two working groups which play
a pivotal role in advancing the Strategy. These working groups meet regularly.
• Extensive stakeholder consultations are currently underway.
• The draft National Strategy for Volunteering is due to be released in October 2022, and
the launch of the new National Strategy for Volunteering is expected in February 2023.
Volunteer Management Activity
• In July 2017, the then Minister for Social Services, the Hon Christian Porter MP, wrote to all
funded organisations advising them that the VMA would not be a guaranteed source of
ongoing funding.
• Whilst the volunteering landscape was rapidly changing, the VMA service model had
remained unchanged for decades.
• As such, in late 2017, the Government commissioned a report into the VMA, conducted
by Matthew Pegg consulting, to inform government consideration of the future direction of
the program.
• The review of the VMA found the previous model lead to duplication and confusion
amongst volunteer organisations, and there was varying support depending on location.
• The review found that, in its previous state, the VMA led to an inconsistent use of
resources, IT infrastructure, and application of best practices.
• It was also established that the VMA did not align to a head of power under the
Australian Constitution.
• This subsequently led to nationwide stakeholder consultations in early 2020 (March
2020). These consultations informed the VMA redesign.
• The Department undertook stakeholder workshops in early February 2021 on the
implementation of the redesigned program.
• With the redesign of the VMA, all current and future volunteers wil benefit from a fit for
purpose program that has a national footprint.
Contact Officer’s Name and Position:
Libby Cremen, Branch Manager, Community
Cohesion Branch
Phone/Mobile:
s 47 F
DSS Input Cleared By (include position): Liz Hefren-Webb, Deputy Secretary,
Communities
Phone/Mobile:
s 47 F
Clearance Date:
20 July 2022
MO Clearance Date:
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QB22-000015
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
Restoring Respect for the Community Sector
HEADLINE RESPONSE
• The Albanese Government values the critical work undertaken by
the community sector workforce and is committed to restoring
respect for the sector.
• Unlike those opposite, we value the input our community services
sector provide – their advocacy shouldn’t be gagged and we’re
proud to say we wil be ending the Coalition’s gag clauses in
government.
• Our government won’t be afraid of our community sector partners
putting a voice to the people they work with everyday.
• As outlined in our Government’s pre-election commitment
Restoring Respect for the Community Sector, we will support a
stronger, more diverse and more independent community sector
underpinned by meaningful consultation, better funding processes,
and longer, more stable funding cycles.
• We know there are challenges facing this sector, not helped by the
Coalition’s gag clauses, stifling this sector’s ability to share their
concerns.
• I wil work closely with my colleagues and the representatives from
across the sector on implementing this commitment.
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KEY POINTS
• My department is working with the Treasury and the Department of
Finance to support the implementation of our commitment.
• My Department engages with the sector across a range of policy
specific and grant administration matters.
• For example, the Government’s response to emergency supports
such as Emergency Relief for people in crisis is informed by a
National Coordination Group made up of senior non-government
sector representatives.
CONTACT NAME: Libby Cremen
POSITION: Branch Manager – Community Cohesion
PHONE: s 47 F
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BACKGROUND / KEY FACTS
• Some stakeholders, including the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) and the
Australian Services Union have been in contact with ministers to discuss community
services sector challenges and offer ways of working together to deliver solutions under
the restoring respect to the community sector election commitment.
• Indexation in grant funding arrangements has been raised, and the need to reflect cost increases
over the life of an agreement.
• The Department is preparing advice on how indexation is applied to the Department’s programs,
and will coordinate advice with the Department of Finance.
• Since July 2015, the department has used CSAG as the key community sector stakeholder
engagement group to discuss issues and opportunities relating to community policies and
programs.
• CSAG members represent the following 25 organisations that includes a mix of peak bodies and
service delivery organisations:
Anglicare Australia, Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS), Australian Red Cross,
BaptistCare, Carers Australia, Catholic Social Services Australia (CSSA), COTA Australia
(Council on the Ageing), Family & Relationship Services Australia (FRSA), Federation of Ethnic
Communities, Councils of Australia (FECCA), Financial Counselling Australia, Meals on Wheels,
Migration Council Australia (MCA), Mission Australia, National Disability Services,
Relationships Australia, Save The Children Australia, Secretariat of National Aboriginal and
Islander Child Care (SNAICC), Settlement Council of Australia, Southern Youth & Families
Services Association, St Vincent de Paul Society, The Benevolent Society, The Salvation Army,
The Smith Family, UnitingCare Australia, and Volunteering Australia.
Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Libby Cremen
Branch Manager
Phone/Mobile:
s 47 F
DSS Input Cleared By:
Liz Hefren-Webb
Deputy Secretary
Families and Communities
Phone/Mobile:
s 47 F
Clearance Date:
20 July 2022
MO Clearance Date:
To be completed by MO
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QB22-000016
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
Top Up Financial Wel being Funding (COVID and Floods)
HEADLINE RESPONSE
• The Albanese Government is committed to ensuring no one is left
behind – particularly critical in times of emergencies like those
devastating floods we have seen this year.
• My thoughts are with all of those affected as they continue on their
journey of recovery.
• These communities also need the actions of a government to reach
out and ensure they get the support they need for recovery.
• That’s why an additional
$194 million has also been provided
between April 2020 and June 2022 specifically for services
to support people impacted by the
coronavirus pandemic and the
New South Wales and Queensland floods in February and
March 2022.
• This additional funding was informed by the sector-led National
Coordination Group (NCG), which I know is critical at these times
which is why I announced it’s extension to 30 June 2023.
• Financial Wellbeing and Capability (FWC) funding provides for
services to directly assist individuals, families and communities
experiencing financial crisis.
• Government support totals around
$660 million to over
200 community organisations across Australia to deliver FWC
services, such as Emergency Relief (ER), Food Relief and
Financial Counselling, from 1 June 2019 to 30 June 2025.
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• The NCG wil continue to monitor demand for these services,
and provide advice to government on an appropriate response.
• The NCG wil also deliver advice on improvements to FWC
program arrangements, including building the evidence base for
improved responses.
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KEY POINTS
Additional funding al ocated in response to COVID
• More than
$174 million in additional funding has been allocated for
FWC services since April 2020, including:
-
$72.7 million for 196 ER providers nationally;
o This includes the allocation of
$2.5 million in funding
in May 2022, to support
58 Commonwealth-funded ER
providers across Queensland meet the demand for their
services.
-
$24.3 million for
Australian Red Cross to deliver ER and
counselling support to temporary migrants;
-
$10 million for the Temporary Visa Holders Experiencing
Violence Pilot, to support women on temporary visas affected
by domestic and family violence access social services, legal
assistance and migration support;
-
$27 million among the
3 Food Relief providers, Foodbank
Australia, SecondBite and OzHarvest, to support
Commonwealth-funded Emergency Relief providers through
increased food supplies;
-
$20 million to increase the capacity of financial counselling
providers,
including the National Debt Helpline, and more
readily build the capability of the sector; and
-
$20 million to Good Shepherd Australia and New Zealand
(GSANZ) to
increase access to their No Interest Loan Scheme,
as an alternative to high interest loan products.
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Additional funding al ocated in response to the February-March 2022
floods
• More than
$19.2 million in additional funding has been allocated,
including:
-
$9.6 million for
73 Commonwealth-funded providers delivering
ER in flood-
affected communities;
-
$4 million for the
3 Food Relief providers to support;
Commonwealth-funded ER providers in flood-affected areas
through increased food supplies;
-
$500,000 for
Australian Red Cross to deliver ER to eligible
temporary migrants affected by the floods; and
-
$5.2 million, to boost Financial Counselling services across
flood-affected
areas.
National Coordination Group
• The NCG comprises senior executives from the ER, Food Relief
Financial Counselling, and Volunteering sectors.
• The NCG is supported by state and territory sub-committees and
a network of local y-focussed Government Area Coordinators
(GACs).
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IF ASKED – Why were 2-year grant extensions provided
to Commonwealth-funded FWC providers?
• A 2-year grant extension to the current arrangements, from
1 July 2023 to 30 June 2025, is being provided for seven FWC
programs, including ER, Food Relief and Financial Counselling.
• Funding is being provided at current base funding levels, and
adjusted for indexation, in line with current Budget allocations.
• The sector has navigated unprecedented circumstances in recent
years, including the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires, coronavirus
pandemic, and recent floods across the East Coast.
• These extensions provide stability and clarity to the sector and
enable provider to focus on the continued provision of immediate
support to people in financial crisis.
IF ASKED – Wil the Government provide additional FWC funding
in response to the July 2022 New South Wales floods?
• The Albanese Government is committed to supporting
flood-affected communities, and is closely monitoring the impact
of the latest flood situation for FWC services by working with
providers to understand current demand for services.
• People affected by the recent floods are able to access the
Disaster Recovery Al owance and the Australian Government
Disaster Recovery Payment, available through Services Australia.
• I urge people affected by the floods to check their eligibility for
these supports with Services Australia.
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IF ASKED – What is the status of the Government’s election
commitment to provide $1.3 million in funding to Loaves and
Fishes Tasmania?
• The Albanese Government is currently working to implement its
election commitments in a timely manner. I am working closely with
my ministerial col eagues to implement our election commitments.
IF ASKED – Wil the Government increase funding for ER and
Food Relief in Tasmania?
• Almost 5 per cent of ER funding is allocated to the
10 Commonwealth-funded ER providers in Tasmania.
• Tasmania comprises just over 2 per cent of the national population.
• In February 2022, $55,000 in additional funding was provided
to Foodbank Australia and SecondBite specifical y to increase
service delivery in Tasmania.
• This was part of more than $27 mil ion in additional coronavirus
funding allocated for Food Relief services nationally since 2019-20.
• The sector-led NCG wil continue to monitor the demand for
ER and Food Relief services throughout Australia in 2022-23 and
will provide advice to me on where further support is most needed.
• It is important to note that ER and Food Relief is a contribution
to the sector, with state and territory governments also playing
a key role in supporting local organisations.
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IF ASKED – Why can Food Relief providers only support
Commonwealth-funded ER providers?
• Government funding for ER and Food Relief is a contribution to the
sector.
• Organisations also receive support from other sources, including
state and territory governments, and donations to deliver services.
• ER providers are best placed to ensure clients seeking support
receive both financial and material aid, as well as referrals to other
essential services, such as Financial Counselling, which can help
address the underlying causes of financial crisis.
• Food Relief directly supports the ER program by improving
Commonwealth-funded ER providers’ access to a cost effective
supply of food items.
• Non-funded organisations should work with ER providers in their
local area to ensure that those who need support can access it.
CONTACT NAME: Chris D’Souza
POSITION: Branch Manager Financial Wellbeing
PHONE: s 47 F
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BACKGROUND / KEY FACTS
$660 mil ion in base funding for FWC programs over 6 and a half years to 30 June 2025
includes over $300 mil ion for ER, $8.8 mil ion for Food Relief and $267 million for Financial
Counselling services.
Emergency Relief (ER)
• ER services are delivered by 196 providers across Australia, with providers funded over
6 and half years to 30 June 2025.
• In addition, Australian Red Cross has been funded since 2019-20 to deliver ER and
counselling support to temporary migrants impacted by the coronavirus, and later the
flood crisis.
• Assistance offered by ER providers may include food, clothing, vouchers, budgeting
assistance and referral to other services.
• ER is restricted to people unable to pay a bil or at imminent risk of being unable to do so.
• ER providers determine client eligibility via intake and assessment activities.
• Access to ER is free and there are no citizenship or residency requirements to access
ER.
Food Relief
• The Food Relief program increases Commonwealth-funded ER providers’ access
to a cost effective supply of food items, on a national scale.
• Under current grant arrangements, the 3 Commonwealth-funded Food Relief providers
achieve this by:
- receiving donated foods from farmers, manufacturers, retailers or other food services,
and redistributing this to Emergency Relief providers or other distribution centres
where food is needed;
- sourcing and transporting essential foods where food donations are insufficient;
and/or
- leading the development of local partnerships between food redistribution suppliers
to improve access and food distribution.
Locational / place considerations
• On 15 May 2022, the Government made an election commitment of $1.3 mil ion
to support Loaves and Fishes Tasmania, a state-based food relief organisation. This
commitment is not related to the Food Relief program but public perception differs.
• There is currently significant demand for food assistance throughout Tasmania, including
due to the rising cost of living.
Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Chris D’Souza
Branch Manager
Financial Wellbeing
Phone/Mobile:
s 47 F
DSS Input Cleared By:
Liz Hefren-Webb
Deputy Secretary
Families and Communities
Phone/Mobile:
s 47 F
Clearance Date:
22 July 2022
MO Clearance Date:
To be completed by MO
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QB22-000020
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
Response to the Review of Financial Counsel ing
HEADLINE RESPONSE
• Financial counselling providers are a lifeline for vulnerable
individuals in financial crisis, and the Albanese Government is
committed to ensuring providers are able to meet demand for
services.
• We are working in partnership with industry stakeholders and the
financial counselling sector to introduce an ongoing industry
funding model for financial counselling.
• This is part of our commitment to ensuring a strong future for
Australian charities, including building capacity to ensure they can
continue to be the first line of support for the most vulnerable in the
community.
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KEY POINTS
• The Albanese Government is working with industry representatives
from the banking and finance; telecommunications; energy;
insurance; online gambling; and financial counselling sectors on
the design of:
o ongoing and voluntary industry contributions for financial
counselling, and
o a new not-for-profit body, to collect and distribute industry
contributions.
• My department has established an advisory group with the industry
representatives to inform this design, with industry contributions
and the new body expected to be agreed and operational during
2022-23.
• Industry contributions wil be on top of Government funding of
$44 mil ion per year for generalist financial counselling services.
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IF ASKED - How is the Government implementing the
recommendations of the Sylvan Review?
• We are introducing the industry funding model as a high priority
to increase funding for financial counselling, and services for
financially vulnerable Australians.
• An additional $10.5 mil ion from 2021-22 to 2024-25 is being
invested to support the industry funding model and data, national
coordination, and innovation activities, including $1.5 mil ion in
seed funding to establish the new, not-for-profit distribution body.
• The Department continues to engage with states and territories and
other Commonwealth agencies to strengthen coordination and data
on financial counselling.
IF ASKED – Wil the Government mandate industry contributions
rather than introducing a voluntary industry funding model?
• Key industries such as the banking and finance;
telecommunications; energy; insurance; online gambling have
already taken steps in working with Government on the
development and implementation of a voluntary contribution model.
• I wil consider mandatory arrangements if a voluntary contribution
model is unachievable with industries.
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IF ASKED - Is the Government aware of concerns raised by
sector stakeholders about buy now pay later products?
• Financial counsellors report an increase in the number of people
presenting with debt relating to Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL)
products. BNPL products are being used to pay for everyday living
expenses such as groceries, childcare, and electricity, as well as
alcohol and food in hospitality venues and rent payments.
• A recent survey by the Department found the BNPL sector
accounts for 3.2 percent of the time spent by financial counsellors
assisting clients.
• My Department is continuing to work with the sector to monitor this
situation and to better understand the drivers of demand for
financial counselling services.
Regulation of Buy Now Pay Later (from Treasury QTB)
• The Australian Government is taking action to address the risks of
consumer harm associated with buy now pay later lending. We are
consulting with industry and consumer groups to develop tailored
solutions while ensuring that consumers and merchants wil
continue to realise the benefits of responsible buy now pay later
use.
• On 12 July 2022, Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial
Services announced that the Government wil consult on ways to
improve the regulation of buy now pay later credit in Australia.
• The Government wil also conduct a health check of the scope of
consumer credit regulation in light of new technologies and
business models.
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IF ASKED – What is the Government doing following the collapse
of the Aboriginal Community Benefits Fund (ACBF) Group, now
known as Youpla?
• The Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services is
leading the Government’s response to ACBF’s funeral funds
entering liquidation in March 2022, in consultation with the Minister
for Indigenous Australians and other Ministers.
• The Government is aware of ACBF’s poor conduct over a long
period. The Financial Services Royal Commission, Australian
Securities and Investments Commission and Australian Financial
Complaints Authority have all highlighted that ACBF has
misrepresented themselves as an Aboriginal owned organisation,
and targeting First Nations peoples, including young people and
those in remote communities, to take up unsuitable funeral fund
products.
• My Department is continuing to monitor the impact on financial
counselling services from ACBF’s collapse.
CONTACT NAME: Chris D’Souza
POSITION: Branch Manager, Financial Wellbeing
PHONE: s 47 F
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BACKGROUND / KEY FACTS • 2019 – former Government commissioned Ms Louise Sylvan AM to undertake a review,
the
Countervailing Power: Review of the coordination and funding for financial counselling
services across Australia (the Sylvan Review) in response to the Royal Commission into
Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry.
• The Sylvan Review delivered important insights into the issues experienced in the
financial counselling sector, such as insufficient funding, increasing demand for services,
fragmented delivery, and people struggling with complex and varied financial products
and services.
• November 2020 – in response to the Sylvan Review, the former Government committed
to introduce an industry funding model, following consultation with industry, to provide
increased funding for the financial counselling sector.
• The 2022-23 Budget included an additional $10.5 mil ion over four years from 2021-22 to
support the voluntary industry funding model and the financial counselling sector. This
includes:
o $1.5 mil ion in seed funding to establish the new, not-for-profit distribution body.
o $9 mil ion in complementary initiatives:
• $1.5 mil ion for consultation and evaluation support for the industry funding model;
• $3.4 mil ion for data capture and capability initiatives, including further demand
modelling;
• $2 mil ion investment for the expansion of the online chat function on the National
Debt Helpline website;
• $1 mil ion for further expansion of the pilot for an online appointment booking
system, using the National Debt Helpline; and
• $1 mil ion to extend a virtual learning program for financial counselling students to
complete their placement hours.
• Commonwealth Financial Counselling (CFC) services are delivered by community and
local government organisations to help people in personal financial difficulty address their
financial problems, manage debt, and make informed choices about their money.
Services are voluntary, free and confidential.
• The Government annually provides $44 mil ion for generalist services through
Commonwealth Financial Counselling/Financial Capability (CFC/FC), the National Debt
Helpline (NDH), CFC/FC Capability Building and Money Support Hubs (MSH). Specialist
financial counselling services are also funded for problem gambling. These services are
considered the largest financial counselling supports funded by the Commonwealth.
Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Chris D’Souza, Branch Manager, Financial
Wellbeing
Phone/Mobile:
s 47 F
DSS Input Cleared By:
Liz Hefren-Webb, Deputy Secretary, Families
and Communities
Phone/Mobile:
(s 47 F
Clearance Date:
21/07/2022
MO Clearance Date:
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QB22-000061
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
Abolishing the Cashless Debit Card and the future of Income Management
HEADLINE RESPONSE
• The Albanese Government will abolish the Cashless Debit Card (CDC)
program and last week I introduced legislation in this place to deliver on
our election commitment.
• Pending the passage of legislation, this Bil wil enable participants to
move off the Cashless Debit Card, with the option of voluntary Income
Management.
• It wil also ensure the Family Responsibilities Commission can continue
to support community members in the Cape York region by
re-establishing Income Management.
• The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) report into the CDC
delivered just last month found insufficient evidence that the CDC was
meeting its objectives.
• Many CDC participants forced to use the card have reported feeling
marginalised and embarrassed, and have reported a loss of freedom and
choice.
• We are consulting with communities where the card operates, to work
with them on what’s next including consideration of voluntary Income
Management for participants coming off the CDC. I have visited and
spoken with communities in Ceduna and the East Kimberley region, and
wil be visiting Cairns and the Northern Territory in coming weeks.
Assistant Minister El iot has also visited Bundaberg and Hervey Bay and
wil also be visiting the Goldfields region.
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• We are moving quickly and decisively in bringing this legislation forward
to ensure there is adequate time to support participants to get off the
card, including personalised supports where needed. This includes
helping people set up automatic deductions to pay rent and utilities, or
assistance with moving to voluntary Income Management if individuals
stil want more support in managing their money.
• The communities I and Assistant Minister El iot have spoken to have
indicated their strong preference for support services to remain in place
following the abolishing of the CDC. I wil continue to work with
communities about what other key supports are needed— not only to
support individuals as they transition off the card, but to put in place other
programs and supports to help the community address issues of alcohol
and other drug misuse, domestic violence and problem gambling.
• Our Government is committed to putting in place supports which are
based on evidence – not ideology.
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KEY POINTS • The Albanese Government has committed to abolish the mandatory CDC
and remove restrictions on how social security recipients spend their
payments.
• Legislation for the CDC sunsets on 31 December 2022.
• We wil support individuals and communities through a measured
transition. This wil include offering voluntary Income Management to
those who choose it and co-designing strategies with communities to
address long-term challenges including drug and alcohol misuse and
problem gambling.
• We are consulting with CDC participants, community members and First
Nations leaders in CDC regions around Australia.
• Consultation to date include stakeholders in Ceduna, East Kimberley,
Bundaberg and Hervey Bay. The Government wil continue to consult,
with visits to Cape York, the Northern Territory and the Goldfields shortly.
• Discussions so far have centred on:
- what services are needed to address social issues within communities
and also are required to drive economic independence.
- what supports people may need while transitioning off the card and
beyond.
• We wil tap into the established governance and decision-making
structures in these communities to identify the priorities for community
and ensure support funding is aligned to these priorities.
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IF ASKED – When will people transition off the Cashless Debit Card?
• Subject to the passage of the legislation introduced last week, people will
be able to opt out of the CDC and I expect this to be from
19 September 2022.
• We committed to getting people off the card as quickly as possible but
ensuring the transition pathway for individuals is tailored to their
circumstances.
• Additionally, from Monday 1 August 2022, people in all CDC sites
(except Cape York) wil no longer be placed onto the CDC.
• There wil also be support available to those who need it, including opting
in for voluntary Income Management, setting up Centrepay arrangements
and referrals to local supports.
• Some people won’t need any assistance, so my department is designing
a process that allows them to come off the program quickly and
smoothly. It is critical that those who do need some extra help with the
changes to their financial arrangements are able to get it. This may
include an option for individuals to transition to a voluntary Income
Management program
• Our Government is talking with communities about what other supports
communities may need — during the transition away from the CDC and
in the longer term.
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IF ASKED – Will the Government force people in the Northern Territory
back onto the BasicsCard?
• The Government is abolishing the CDC. This means people across
Australia wil no longer be forced to be on this program.
• The Government wil be offering choice to people. If some like the
program and want to continue using a tool to help them budget, or to
protect themselves from financial abuse, they wil have the option to
volunteer for Income Management.
IF ASKED – Will a voluntary income management card be like the
BasicsCard? Will it have the same features as the Cashless Debit
Card?
• Card options will be fully explored as part of consultations on voluntary
Income Management.
IF ASKED – Why is the Government abolishing the card, especially
when alcohol bans are being lifted in the NT and domestic violence
continues?
• There is no evidence that supports that this card has made a difference.
The card has not worked. It has not addressed the concerns some
communities had about alcohol abuse and violence in the community,
particularly against women and children.
• The ANAO report into the CDC found insufficient evidence that the CDC
was meeting its objectives.
• The last evaluation of the CDC cost $2.5 mil ion. It found that evidence
on the program was inconclusive.
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• 74 per cent of surveyed CDC participants wanted to opt out of the card.
Many participants felt stigmatised or discriminated against by being on
the card.
• We wil abolish the CDC and look at the other relevant policies and levers
available to address the complex issues faced by people in these
communities.
• We wil continue support services that are making a difference, and will
work with communities on local solutions moving forward. I recognise
that the NT Government is well placed to regulate alcohol in its
jurisdiction.
IF ASKED – Wil the Government force people in Cape York back onto
the BasicsCard?
• The Government is abolishing the CDC. This means people across
Australia wil no longer be forced to be on this program.
• We wil be working with the Families Responsibilities Commission to
re-establish Income Management for people in Cape York and to ensure
the continuation of support services for people.
• In the coming weeks, Assistant Minister El iot and I wil be visiting Cape
York communities to consult with them on what Income Management
should look like, and what supports wil be required to ensure
communities are best placed to address the complex social issues they
face.
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IF ASKED - What is the Government doing to assist participants to
transition off the card including those using Buy Now Pay Later
services? • There are around 14,000 people have used their CDC account as part of
a Buy Now Pay Later arrangement. People can incur fees if they make a
late payment for these purchases.
• We wil continue to work with communities in CDC regions to ensure
people coming off the CDC are supported, and to help them to gain skil s
and build their capacity to move to economic independence in the longer
term.
• Services Australia wil provide support to participants who request to
transition off the CDC, and other support services wil be available for
people who need a little more assistance. This includes a discussion
about setting up new direct debits for rent or other bil s, and offering
further budgeting support. This wil include the need for them to change
their Buy Now Pay Later arrangements to another account so they do not
incur a late payment fee.
• My department is developing a comprehensive communication and
engagement strategy to ensure participants are aware of their option to
come off the CDC and the supports available in their communities.
CONTACT NAME: Mike Websdane
POSITION: Branch Manager, Cashless Welfare
PHONE: s 47F
Engagement and Support Services
ANNOTATION: The
figure of "14,000" in the
version of the QTB as at
4 August 2022,was
incorrect due to a
reporting error. The
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the QTB on 5 August
2022.
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BACKGROUND / KEY FACTS
• As at 1 July 2022, there are 17,795 participants on the Cashless Debit Card.
Cashless Debit Card region
Participant numbers
Ceduna region SA
1,085
East Kimberley region WA
2,028
Goldfields region WA
3,849
Bundaberg and Hervey Bay region Qld
6,552
Cape York region Qld
108
Northern Territory
4,173
• Note, CDC participants in the Northern Territory elected to move from Income Management to the
CDC. Almost all of these people have ongoing eligibility for Income Management.
Income Management
• As at 1 July 2022, there are 24,681 participants on Income Management across Australia. Of
these, 22,942 reside in the Northern Territory, and 2,639 are on Voluntary Income Management.
Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Mike Websdane, Branch Manager
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
DSS Input Cleared By (include
Liz Hefren-Webb, Deputy Secretary, Families
position):
and Communities
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
3 August 2022
MO Clearance Date:
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QB22-000062
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
Gambling Policy
HEADLINE RESPONSE
• The Albanese Government is committed to reducing the harm from
gambling activities and to implementing the National Consumer
Protection Framework for online wagering (the National
Framework).
• The Framework is a whole of government response to reducing
gambling harm from online wagering. It does not apply to land-
based gambling, such as casinos or electronic gaming machines.
KEY POINTS
• National Framework contains 10 measures to reduce harm caused
by online wagering to consumers.
• The measures provide people with easy-to-use tools and
information to better control their gambling.
• 7 of the 10 measures have been implemented since 2018:
1. The most recent change is that from 31 July 2022, Activity
statements – online wagering providers wil be required to
send consumers meaningful activity statements so they can
easily track and monitor their online wagering spending and
behaviour.
2. Prohibition on lines of credit for online wagering,
3. Discouraging the use of payday lenders for wagering,
4. Reducing the customer verification period from 90 days to 72
hours.
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5. Voluntary opt-out pre-commitment scheme, where wagering
providers must offer all clients the option to voluntarily set
deposit limits on their gambling activity.
6. Restricting use of inducements to gamble, like bonus bets,
and
7. Ensuring people can easily cancel and close online wagering
accounts.
• Remaining 3 measures are on track to be implemented by end of
2022:
1. Consistent gambling messaging – involves wagering service
providers to implement a suite of the consistent gambling
messages, to replace the “gamble responsibly” tagline.
2. Staff training - which provides a nationally consistent, training
module for all staff involved in providing online wagering
services.
3. Establishment of a National Self-Exclusion Register (NSER).
The NSER wil allow those experiencing gambling harm to
immediately exclude from services offered by all interactive
wagering providers with a single registration. The NSER,
which wil be known as BetStop, is being implemented by the
Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA)
under the responsibility of the Minister for Communications,
the Hon Michelle Rowland MP, and expected to be
operational by September 2022.
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IF ASKED: Is the Government doing anything else about
gambling related harm?
• An extensive evaluation process is planned once the National
Framework is fully implemented by early 2023.
• Online gambling providers must comply with the
Interactive
Gambling Act 2001 (Cth) as well as state/territory measures for
gambling harm minimisation.
• The Government also provides funding for Financial Counselling
for Problem Gambling.
− In 2021-22, 4,492 clients were supported by 33 providers.In
2021-22, base funding for the program was
$5.61 million.
− Total funding from 1 January 2019 to 30 June 2023 is
$25.1 million.
• This is in addition to more than
$76 million from 1 January 2019
to 30 June 2023 for general financial counselling services, which
has supported 108,418 clients to date.
• The Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) also conducts
ongoing national research on gambling to inform implementation of
the National Framework.
IF ASKED: Will the Government address the increase
in gambling advertising?
• Reforms restricting gambling advertisements came into effect
in May 2019, which complement the National Framework and
include prohibiting gambling advertisements during live sporting
events from five minutes before play, until five minutes after
conclusion of play, between 5:00am and 8:30pm.
• ACMA continues to monitor compliance with these restrictions.
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IF ASKED: Will the Government prohibit the use of credit cards
for online gambling?
• The Australian Banking Association, some large online wagering
providers and peak bodies support banning credit cards and digital
wallets for online gambling in Australia.
• On 19 November 2021, the Parliamentary Joint Committee
on Corporations and Financial Services (the Joint Committee)
tabled their report from the Inquiry into regulation of the use
of financial services such as credit cards and digital wallets for
online gambling in Australia.
• Joint Committee recommended Government develop and
implement legislation to ban online wagering providers and other
gambling services (excluding lotteries) from accepting payment by
credit cards and digital wallets, and collect additional data on size
and growth of the online wagering market and associated harms.
• The Albanese Government wil consider this recommendation in
due course.
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IF ASKED: What is the Government doing about preventing
gambling harm in children?
• I am aware gambling-like games, for example video games that
include loot boxes and social gaming, are of concern to some
community members and more work needs to be done to better
understand this issue.
• The Office of the eSafety Commissioner has an online guide
for parents about gaming, including those with gambling-like
elements available at https://www.esafety.gov.au.
• The National Classification Scheme provides consumers with
advice on the content in video games. Consumer advice may
include ‘in-game purchases’, ‘simulated gambling’, ‘gambling
themes’ or ‘gambling references.’
• An independent review of Australian classification regulation, led by
Neville Stevens AO, was undertaken in 2020 which considered the
National Classification Code and the
Guidelines for the
Classification of Computer Games with respect to classification of
games with simulated gambling and loot boxes.
• Questions regarding the National Classification Scheme should
be referred to the Minister for Communications.
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IF ASKED: Will the Government establish a National Gambling
Regulator?
• In 2013, the former Government made a decision to abolish the
introduction of a National Gambling Regulator. The Albanese
Government wil consider all options to minimise harm from
gambling.
IF ASKED: What is the Government doing about “grooming” and
other predatory practices of online wagering companies?
• Through the National Framework, it is prohibited for online
wagering companies to offer any credit, voucher, reward or other
benefit as an incentive to open an account or to refer another
person to open an account.
• This measure is designed to protect consumers from
incentive-based marketing, and strengthen standards for direct
marketing.
• The National Framework also provides tools to assist consumers
to regulate their gambling activity:
- Voluntary opt-out pre-commitment – allows consumers to set
limits for their gambling activity (already implemented).
- Activity statements – meaningful statements of consumer
gambling activity provided monthly (implementation now in place
from 31 July 2022).
- NSER – consumers can centrally exclude from all advertising
and wagering services (implementation in 2022).
CONTACT NAME: Chris D’Souza
POSITION: Branch Manager
PHONE: s 47F
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Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Chris D’Souza
Branch Manager
Financial Wellbeing
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
DSS Input Cleared By:
Liz Hefren-Webb
Deputy Secretary
Families and Communities
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
20 July 2022
MO Clearance Date:
To be completed by MO
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QB22-000074
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
Approach for the Indexation/Fair Work Commission ruling for Grants
HEADLINE RESPONSE
• Indexation is applied to eligible grants each year.
• This practice occurs consistently across all eligible Department of
Social Services grant programs.
KEY POINTS
• Consistent with long-standing and previous government policy,
indexation is paid to eligible Department of Social Services grant
recipients once each financial year.
• Al eligible grant recipients wil receive indexation this financial year
and I have asked my department to ensure indexation is passed on
to these providers as a matter of urgency.
• In light of the recent Fair Work Commission decision on minimum
wage increases, I have asked my Department to work with its
Community Services Advisory Group that has membership from 25
peak bodies and community service delivery organisations to
consider how this may impact their sector.
• We want to ensure grants reflect the real cost of providing services
and doing business and wil work with the sector on how best we
support this change.
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BACKGROUND / KEY FACTS
• Indexation is the process where the forward estimates are updated to reflect the forecast
economic conditions of the year in which costs are expected to occur.
• The application of indexation to a grant program, and the chosen indexation parameter, is
a decision of the Government. These parameters are not disclosed publically and are the
responsibility of the Department of Finance.
• The Department passes on indexation to grant recipients where the Government has
made a decision to apply indexation to the grant program.
• Multi-year grants do not receive indexation in the first year, as it is already factored into
the base funding.
• CSAG is chaired by DSS and membership consists of representatives from 25 peak
bodies and service delivery organisations as per below:
• Anglicare Australia, Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS), Australian
Red Cross, BaptistCare, Carers Australia, Catholic Social Services Australia
(CSSA), COTA Australia (Council on the Ageing), Family & Relationship
Services Australia (FRSA), Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of
Australia (FECCA), Financial Counselling Australia, Department of Social
Services (DSS), Meals on Wheels, Migration Council Australia (MCA), Mission
Australia, National Disability Services, Relationships Australia, Save The
Children Australia, Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care
(SNAICC), Settlement Council of Australia, Southern Youth & Families Services
Association, St Vincent de Paul Society, The Benevolent Society, The Salvation
Army, The Smith Family, UnitingCare Australia, Volunteering Australia.
Locational / place considerations
•
NIL
Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Eve Cordeiro, A/g Branch Manager
Phone/Mobile: s 47F
DSS Input Cleared By (include
position):Mark le Dieu, Group
Manager, Community Grants Hub
Phone/Mobile: s 47F
Clearance Date:
26 July 2022
MO Clearance Date:
To be completed by MO
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QB22-000021
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
Disability Royal Commission
HEADLINE RESPONSE
• The Albanese Labor Government believes it is important that the
experiences of people with disability in Australia are heard.
• That is why the Government supported the establishment of a
Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation
of People with Disability (the Disability Royal Commission) in 2019.
• It is critical people with disability are able to participate in the
Disability Royal Commission and are supported to tell their story
safely.
• My department delivers a range of support services to achieve this.
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KEY POINTS
• The Department of Social Services (the department) established
free and independent supports for people engaging with or affected
by the Disability Royal Commission including:
− a trauma-informed national telephone counselling and referral
service, delivered by Blue Knot Foundation
− in-person counsel ing services for people who have more
complex needs and require more in-depth support
− Indigenous-specific counselling services, advocacy support and
sector development
− individual advocacy support for people with disability who need
significant support to tell their story and assistance in drafting
submissions
− systemic advocacy support.
• The services provide people with disability, their families and
carers:
− support for their emotional wellbeing
− support for making choices about telling their stories
− information on other practical supports available to them.
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IF ASKED: How can people share their story with the Disability
Royal Commission?
• The Albanese Government encourages anyone to tell their story
to the Disability Royal Commission, and encourages individuals to
consider the timeframes the Disability Royal Commission has set.
• The Disability Royal Commission has requested that any
submissions be sent to and received by the Disability Royal
Commission by 31 December 2022 in order to be taken into
account in the Final Report.
• Registrations for a private session are now closed as the Disability
Royal Commission announced that anyone who would like to have
a private session needed to register before 30 June 2022. Private
sessions wil be held after that date for those who have registered.
IF ASKED: What is the Government doing to support Indigenous
and Australians with disability to engage with the Disability
Royal Commission?
• It is important to ensure support services are appropriate to support
all people with disability.
• My department has established culturally appropriate counselling
supports for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with
disability which has resulted in 28 per cent of all counselling clients
identifying as Indigenous.
• My department is also working with First Peoples Disability
Network (FPDN) to deliver First Nations-specific advocacy support
for the Royal Commission.
- Funding was provided for FPDN to deliver a range of capacity
and capability building activities to National Disability Advocacy
Program providers, including the provision of cultural awareness
training for providers who provide support services to First
Nations people with disability.
• Funding was also provided for 11 Indigenous Community
Advocates across Australia to provide culturally safe advocacy
supports.
• These initiatives have resulted in 11 per cent of all advocacy clients
identifying as Indigenous.
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CONTACT NAME: Anita Davis
POSITION: Branch Manager, Advocacy and Inclusion
PHONE: s 47F
BACKGROUND / KEY FACTS
• The Disability Royal Commission was announced on 5 April 2019 and is due to release its
final report by 29 September 2023.
• As at 6 July 2022, the Disability Royal Commission has held 24 public hearings with a
further eight scheduled for the remainder of 2022.
• A total of
$599.3 mil ion over five years (2018-19 and 2023-24) is al ocated to fund the
Disability Royal Commission and related support services.
- The department received
$165.4 mil ion over five years, which included
$144.6 million of administered funding for advocacy and counselling support services
for people participating in, and affected by, the Disability Royal Commission. The
remaining funding (
$20.8 million) being for departmental purposes in administering
these support services and for engaging with and responding to the Disability Royal
Commission.
- Departmental funding was also provided to the National Disability Insurance Agency
($47.8 million) and the National Disability Insurance Scheme Quality and Safeguards
Commission
($7.1 million) to support their engagement with and responses to the
Disability Royal Commission.
- The remaining funding (
$379 million) was provided to the Attorney-General’s
Department to establish and administer financial and legal support services, and the
Disability Royal Commission itself.
Support services usage data
• As at 31 December 2021:
- advocacy support was accessed by 2,403 individual clients across 44,474 sessions,
and 7,862 group clients made 13,387 attendances at 2,039 group sessions.
- in-person counselling services have been accessed by 2,309 individual clients across
32,791 sessions.
• As at 3 July 2022 (weekly reporting data), the National Counselling and Referral Service
has received 18,554 calls, delivered 9,716 counselling sessions and made 4,441 referrals
since it was established.
Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Anita Davis Branch Manager, Advocacy and
Inclusion
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Input Cleared By (include position):
Karen Pickering, Group, Manager Disability
Strategy
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
20 July 2022
MO Clearance Date:
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QB22-000022
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
Australia's Disability Strategy 2021-2031
HEADLINE RESPONSE • The Albanese Labor Government is committed to driving progress
under
Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021-2031 (the Strategy) to
ensure that no Australian with disability is left behind.
• The Government will make
the Strategy accountable by measuring
its outcomes.
• We are working with state and territory governments, the community,
businesses, and people with disability to see real progress made on
the Strategy’s important outcomes, including employment, education
and health.
• Action under the Strategy wil drive change over the next decade to
uphold the rights, inclusion and participation of the 4.4 mil ion people
with disability in Australia.
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KEY POINTS
• The Strategy recognises all levels of government are responsible
for supporting people with disability to reach their full potential,
as equal members of the community.
• Governments wil work directly with people with disability to drive
change and report regularly on progress of the Strategy’s actions
and outcome areas.
• This includes working with the Strategy’s Advisory Council, who wil
provide direct advice to governments on the Strategy’s
implementation and progress.
• We have also committed to building up the evidence base with a
total of $15 mil ion for a National Disability Research Partnership as
set out in our election commitment to better support people with
disability.
• As the Strategy is implemented over the next 10 years, everyone
in Australia wil be able to see real, tangible results being achieved.
• The Strategy’s two yearly report wil be presented to the
Australian Parliament to show what progress has been made
towards an inclusive Australian society that ensures people with
disability can fulfil their potential, as equal members of the
community.
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If ASKED - What wil the Government do to track the
implementation of the Strategy?
• The Strategy is focused on driving action for people with disability
and reporting on the progress made. This wil be publicly done
through:
- an annual data report on the outcomes achieved against the
Strategy’s priorities, produced by the Australian Institute
of Health and Welfare
- an annual Targeted Action Plan Report which wil track progress
against individual actions that each government has committed
to deliver
- a two yearly implementation report, which wil be tabled to the
Australian Parliament, it wil document what action has been
taken and what progress has been made, and
- State, territory and local government reports under jurisdictional
disability inclusion plans.
• There wil be two major independent reviews of the Strategy
in 2025 and 2029, as well as a review following the final report
of the Disability Royal Commission in September 2023.
• In election commitments the Government has announced it wil
provide a
total of $15 million to support research commissioned
by the National Disability Research Partnership. This wil support
its national disability research agenda, which aligns with the
Outcome Areas of the Strategy.
• We have also committed to the development of a National
Disability Data Asset in partnership with state and territory
governments.
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If ASKED – How will you involve people with disability in
implementation?
• The Albanese Government wil draw on evidence and wil work
closely with people with disability, families, carers, representatives
and service providers to inform and drive implementation of
commitments in the Strategy.
• This includes working with the Strategy’s Advisory Council, which is
made up entirely of people who have lived experience of disability
and is providing governments with direct advice on the Strategy’s
implementation and progress.
• A public forum or public consultation wil be held every year of the
life of the Strategy.
• This will make sure all people with disability have regular
opportunities to provide their views in ways that influence the
Strategy’s direction and implementation.
• I wil be hosting the inaugural national public forum later this year.
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If ASKED – What are Targeted Action Plans (TAPs) and what wil
they do?
• Throughout the life of the Strategy, disability ministers wil
commission TAPs to drive and focus action of all governments on
improving outcomes in specific areas.
• TAPs aim to deliver intensive action over a 1 to 3 year period.
• The first 5 TAPs for governments to focus on are employment,
community attitudes, early childhood, safety, and emergency
management.
• These are the areas people with disability told us need immediate
action, and where achieving better outcomes wil make the most
difference to their lives.
• The 5 TAPs launched with the Strategy wil be built on over time,
as governments can add actions and investments during the term
of the TAPs.
• There wil be further TAPs over the life of the Strategy.
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If ASKED - What is the Strategy’s Outcome Framework?
• The Outcomes Framework is a key component of the Strategy
as it measures, tracks, and reports on outcomes for people with
disability.
• It is a central element of driving action through accountability,
in particular for State and Territory Governments as they have
primary responsibility for the performance of key service systems
such as health, housing, education, transport and justice.
• The Outcomes Framework wil measure progress against the
individual policy priorities under the seven outcome areas of the
Strategy:
- Employment and Financial Security
- Inclusive Homes and Communities
- Safety, Rights and Justice
- Personal and Community Support
- Education and Learning
- Health and Wellbeing
- Community Attitudes
• The biennial reporting to Parliament will provide the Government
with the opportunity to highlight where progress is being achieved
and where further progress needs to be made.
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If ASKED - Who is on the Advisory Council?
• The Strategy has an Engagement Plan to deliver on what people
with disability told us. Its central feature is the Strategy Advisory
Council, which gives people with disability a new, direct voice
to ministers and governments.
• The Council currently consists of seven members including the
Chair, and a special adviser.
• The Council is chaired by Dr Ben Gauntlett, Disability
Discrimination Commissioner at the Australian Human Rights
Commission. Dr Gauntlett brings extensive experience to the role
of Chair, having worked with governments, advocates and the
disability sector for many years.
• The other members of the Council include:
- Carolyn Frohmader (TAS)
- Seriako Stephen (QLD)
- Cindy Liu (VIC)
- Liz Reid (NT)
- Jane Spring (NSW), and
- Natalie Wade (SA)
• Kathy Hough (WA) is the Council’s special adviser. There is a
second special adviser role to be fil ed.
• The Chair and the members all have lived experience of disability
and bring a diverse range of skil s and experiences to advise
government on the Strategy’s implementation and progress.
• The Council’s membership also reflects geographical, gender and
cultural diversity.
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• Special advisers provide strategic advice to assist Council
members. Special advisers are appointed based on their
experience working on disability issues and government policy.
If ASKED – When wil the progress report from the old Strategy
be released?
• The final progress report for 2010-2020 wil be released in late
2022, and wil cover the progress made from 2017 to 2021
inclusive.
• The final report includes 2021, in recognition of disability ministers’
decision to continue the National Disability Strategy 2010-2020
until the launch of Australia’s Disability Strategy.
• This recognised the launch of the Strategy was delayed due
to COVID-19.
CONTACT NAME: Karen Pickering
POSITION: Group Manager, Disability Strategy
PHONE: s 47F
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BACKGROUND / KEY FACTS
Background and Key Facts
• The original National Disability Strategy was in place from 2010-2020, and was extended
by one year due to delays in developing the new Strategy as a result of the COVID
pandemic.
• In April 2018 Disability Ministers agreed to a staged approach to develop a new National
Disability Strategy, including:
- Independent review of implementation of the current strategy
- Development of a position paper
- Public consultations
- Setting up a stakeholder steering group
- Finalisation and approval by first ministers
• In March 2020 and due to the COVID-19 pandemic, governments agreed with key
disability community stakeholders to delay the second stage of consultations on
developing a new Strategy.
• This meant the consultations were conducted in the second half of 2020 and the new
Strategy was not released at the end of 2020 as originally intended.
• Disability ministers all agreed to a Statement of Continued Commitment to the original
strategy until a new strategy could be released.
• The new Strategy - titled
Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021-2031- was released in
December 2021 after being endorsed by all first ministers.
• The new Strategy builds and expands on the original
National Disability Strategy
2010-2020, adding new key features to drive more action and accountability.
• This Strategy retains a number of policy priorities from the 2010-2020 Strategy as people
with disability told us these are stil relevant.
• The new Strategy has a stronger focus on employment than its predecessor – which is
why Employ My Ability was released as an associated plan alongside the Strategy.
• Community attitudes and safety are also seen as key issues for people with disability and
have been given a stronger focus in this new Strategy.
• This Strategy has a much stronger focus on accountability and transparency. It also
includes an Engagement Plan with features that ensure people with disability and their
representatives wil be closely involved in the Strategy’s implementation, and wil
influence its direction and priorities.
• The Strategy was launched on 3 December 2021 with an initial investment of $250 million
to support implementation of the Strategy, this includes:
- $76.8 mil ion over the life of the Strategy for Targeted Action Plans
o $21.7 mil ion over 3 years for the first set of Targeted Action Plans:
$7.6 mil ion for employment;
$3.3 mil ion for community attitudes;
$8.3 mil ion for early childhood; and
$2.5 mil ion for Safety.
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- Up to $72 mil ion in reporting, data and research
o $12.5 mil ion for National Disability Research Partnership;
o $19.5 mil ion reporting and measurement – includes Australia’s Disability
Strategy Survey; and
o up to $40 mil ion for the National Disability Data Asset.
- $81.2 million to continue the Disability Information Gateway.
- $10.1 million for engaging people with disability in the implementation of the Strategy.
- $9.9 million to improve individual advocacy
Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Karen Pickering
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
DSS Input Cleared By (include
Debbie Mitchell
position):
Deputy Secretary
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
20 July 2022
MO Clearance Date:
18 July 2022
10
Modified: 7 July 2022 – 1:35 PM
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OFFICIAL
QB22-000075
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
National Autism Strategy
HEADLINE RESPONSE
• The Albanese Labor Government is committed to improving life
outcomes for all people with disability, including people with autism.
• People with autism experience some of the poorest outcomes of
any cohort across a range of life domains, and a 20-year age gap
in life expectancy compared with the general population.
• That’s why the Government has committed to the development
of a National Autism Strategy that delivers a coordinated national
approach between all levels of government and service areas so
that no Australian with disability is left behind.
• Our strategy wil be a whole-of-life plan for all Australians with
autism – not just those eligible for the National Disability Insurance
Scheme (NDIS) – and importantly, wil be shaped by the
experiences of people with autism, their families and professionals.
KEY POINTS
• The benefits of a National Autism Strategy wil likely include:
o building on the understanding and recognition of autism within
key professions and the wider community
o improving service integration and coordination
o improving education, employment and health services for
autistic people
o providing better support for parents and carers of children with
autism, and
o establishing a national autism research agenda.
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• The National Autism Strategy wil aim to:
o Improve services and supports to achieve better outcomes for
autistic children and adults.
o Address whole-of-life needs for all autistic Australians, not just
those eligible for the NDIS.
o Develop a coordinated national approach between all levels of
government and services areas supporting autistic people.
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If ASKED - What progress is the Government making toward
developing a National Autism Strategy?
• Approaches and activities to develop and implement the strategy
are currently underway.
• Development of a National Autism Strategy wil be led by the
Department of Social Services (the department) in consultation with
the autism community and sector, including professionals and
researchers, to ensure it reflects the views of autistic people and
their families.
• It wil be informed by, and align with Australia’s Disability Strategy
and Government commitment of an Early Childhood Strategy.
• Findings and recommendations from the Senate Committee’s final
report wil also be considered as part of the strategy.
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•
If ASKED – Why has the Government committed to providing
$2 mil ion to AEIOU and not other providers?
• This funding wil allow AEIOU to expand to engage staff and
support additional children in its Townsvil e centre, with capacity to
offer services for an additional 40 children in surrounding remote
locations.
• This wil ensure children with autism in Townsvil e and surrounding
regional areas have access to early intervention programs to help
their development, and for parents to have expert support and the
ability to access childcare specific to their child’s needs.
• We are also providing $2 mil ion to the Autism Cooperative
Research Centre so it can continue to be Australia’s leading
organisation for autism research, coordination, collaboration and
advice.
• This wil support development and implementation of a National
Autism Strategy, with a national research agenda and evidence-
based practice platform underpinning it.
•
CONTACT NAME: Sarah Guise
POSITION: Branch Manager, Disability Support
Branch
PHONE: s 47F
4
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BACKGROUND / KEY FACTS
Autistic participants in the NDIS
• As at 31 March 2022, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) was supporting
174,741 autistic participants – 34 per cent of all NDIS participants and the largest
disability group in the NDIS.
Senate Select Committee on Autism
• The Senate Select Commit ee on Autism was established on 27 November 2019 to
inquire into services, support and life outcomes for people with autism in Australia.
• The Department of Social Services (the department) provided a joint submission with the
Departments of Health, and Education, Skil s and Employment, with input from others
including the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA); and attended a Commit ee
hearing on 27 July 2020.
• The Commit ee delivered its final report on 25 March 2022. The report includes
81 recommendations, and 5 dissenting report recommendations.
• The department has been allocated lead agency for coordinating the
Australian Government response to the report, which has been prepared in consultation
with a range of departmental areas and external departments.
• Noting the impact of caretaker on progressing the government response, the department
is working to a timeframe for the response to be agreed to be tabled by the Prime Minister
by late September 2022.
• Key findings and recommendations include:
- Life outcomes for autistic Australians are poor and this comes at a personal, social
and economic cost.
- Meaningful systemic changes would have an enormous impact.
- Drivers of poor outcomes for autistic people are complex and interrelated.
- Poor understanding of autism within the community and among service providers.
- Workforce capacity constraints.
- Delays in early identification and family education and support services.
- Complex and poor integrated service environment.
- Generic disability strategies have proven inef ective at improving life outcomes for
autistic people.
- A person and family-centred National Autism Strategy, co-designed by the community,
should form the centrepiece of efforts to improve outcomes for autistic Australians.
• Key priorities include:
- Building understanding of autism within key professions and the wider community
- Improving access to early diagnosis and intervention
- Improving service integration and coordination
- Improving education, employment and health services for autistic people
- Supporting parents and carers, and
- Establishing a national autism research agenda.
• The report also recommends the effectiveness of the NDIS for autistic Australians should
be a focus of a separate inquiry.
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Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Sarah Guise, Branch Manager, Disability
Support Branch
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
DSS Input Cleared By (include
Karen Pickering, Group Manager, Disability
position):
Strategy Group
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
25 July 2022
MO Clearance Date:
26 July 2022
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QB22-000076
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
INFORMATION, LINKAGES AND CAPACITY BUILDING (ILC) PROGRAM –
OFFER TO EXTEND
KEY ISSUES
• The Australian Government is committed to supporting people with disability
to ful y participate in our community.
• Under the Information, Linkages and Capacity Building (ILC) program there
are currently 498 grants with funding of
$312.4 mil ion.
KEY FACTS
•
400 current ILC grant recipients who have grants due to expire between
November 2022 and February 2023 have expressed interest in an extension
of time and funding.
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OUR GOVERNMENT
• The Department of Social Services is currently working through a process
and providing advice to me to consider varying
400 suitable existing grant
agreements with a total cost of up to $168 mil ion (GST exclusive) over 2022-
23 and 2023-24.
• The proposed variations wil support existing projects and ensure grant
recipients have additional time to deliver outcomes and maintain continuity of
service while the department consults on, develops and transitions to a new
strategic policy and investment framework, due to be released in mid-2024.
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POTENTIAL HOT ISSUES
If ASKED – Why is the government taking so long to approve the time and
funding extensions?
• The Department of Social Services wrote to al grant recipients in
March 2022 to seek interest in an extension of additional time and funding
over 2022-23 and 2023-24. This would extend the grant activity period up to
30 June 2024 to take account of the impact of COVID-19 on many projects.
• When the Federal Election was called, no funding decisions could be made
during the caretaker period.
• I understand the department has continued to provide updates to al
stakeholders, where possible, to ensure they were kept informed.
• The department has recently briefed me on this previous commitment and I
am currently reviewing the submission.
• The department have received a response from grant recipients, which is
now being considered by the Minister for the NDIS.
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BACKGROUND / KEY FACTS
Background and Key Facts
• The Information, Linkages and Capacity Building Program provides funding to
organisations through one off competitive grants to deliver projects in the community that
benefit all Australians with disability, their carers and families.
• It provides information and capacity building supports for all people with disability,
regardless of whether they are eligible for the National Disability Insurance Scheme
(NDIS).
• It also helps people with disability who are not eligible for an individual NDIS plan benefit
from a more inclusive, accessible and connected Australia.
• Information, Linkages and Capacity Building projects create connections between people
with disability and the communities in which they live and aim to build the knowledge,
skil s and confidence of people with disability, and improve their access to community and
mainstream services.
Locational / place considerations
•
56 of the 400 Information, Linkages and Capacity Building grants due to cease between
now and February 2023 are located in regional and remote Australia.
History
• In December 2021, 309 grant recipients with an activity end date on or before 31 October
2022 were offered a time-only extension to 31 December 2021 (303 accepted),
recognising the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on organisations to deliver
their funded activities.
• In March 2022, the department wrote to all 498 grants recipients to seek interest in an
extension of additional time and funding over 2022-23 and 2023-24. This would extend
the grant activity period up to 30 June 2024.
- 400 have expressed interest and 98 have declined.
• In June 2022, the Government approved interim extensions until 31 December 2022, at a
cost of up to $2.7 mil ion in 2022-23, for 21 grant recipients whose grants were due to
expire imminently. This prevented service gaps and ensured continuity of service for
people with disability.
• Grant recipients are seeking a decision in order to renew staff contracts and put in place
arrangements to extend projects and the services they deliver.
• COVID-19 delayed the delivery of many activities, meaning some funding recipients have
not been able to establish their projects and achieve the scale of outcome/s that might
otherwise have been realised.
• Extra time is required for organisations to undertake co-design with some cohorts and
undertake staff recruitment. This has been a challenge for some of the current grants with
shorter duration, especially through COVID-19 and impacts on the workforce.
4
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Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Sarah Guise, Branch Manager
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
DSS Input Cleared By (include
Karen Pickering, Group Manager Disability
position):
Strategy
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
25 July 2022
MO Clearance Date:
To be completed by MO
5
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OFFICIAL
QB22-000082
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
Boosting readiness for educational environments for children with
disability or developmental concerns
HEADLINE RESPONSE
• The Albanese Labor Government is committed to a better future for
young Australians, including those living with disability.
• We know that early and appropriate intervention for developmental
concerns can:
o positively change a child’s developmental trajectory,
o increase their readiness for school, and
o reduce their need for more intensive supports later in life.
• This is why our Government has committed $31 mil ion over four
years to support young children (aged 0-8 years) with newly
identified disability or emerging developmental concerns, and their
parents and carers to ensure access to appropriate supports when
needed.
• This includes:
o $6.9 mil ion over four years for support for children
o $6.9 mil ion over four year for support for families
o $2.2 mil ion to 2024-15 to the Raising Children Network to
improve online resources and information for families and
carers, and
o $15 mil ion over four years for outreach to provide culturally
sensitive information and supports to Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander communities.
• Supports wil be available nationally, including in regional and
remote areas.
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KEY POINTS
• In 2018, there were around 115,000 children aged 0-6 years living
in Australia with some level of disability1, and it is estimated
Indigenous children are twice as likely to have a disability than non-
Indigenous children.
• Consultations undertaken have identified areas of unmet need for
children and families with emerging disability or developmental
concerns in the early stages, particularly for Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander families who have reported a lack of culturally
appropriate services.
• The National Early Childhood Program (NECP) builds on the
success of certain elements of the Helping Children with Autism
(HCWA) and Better Start for Children with Disability (Better Start)
programs that have provided online information, parent workshops
and supported playgroups for the last decade.
• The numbers of children and families accessing the NECP is
expected to be higher than that of the HCWA and Better Start
programs that wil cease later this year, and many more are
expected to access the publically available online information and
resources.
• These activities align with outcomes of Australia’s Disability
Strategy 2021-2031 and the development of the Whole of
Government Early Years Strategy.
1 Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data, 2018.
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If ASKED – Why is the program supporting Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander families undergoing a separate process?
• Consultations undertaken have identified areas of unmet need for
children and families with emerging disability or developmental
concerns in the early stages, particularly for Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander families who have reported a lack of culturally
appropriate services.
• As a result of consultation, additional funding of $15 mil ion wil
provided over four years from 2022-23 to 2025-26 for an outreach
initiative to provide culturally sensitive information and supports to
Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander communities.
• This approval of funding by our Government marks the
commencement of consultation with key stakeholder to inform the
design of the ‘Outreach’ component of the National Early Childhood
Program (NECP) ahead of approaching the market.
• The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander focuses activities that wil
be available through NECP will also assist in meeting Target 4 of
the Closing the Gap National Agreement, which focuses on helping
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children thrive in their early
years.
• This Government is committed to designing programs with the
communities they affect and support. That is why a grant
opportunity is not yet available for this component.
• It is expected this component wil commence in the first half o next
year.
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If ASKED - How are these grant opportunities different from the
work of National Disability Insurance Agency’s Early Childhood
Partners?
• Ensuring children with disability, developmental delay or
developmental concerns are identified early, and have access to
appropriate and early supports is critical for achieving best
outcomes for these children.
• Informed by the Whereto consultation co-design process, the
NECP wil complement the National Disability Insurance Agency’s
Early Childhood Partners to ensure appropriate referrals, including
to mainstream services and complementary supports.
• The co-design consultation highlighted high levels of unmet need
for children and their parents and carers, particularly at the start of
their journey.
• Findings from the Whereto report also found families wanted to
connect with less formal information and support mechanisms.
• Given this, the NECP wil help empower parents by focusing on
informal support approaches to groups to help build capacity and
confidence of parents to support their child’s development.
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If ASKED - Is there a reduced focus on support for children with
autism in the NECP grant opportunities as opposed to the HCWA
program?
• The NECP builds on the Helping Children with Autism (HCWA)
and Better Start for Children with Disability (Better Start) programs.
• The main component of the HCWA and Better Start programs
provided individualised funding for early intervention
services. Funding for these types of services can now be accessed
through an NDIS plan, if approved.
• As outlined in the Grant Opportunity Guidelines, the objectives of
the Support for children and Support for families grant
opportunities include delivering tailored supports for children with
specific disabilities including autism or autism like characteristics.
• Specifically, 50 per cent of all services delivered for both grant
opportunities must be provided to children with autism or autism-
like characteristics. And their parents and carers.
• The grant opportunities wil also complement other continuing
components of the programs such as the HCWA Positive
Partnerships Program (for school aged children), administered by
the Department of Education, and the HCWA and Better Start
Medicare Benefits Schedule items, administered by the
Department of Health and Aged Care.
CONTACT NAME: Sarah Guise
POSITION: Branch Manager, Disability Support
Branch
PHONE: s 47F
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BACKGROUND / KEY FACTS
Design of the NECP and Indigenous ILC activity
• The Department of Social Services (the department) commissioned Whereto Research
Based Consulting (Whereto) in August 2021 to undertake a co-design consultation
process to inform the design of the NECP.
• Whereto engaged around 600 stakeholders, including parents and carers of young
children with disability or developmental concerns and the sector, such as academics,
peak bodies and services providers during this process.
• Whereto finalised the co-design consultation process in late 2021 to inform the design
of the NECP.
• The NECP aims to:
o help parents and carers access information about their child’s development and
early capacity building supports;
o help prepare children with disability or developmental concerns for school and
other learning environments; and
o develop the skil s and confidence of parents and carers to support their child’s
learning and development and connect with services.
• The ILC Indigenous outreach activity wil provide information and support tailored to
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to build their capacity to support
children with disability or developmental concerns (aged 0-8 years), in their
community.
Data on children with disability
• According to 2018 Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data, there are around
115,000 children aged 0 to 6 years living in Australia with some level of disability.
• Of these, 90,000 have some degree of impairment, activity limitation or participation
restriction, as defined by the ABS.
• Forty one percent of participants in the NDIS are children aged 0-14 years. There are
80,239 children younger than 7 with an NDIS plan. A further 10,812 children younger
than 7 are accessing early connections, including referrals to mainstream and
community services.
• There are limitations with data, noting that children with developmental concerns or
developmental delay are not included in ABS data.
Contact Officer’s Name and Position: s 47F A/g Branch Manager, Disability
Support Branch
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
DSS Input Cleared By (include
Karen Pickering, Group Manager, Disability
position):
Strategy Group
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
02 August 2022
MO Clearance Date:
To be completed by MO
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QB22-000063
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
Supported Employment (Activ)
HEADLINE RESPONSE
• The Albanese Labor Government is committed to a better future
for Australians with a disability of working age so they can benefit
from the dignity of work.
• That is why the Government took swift action to ensure over 750
people with disability didn’t suddenly lose their jobs as a result of
Activ Foundation’s (Activ) business decision to close its large scale
industrial work sites.
• Our quick response protects these jobs for another 18 months.
• The grant funding of up to $7.8 mil ion to Activ wil slow the closure
of the work sites, guaranteeing these individuals jobs for another
18 months while they are supported to find alternative employment.
• The Albanese Government is pleased to be working with the
Western Australian Government who is providing $4 mil ion to
support other Western Australian based Australian Disability
Enterprises (ADEs) to build contemporary service models and
workforce capability.
• We are aware of the issues impacting the viability of the ADE
sector and are closely monitoring all providers.
This Government is committed to working with stakeholders to
evolve the supported employment sector into modern,
commercially viable social enterprises that better meet community
expectations and provide greater choice and control in employment
for people with disability.
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KEY POINTS
• In May 2022, an announcement was made by Western Australia’s
largest ADE, Activ, that it would close seven of its sites, making
more than 750 supported employees redundant.
• The funding being provided to Activ is part of the Government’s
commitment to improve employment outcomes for people with
disability.
• A joint taskforce of the Department of Social Services (DSS), the
National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) and Western
Australian Government’s Office of Disability wil work together with
supported employees, their families and advocates, peak bodies
and the supported employment sector in Western Australia to
manage the significant transition.
• As part of its work, the taskforce wil identify a range of
opportunities for impacted supported employees to consider. This
might include community-based work, or other supported
employment depending on the employee’s preference.
• The Government recognises the ADE sector is currently
undergoing a period of transition.
• The Government want to encourage the fullest participation of all
people with disability in society, including in employment.
• Over the coming months, the Government will be engaging with
key stakeholders to monitor issues and understand key challenges
and opportunities for the sector.
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If ASKED – Is this a sign that ADEs are not sustainable?
• Of 161 ADEs operating nationally, all but Activ have successfully
transitioned to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
funding model and continue to provide supported employment
opportunities.
• DSS and the NDIA regularly engage with key stakeholders to
monitor issues in the ADE sector, including any viability concerns.
• ADEs play an important role in providing supported employment
opportunities to people who need substantial ongoing support to
maintain their employment.
If ASKED – Why is the government providing money to Activ
when there have been concerns over Activ’s financial
management?
• The Albanese Government’s priority is to ensure employees
affected by this decision are supported in their transition into new,
suitable placements.
CONTACT NAME: Katrina Chatham
POSITION: Branch Manager – Disability Employment
Reforms Branch
PHONE: s 47F
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BACKGROUND / KEY FACTS
Background and Key Facts
Issues facing the Australian Disability Enterprise (ADE) sector
• There are a number of issues impacting ADEs:
- Community attitudes are changing, with growing calls from some parts of the sector to
end segregated employment.
- Anticipated wage rises as a result of the Fair Work Commission’s current review of the
Supported Employment Services Award 2020, expected to be finalised later this year.
- The need for more stable, long term contracts around which to build viable, ongoing
business models. Automation, off shoring and, more recently, COVID-19 has impacted
the type and volume of contracts available.
- ADEs have moved from block grant to case based funding, to more recently receiving
funding through their participant’s National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) plans.
While the NDIS funding model is providing more funding for supported employment
overall, and is giving participants greater choice and control about where and how
they work, some ADEs, mainly those with larger worksites, have found the changes
difficult.
Future of Supported Employment
• Over coming months, the Government wil convene a roundtable with people with
disability, ADEs, unions and the broader disability sector to better understand issues and
opportunities for the future of supported employment.
• Consultation wil be used to inform a plan to evolve the supported employment sector into
modern, commercially viable social enterprises that provide greater choice and control in
employment for people with disability.
Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Katrina Chatham, Branch Manager
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
DSS Input Cleared By (include
Debbie Mitchell, Deputy Secretary, Disability
position):
and Carers
Phone:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
20 July 2022
MO Clearance Date:
18 July 2022
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QB22-000064
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
Disability Employment
HEADLINE RESPONSE
• The Albanese Labor Government is committed to supporting the
fullest participation of all people with disability in society.
• Opportunity, security, equality and at the most basic of levels –
human rights. That’s what we wil do as a government to enhance
the lives of all people with a disability and those who support them.
• This includes through the dignity of work and the economic, social
and psychological benefits that work brings.
• I want to make disability employment a key plank of the work I do
this year. People with disability should have equal opportunities in
employment.
• People with disability and employers need a system that meets
their needs and provides the right supports to find and keep a job.
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KEY POINTS
Jobs and Skills Summit
• In September 2022, a Jobs and Skil s Summit led by the Prime
Minister and Treasurer, wil bring together Australians, including
unions, employers, civil society and governments, to address our
shared economic challenges.
• In the lead up to the Summit, I wil be hosting two employment
roundtables with representatives from the disability employment
and social security sectors.
• The first roundtable discussion wil cover the four priority areas of
Employ My Ability. The focus of this roundtable wil be seeking
ideas and solutions from experts who regularly engage in the
disability employment space.
• The second day wil focus on the interaction between Government
payments and employment. This roundtable wil explore options
that may improve outcomes for job seekers with barriers to work,
drawing on professional and academic expertise of attendees.
Disability Employment Strategy - Employ My Ability
•
Employ My Ability - the Disability Employment Strategy was
launched on 3 December 2021 as an associated plan of Australia’s
Disability Strategy 2021-2031.
•
Employ My Ability is a guiding framework for governments,
employers and the broader community towards an inclusive
workforce that values diverse talent and supports people with
disability to reach their full potential.
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Reforming Disability Employment Services
• We know that the unemployment rate for people with disability is
double that of working age people without disability.
• Just 53.4 per cent of people with disability are in the labour force,
compared with 84.1 per cent of those without disability. This gap of
over 30 per cent has remained largely unchanged since 2003.
• In an effort to improve systems and services for job seekers and
employers, the Government is designing a new Disability
Employment Support Model to ensure people with disability are not
left behind and employers can utilise an untapped workforce.
• We want to create a system that emphasises the strengths of
people with disability in the workplace and empowers employers to
hire more people with disability.
• This Government knows it is crucial that we learn from the
experiences of people with disability to inform the design process
for the new model.
• We are committed to consulting with people with disability,
employers, academics, disability representative organisations and
providers on the design of the new model.
• While we work on designing the new model, the Government
is continuing to work on improving the existing program to ensure
it achieves outcomes for people with disability.
3
OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL
IF ASKED – What is the Government doing to maximise
outcomes of current program?
• The Albanese Labor Government is committed to making sure
people receive high quality services and is committed to regular
performance reviews.
• The Government has a zero tolerance approach to fraud,
demonstrated by the conviction and sentencing of a former
employee of a DES provider in July 2022.
• We want to ensure that every dollar of taxpayer’s money spent
through DES is spent well.
IF ASKED – What is the Government doing to assist people with
disability currently in supported employment?
• The Albanese Labor Government recognises the ADE sector is
currently going through a period of transition.
• Over the coming months, the Government wil engage with key
stakeholders to monitor issues, and understand key challenges and
opportunities for the sector.
•
Please refer to QB22-000063 for information on supported
employment, including Activ.
CONTACT NAME: Katrina Chatham
POSITION: Branch Manager, Disability Employment
Services Reforms Branch
4
OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL
PHONE: 02 6146 1153
BACKGROUND / KEY FACTS
Background and Key Facts
• The Disability Employment Services (DES) program helps people with disability, injury or
illness to find and keep a job.
• Since its introduction in 2010, DES has helped over 1 million people
with disability in their
search for a job.
• This year alone, the Government is investing nearly $1.4 bil ion in DES.
Contact Officer’s Name and Position:
Katrina Chatham, Branch Manager,
Disability Employment Services
Reforms Branch
Phone/Mobile: s 47F
Clearance Date:
20 July 2022
MO Clearance Date:
18/07/2022
5
OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL
QB22-000070
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
Pause on Mutual Obligation requirements for Disability Employment
Services (DES) participants
HEADLINE RESPONSE
• The Albanese Labor Government has put in place measures to
ensure job seekers accessing Disability Employment Services
(DES) were not disadvantaged by the introduction of Workforce
Australia.
• We took swift action to ensure DES participants stil received their
income support payments by pausing mutual obligation
requirements until 31 July 2022.
• Although DES participants are not directly impacted by the
transition to Workforce Australia, the Government ensured no one
was disadvantaged during this period of change.
• Consistent with other job seekers in Workforce Australia, DES job
seekers with current penalties have been ‘clean slated’ from 1 July
2022.
• Job seekers affected by current flood events are exempted from
their mutual obligation requirements for an additional month, until
the end of August 2022.
1
Modified: 27/05/2022 1:27:47 PM
OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL
KEY POINTS
• DES participants are not transitioning to Workforce Australia and
are not subject to the new Points Based Activation System.
• DES participants have the same participation requirements they
had before the introduction of Workforce Australia.
• DES participants wil continue to satisfy their mutual obligation
requirements in the same way they did before 1 July 2022 by
attending appropriate activities and looking for work where
required.
If ASKED – Why are mutual obligation requirements being
paused for DES participants when their participation
requirements are not changing?
• The Albanese Government cares about all Australians and is
committed to ensuring no Australian with disability is left behind.
• Mutual obligation requirements are being paused for DES
participants for the same reason they are being paused for
Workforce Australia participants – to ensure they understand the
program conditions and requirements that apply to them.
CONTACT NAME: Vanessa Beck
POSITION: Branch Manager
PHONE: s 47F
2
Modified: 27/05/2022 1:27:47 PM
OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL
BACKGROUND / KEY FACTS
Background and Key Facts
• Almost 235,000 of 296,485 DES participants have mutual obligation requirements.
• Suspension of mutual obligation requirements and ‘clean slating’ of penalties for DES
participants are consistent with similar measures adopted to support job seekers
transitioning to Workforce Australia and the Points Based Activation System.
Locational / place considerations
• Suspension of mutual obligation requirements and ‘clean slating’ of penalties are in place
across Australia.
• Longer mutual obligation suspensions, to 31 August 2022, are in place in areas affected
by recent flooding, as detailed at
Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Vanessa Beck, Branch Manager
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
DSS Input Cleared By (include
Debbie Mitchell, Deputy Secretary
position):
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
21 / 07 / 2022
MO Clearance Date:
18/07/2022
3
Modified: 27/05/2022 1:27:47 PM
OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL
QB22-000025
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
Safe and Supported: the National Framework for Protecting Australia’s
Children 2021-2031 (Four Corners/ABC Story)
HEADLINE RESPONSE
• I am deeply committed to improving outcomes for children, young
people and their families, and to working with states and territories
and non-government partners to on this important work.
• I have met with the Attorney-General and the National Children’s
Commissioner, Ms Anne Hollonds, to discuss how we can work
together to deliver better outcomes for Australia’s children.
• Alongside state and territory governments, we are committed to
delivering on
Safe and Supported: the National Framework for
Protecting Australia’s Children 2021-2031 (Safe and Supported).
• This is why I am convening a meeting with all Community Services
Ministers in early August to progress this work with our state and
territory counterparts as a matter of urgency.
1
Modified: 24/08/2022 2:09 PM
OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL
KEY POINTS • Safe and Supported’s vision is for children in Australia to reach
their full potential by growing up safe and supported, free from
harm and neglect.
• Safe and Supported focuses on
priority groups that are
experiencing disadvantage or are vulnerable to abuse and neglect.
• This includes children and young people who have experienced
abuse and/or neglect, including children in out-of-home care and
young people leaving out-of-home care.
• Achieving safety and wellbeing outcomes for these priority groups
will help Safe and Supported achieve its goal.
• Safe and Supported includes
4 focus areas:
o A national approach to early intervention and targeted support
for children and families experiencing vulnerability
or disadvantage.
o Addressing the over-representation of First Nations children
in child protection systems.
o Improved information sharing, data development and analysis.
o Strengthening the child and family sector and workforce
capability.
• Safe and Supported wil include actions to address
Closing the Gap
Target 12: to reduce the rate of over-representation of First
Nations children in out-of-home care by
45 per cent,
by 2031.
• Al governments are now working in partnership with the
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leadership Group, and
engaging with the non-government sector to develop the first
5-year general Action Plan and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Action Plan under Safe and Supported.
2
Modified: 24/08/2022 2:09 PM
OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL
IF ASKED: In light of recent media coverage, what is the
Australian Government doing to improve child protection
systems?
• Tangible change is needed in our child protection systems.
• While state and territory governments are primarily responsible for
child protection systems, the Australian Government has a key role
to play in better supporting children and families.
• Safe and Supported has been agreed to by all Australian
governments, and aims to
prevent children, young people and
families from entering child protection systems.
• The Action Plans wil outline actions that wil support making a
significant and sustained reduction in child abuse and neglect and
its intergenerational impacts.
• Following endorsement from governments and the Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander Leadership Group, the Safe and Supported
5-year Action Plans wil be
finalised in 2022.
3
Modified: 24/08/2022 2:09 PM
OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL
IF ASKED: What is the Government doing to address the over
representation of First Nations children in child protection
systems?
• Nationally in 2021, the rate of First Nations children in out-of-home
care was
57.6 per 1000 children in the population.
• The Safe and Supported Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Action Plan wil have a dedicated focus towards addressing this
rate of over-representation, and wil embed the Priority Reforms of
the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.
• $30 mil ion investment from the 2022-23 Budget includes an
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Centre for Excellence in Child
and Family Support and a National Advocate for Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People.
CONTACT NAME: Tim Crosier
POSITION: Branch Manager – Children’s Policy
PHONE: s 47F
4
Modified: 24/08/2022 2:09 PM
OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL
BACKGROUND / KEY FACTS
• Safe and Supported has a 10-year lifespan, with 2, 5-year Action Plans and 2, 5-year
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Action Plans.
o Vision: Children in Australia reach their full potential by growing up safe and
supported, free from harm and neglect.
o Goal: To make significant and sustained progress in reducing the rates of child abuse
and neglect and its intergenerational impacts.
o Priority groups:
children and families with multiple and complex needs
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families experiencing
disadvantage or who are vulnerable
children and young people and/or parents/carers with disability experiencing
disadvantage or who are vulnerable
children and young people who have experienced abuse and/or neglect,
including those in out-of-home care or leaving care.
• The Department of Social Services undertook an online public consultation process
in 2021 to seek feedback on what activities should be prioritised in the Action Plans.
• The National Children’s Commissioner also conducted consultations in 2021 with
children, young people and families to inform the Action Plans.
• The $30 mil ion package of initiatives for Safe and Supported announced in the 2022-23
Budget includes the following:
o
Establish a Virtual Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Centre for Excellence in Child
and Family Support ($8 mil ion over 5 years (2022-23 to 2026-27))
o
Develop a National Child and Family Investment Strategy with an Innovation fund
($10 mil ion over 5 years (2022-23 to 2026-27))
o
Establish a National Advocate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and
Young People ($2 mil ion over 4 years (2022-23 to 2025-26))
o
Target Communication and Support to Improve Parenting Practices ($3 million over
5 years (2022-23 to 2026-27))
o
Improve Support for Non-parent Carers ($7 mil ion over 5 years (2022-23 to 2026-27))
• In June 2022, the ABC published an article detailing cases of abuse and neglect in the
child protection and foster care system. It suggests the system is broken and requires a
complete overhaul from the top down.
o The article states that First Nations children and families are targeted and profiled by
child protection at a systemic level, resulting in removals and placements into homes
that are a detriment to the child. The article also details instances of warning signs of
sexual abuse being reported to senior staff and ignored due to the “cultural”
differences of First Nations families.
o Group homes are raised as a harmful form of out-of-home-care, in particular for
younger children.
o Current and former case workers mention the case load of workers being too high for
thorough investigations to take place. They mention that additional funding and
resources could go a long way in improving outcomes for children and families.
o The article mentions instances of falsifying court documents, and results in decisions
being made about children based on incorrect information. Cases are also often
opened in order to remove them from publicly released lists of “unallocated cases”.
o There are repeated calls for an external review or Royal Commission into the child
protection system.
5
Modified: 24/08/2022 2:09 PM
OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL
Contact Officer’s Name and Position:
Tim Crosier, Branch Manager
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
DSS Input Cleared By:
Liz Hefren-Webb, Deputy Secretary
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
21 July 2022
MO Clearance Date:
6
Modified: 24/08/2022 2:09 PM
OFFICIAL
QB22-000054
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
National Memorial for Victims and Survivors of Institutional Child Sexual Abuse
HEADLINE RESPONSE
• A national memorial to victims and survivors of institutional child sexual
abuse will recognise the courage of all people with lived experience, and
those who spoke up to fight for justice and to be believed.
• The testimonies of victims and survivors to the Royal Commission into
Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse were confronting and
showed the lifelong impacts that child sexual abuse can have on
individuals and their families.
• The Australian Government thanks victims and survivors for coming
forward, despite their pain, to help our country learn the truth.
• The Australian Government is committed to preventing past failures from
happening again to other children.
1
Modified: 24/08/2022 2:11 PM
KEY POINTS
• Funding of
$6.7 million over
4 years was committed as part of the
2020-21 Budget for the Australian Government to establish a national
memorial in Canberra.
• The National Memorial for Victims and Survivors of Institutional Child
Sexual Abuse (the Memorial) wil provide a place of reflection, contribute
to healing, and educate future generations about this dark period in
Australia’s history.
• The Department of Social Services has engaged the National Capital
Authority (NCA) to oversee the design and construction of the Memorial.
• A competition was held in 2021 for Australian design professionals
(architects, landscape architects or engineers) to submit a design
proposal that reflected the commemorative intent of the Memorial.
• The design competition is now complete and a public announcement of
the selected design occurred on 16 February 2022.
• The design was selected by a panel of people with lived experience of
institutional child sexual abuse and design industry experts.
• The Memorial wil be located on Acton Peninsula in Canberra, within
walking distance of the National Museum of Australia (NMA), and the
Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
(AIATSIS).
• Relevant site stakeholders were consulted on the Memorial’s location,
including Traditional Owners and other Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander representatives, the NMA, and AIATSIS.
• The NCA is currently undertaking a design refinement and development
process prior to construction commencing.
2
Modified: 24/08/2022 2:11 PM
If ASKED - When will construction of the National Memorial
commence?
• It is expected that off-site fabrication of some Memorial design elements
wil commence in 2022, following a detailed design development process.
• The design is currently only a concept and wil undergo further
refinements in preparation for construction.
If ASKED - How are voices of victims and survivors reflected in the
final design of the National Memorial?
• My department undertook initial consultation with members of the
National Apology Reference Group, established to inform the National
Apology to Victims and Survivors of Institutional Child Sexual Abuse.
• An Advisory Group was appointed to ensure stakeholder views were
represented throughout the design process.
• A national online survey was conducted in November 2020 to enable
victims, survivors and others impacted by institutional child sexual abuse
to have their say on the Memorial’s development.
• Over 60 per cent of survey respondents identified as a person with lived
experience, noting respondents were not required to self-identify.
• Engagement with First Nations representatives has been undertaken,
and wil continue throughout the project.
• People with lived experience were also represented on the selection
panel for the design competition.
If ASKED - How will the Memorial be protected from vandalism and
public safety issues? Is the site safe?
• A formal architectural design refinement process wil consider, and seek
to address, any potential risks to the public, structure and site.
• Following rain in April 2022, a small amount of asbestos fibre (not
airborne) was found on Acton Peninsula.
• The NCA enacted their asbestos management plan and treatment
activities, including air monitoring and fencing the contaminated areas.
• Soil samples have indicated that no asbestos has been found on the
Memorial site.
CONTACT NAME: Veronica Westacott
POSITION: Acting Branch Manager, Family Policy
PHONE: s 47F
3
Modified: 24/08/2022 2:11 PM
BACKGROUND / KEY FACTS
Background and Key Facts
• Establishing a national memorial responds to Recommendation 17.6 of the Final Report by the
Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (Royal Commission).
• National Memorial Advisory Group (Advisory Group) ensures lived experience advocates and
experts assist department and NCA to establish the Memorial, including ensuring the selected
design and site reflected what was important for survivors.
• The department is currently developing a website to complement the physical monument, in
response to stakeholder consultations identifying importance of awareness of the issue in both
historical and contemporary contexts and accessibility of the Memorial. Website is being
developed concurrently with the establishment of the Memorial and expected to launch ahead of
the Memorial’s dedication event.
• Total funding for the Memorial construction in the competition design brief is $3.7 million (GST
exclusive).
• Remaining $3.0 mil ion in administered and departmental funding over 4 years contributes to
administration expenses including design documentation, project management, website
development, a dedication event, and ongoing memorial and website maintenance.
• Selected design for the Memorial was ‘Transparency and Truth’ by architects Jessica Spresser
and Peter Besley. The design was approved by the Canberra National Memorials Commit ee on
20 January 2022.
• In recognition of this project’s significance, the professional efforts of entrants and the outstanding
design proposals, the jury allocated the selected design team a total of $65,000 and two
additional commended designs teams with $15,000 each (GST inclusive).
• The design features pathways framed by a series of glass archways that signify strength, fragility
and great resilience in recognition of people with lived experience of institutional child sexual
abuse and wil be surrounded by a field of wildflowers.
• The nine-person design competition selection panel was chaired by the
Hon Peter McClellan AM QC, former chair of the Royal Commission.
• NCA wil undertake a procurement process to construct the Memorial, with its unveiling and
dedication event expected to occur in 2023.
Locational / place considerations
• March 2022 – Canberra Times announced a permanent Museum of Australian Policing to be
located on Acton Peninsula near the National Museum of Australia.
• People with lived experience of institutional child sexual abuse are likely to be sensitive to this
due to perceived past failures by police to protect children. Department is working with the NCA
to manage potential sensitivities for people with lived experience of institutional child sexual
abuse who may visit the Memorial.
• The museum wil be located on opposite side of the peninsula with a separate entrance road and
limited visual presence from the Memorial site. The Memorial wil be located on the grounds of the
former Royal Canberra Hospital but it will not be located on any of the former building structures.
Contact Officer’s Name and Position:
Veronica Westacott, Acting Branch Manager
Phone/Mobile:
(s 47F
DSS Input Cleared By (include position):
Liz Hefren-Webb, Deputy Secretary
Phone/Mobile:
(s 47F
Clearance Date:
21 July 2022
MO Clearance Date:
4
Modified: 24/08/2022 2:11 PM
QB22-000080
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
Productivity Commission’s Closing the Gap Annual Data Compilation
Report July 2022
HEADLINE RESPONSE
• The over-representation of First Nations children and young people
in out-of-home care is of particular concern to the Australian
Government – we want a better future for all Australians.
• The latest data released by the Productivity Commission shows the
challenge all governments around Australia face in reducing the
over-representation of First Nations Children in out-of-home-care.
• I understand this is the second of the Productivity Commission’s
annual reports.
• The reasons for the over-representation of First Nations children in
out-of-come care are multifaceted and complex and include:
o past government policies
o discrimination
o entrenched disadvantage and intergenerational trauma
• I intend to work closely with state and territory governments, First
Nation leaders and the NGO sector to progress work on the Safe
and Supported initiative – the National Framework for Protecting
Australia’s Children.
• Safe and Supported has a key focus on reducing the over-
representation of First Nations children in out-of-home-care and wil
set out actions to achieve this in a First Nations specific action plan
in mid-2022, developed in genuine partnership with a First Nations
Leadership Group.
1
Modified: 27/05/2022 1:27:47 PM
• The co-design and engagement with First Nations stakeholders
underpins this work and its success.
• For the first time, First Nations people wil have their own specific
Action Plan across all aspects of Safe and Supported initiative.
• The First Nations-specific Action Plan is being developed in
partnership with SNAICC – National Voice for our Children and the
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leadership Group who I met
with last week (28/7).
• I’ve called and convened a meeting with all State and Territory
Community Service Ministers for this Friday (5 August 2022). This
will be first Ministerial Council for the group since becoming
Minister – and the first for a few years. I look forward to working
with my colleagues to progress better outcomes for First Nations
Children.
If ASKED: What funding has the Government committed to
reduce the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander children in out-of-home care (Target 12)?
• The Australian Government has invested $98.5 mil ion in four
measures to address Target 12, which includes:
o $49.0 mil ion over 5 years to work with jurisdictions
to redesign multidisciplinary responses to better support
Indigenous families with multiple and complex needs;
o $7.7 mil ion over 3 years to develop the cultural competency
of the Indigenous and non-Indigenous child and family sector
workforce funded by the department;
2
Modified: 27/05/2022 1:27:47 PM
o $3.2 mil ion over 2 years to assess the needs and increase
the involvement of Aboriginal Community-Controlled
Organisations (ACCOs) in the child and family sector; and
o $38.6 mil ion over 3 years to support innovative proposals
initiated by ACCOs and other service delivery partners that
address Targets 12 and 13.
•
Safe and Supported: the National Framework for Protecting
Australia’s Children 2021-2031 (Safe and Supported) has been
agreed by the state, territory and Australian governments as the
vehicle for driving collaborative effort to respond to Target 12.
• Partnerships with First Nations stakeholders underpins the Action
Plans of Safe and Supported, and wil be the key national initiative
to reducing the rate of overrepresentation of First Nations children
in out-of-home care.
• For the first time, First Nations people wil have their own specific
Action Plan across all aspects of Safe and Supported.
• This work is critical to closing the gap in the over-representation of
First Nations children and young people in child protection
systems.
• The First Nations-specific Action Plan is being developed in
partnership with SNAICC – National Voice for Our Children and an
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leadership Group.
• The First Nations Action Plan and a General Action Plan are
expected to be agreed and launched before the end of 2022.
3
Modified: 27/05/2022 1:27:47 PM
If ASKED: What is the Minister for Social Services doing to
address the Closing the Gap targets for which she is
responsible?
• The Australian Government complements state and territory efforts
through key initiatives to address:
o Target 12 on the over-representation of First Nations children in
out-of-home care through
Safe and Supported: the National
Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children 2021-2031
Actions set out in the First Nations Action Plan will build
on the $98.5 mil ion investment in four measures that
address Target 12 (and one measure that also
addresses Target 13), that were announced in the 2021
Commonwealth Closing the Gap Implementation Plan
o Target 13 on reducing family violence through
the National Plan
to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-32
The development of a dedicated Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander Action Plan under the new National Plan is
being led by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Advisory Council on family, domestic and sexual violence
o Target 9 on reducing overcrowded housing through the National
Housing and Homelessness Agreement (NHHA).
The Productivity Commission Review of the NHHA,
which is due to report by 31 August 2022, is an
opportunity to consider how the NHHA can support
Target 9.
CONTACT NAME: Tim Crosier
POSITION: Branch Manager - Children’s Policy
4
Modified: 27/05/2022 1:27:47 PM
PHONE: +s 47F
Contact Officer’s Name and Position:
Tim Crosier, Branch Manager
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
DSS Input Cleared By:
Liz Hefren-Webb, Deputy Secretary
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
1 August 2022
MO Clearance Date:
To be completed by MO
5
Modified: 27/05/2022 1:27:47 PM
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
NDIS LEGISLATION – TIMING OF RULES TO GIVE EFFECT TO THE
PARTICIPANT SERVICE GUARANTEE (PSG)
KEY ISSUES
• The Government is committed to putting people with disability at the centre
of the NDIS and any changes to the legislation.
• There are a number of changes proposed to be made to the NDIS Rules,
building on the intent of the changes made to the
National Disability
Insurance Scheme Act 2013 earlier this year.
• The proposed changes include setting out the requirements of the Participant
Service Guarantee (PSG) in law, and delivering on recommendations of the
2019 Independent Review of the NDIS Act (the Tune Review).
KEY FACT
• The changes wil help improve the participant experience and reduce the
administrative burden felt by participants and their families and carers.
• The Government is committed to further consultation to ensure their final
form reflects what matters most to people with disability.
• The Government wil bring forward these legislative changes once
engagement with the sector on them has been completed.
QB22-000039
1
OUR GOVERNMENT
• The Bil that amended the NDIS Act earlier this year had bipartisan support.
• As the Opposition at the time, we were instrumental in negotiating
amendments to the Bil before it was passed to ensure it would improve the
experience of participants in the NDIS.
• The Government is committed to putting people with disability at the centre
of the NDIS and any changes to the legislation.
• That’s why we wil be undertaking further consultation to ensure the final
form of Rules reflects what matters most to people with disability.
PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT
• The previous Government did pass the enabling legislation on the Participant
Service Guarantee (PSG) on 30 March 2022 but took too long to bring the
reforms before the Parliament.
QB22-000039
2
POTENTIAL HOT ISSUES
If ASKED – When does the government propose to bring forward the
outstanding changes to the NDIS Rules?
• As soon as possible.
• While there has already been significant consultation on the proposed
changes, the Government wil undertake additional consultation with the
disability community, and with states and territories.
• Additional consultation wil demonstrate how feedback provided to date has
been reflected, and reinforces the Government’s commitment to keeping
people with disability at the centre of any changes to the scheme.
If ASKED – Is it premature to bring forward legislative changes ahead
of the forthcoming review of NDIS design, operation and sustainability?
• There is no reason why improvements to the participant experience should
be delayed.
• If the forthcoming Review recommends any further legislative changes, that
wil be considered and addressed through co-design with people with
disability.
If ASKED – What are the main legislative changes that stil need
to be made?
• The cornerstone of the outstanding legislative changes is putting the
timeframes and standards of the Participant Service Guarantee in law.
• While the NDIA is already reporting against the timeframes, and the
Ombudsman is reporting on the NDIA’s performance in meeting the
requirements of the PSG, enshrining the PSG in law puts beyond doubt the
requirement for the NDIA to meet the timeframes and adhere to the
engagement standards to make it easier for people with disability to navigate
the NDIS.
• Other changes build on the recommendations of the 2019 Independent
Review of the NDIS Act by Mr David Tune AO PSM, and ensure the Rules
reflect best practice drafting standards.
QB22-000039
3
BACKGROUND / KEY FACTS
Overview of Amending Act
The
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Participant Service Guarantee and
Other Measures) Act 2022 amended the
National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013
to deliver on key recommendations of the Tune Review including:
• Enabling legislating the Participant Service Guarantee (PSG)
• Consistent with the recommendations of the 2019 Review of the NDIS Act by Mr David
Tune:
- Enabling participant plans to be varied in limited circumstances, rather than a full re-
assessment being required.
- Simplifying administrative processes in relation to making changes
- Clarifying people with episodic or fluctuating impairments (including people with
psychosocial disability) can be eligible
- Providing for the NDIA to make direct payments on behalf of participants who wish to
use this approach,
- Providing clarity for decisions about plan management requests and extending risk
assessment used for self-management of funding to those using registered plan
management providers.
• Removing references to the trial and transition phases of the NDIS
• Giving effect to recommendations from the 2015 Review of the NDIS.
Consultation on reforms
In September 2021, the
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Participant
Service Guarantee and Other Measures) Bil 2021 (the Bill) together with a suite of NDIS
rules were released for public consultation. The Department for Social Services (DSS)
provided 16 information sessions to key stakeholders, and conducted 4 public information
sessions. Over 860 individuals, providers, peak disability organisations and advocates,
educational institutions and government organisations were involved in these consultation
activities. The Department also received over 300 submission on the proposed reforms.
The response to the proposed reforms was generally positive, particularly in respect of the
PSG. It was generally agreed the reforms would improve the participant experience and
create greater certainty for participants.
Passage of the Bill:
The Bil was introduced to the House of Representatives on 28 October 2021. It was passed
by the House of Representatives and the Senate on 30 March 2022 with government
amendments and received Royal Assent on 1 April 2022.
The Bil had two separate commencement dates. Key provisions relating to the PSG
commenced on 8 April 2022 and the other provisions including relating to plan variations,
reassessments, and the removal of references to the trial and transition phases of the NDIS
commenced on 1 July 2022.
NDIS Rules
Fully implementing the NDIS reforms requires the Minister to make or amend a number of
NDIS Rules. New rules are required to set out the legislated form of the PSG, including
service standards for the NDIA when working with people with disability, timeframes for key
decisions, and requirements for reporting on its performance. Existing NDIS rules relating to
the management of plan funding, becoming an NDIS participant and specialist disability
accommodation need to be amended to reflect the provisions of the Amending Act.
QB22-000039
4
NDIS Rules relating to children, their representatives and participant nominees wil be
updated to reflect best practice drafting.
The Participant Service charter (PSC) and own-motion Ombudsman Report
In anticipation of a legislated PSG, the NDIA released the Participant Service Charter, which
contains most of the proposed PSG timeframes and service standards. The NDIA agreed to
report publicly on its performance against the PSC to the extent possible from 1 July 2020.
In late 2021, the Commonwealth Ombudsman initiated an own motion inquiry into the NDIA’s
performance in implementing the PSC and released its report on 23 June 2022. The
Ombudsman’s report made 5 recommendations which were all accepted by the NDIA.
Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Julie Yeend, Branch Manager, NDIS
Governance, Policy and Legislation
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
DSS Input Cleared By (include
Debbie Mitchell, Deputy Secretary, Disability
position):
and Carers
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
25 July 2022
MO Clearance Date:
To be completed by MO
QB22-000039
5
QB22-000044
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
NDIS PERFORMANCE (PEOPLE SUPPORTED, OUTCOMES ACHIEVED
AND ACCESS IN REMOTE AREAS)
KEY ISSUES
• At 30 June 2022, there were 534,655 people with disability being supported
by the Scheme, almost 70,000 people more than the same time 12 months
ago.
• There are twice as many people with disability, with more than three times
the level of expenditure on supports, than was the case before the NDIS.
• Participants continue to report improved outcomes in choice and control,
daily living, learning and relationships, health and wel being, and social and
community participation the longer they remain in the scheme.
• More can be done to improve the effectiveness of the NDIS including, for
example, housing and employment outcomes for participants. Also, in the
quarter to 30 June 2022, only 70 per cent of participants rated their
experience of their plan review as good or very good - down from 72 per cent
in the quarter to 31 March 2022.
KEY FACTS
The NDIS is improving outcomes for people with disabilities
• In its latest NDIS Quarterly Report to 30 June 2022, outcomes data for those
who have been supported for five years in the scheme compared to when
they commenced (at Scheme entry or first plan review) indicate:
o the percentage of participants aged 15 and over participating in a
social or community activity increased from 35 per cent to 49 per cent;
o the percentage of participants aged 25 and over with who reported the
NDIS helping with their daily living increased from 70 per cent to 87 per
cent.
o the percentage of participants aged 25 and over with who reported
having more choice and control in their life increased from 66 per cent
to 81 per cent.
1
The NDIS is accessible for regional and remote communities.
• The NDIA monitors the number of participants entering the NDIS who are
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, cultural y and linguistical y diverse, and
living in remote and very remote areas.
o Of the 19,291 participants who entered the NDIS in the quarter ending
June 2022:
o 9.1 per cent were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, (compared to
7 per cent of the Australian population who identify as Aboriginal and/or
Torres Strait Islander and report having a need for assistance [ABS
2016 Census]); and
o 1.7 per cent were from remote and very remote areas (compared to
2 per cent of the Australian population living in remote or very remote
areas [ABS 2016 Census]).
• The Government has committed to tackling the barriers to service delivery in
remote areas of Australia, including enhancing the role of a senior officer
within the NDIA to strengthen responses to access and service delivery
issues in remote Australia.
A review to improve the effectiveness of the Scheme
• The Australian Government has committed to review the design, operation
and sustainability of the Scheme.
• The Australian Government wil consult on the review’s proposed terms of
reference that wil consider al available evidence, and look at benefits as
wel as problems inside and outside the NDIS.
• Findings from this review wil guide the Government on priority areas for
reform, including effectiveness and sustainability.
2
OUR GOVERNMENT
• The NDIS is an outstanding public policy accomplishment.
• Yet there is more work to be done to put people back at the centre of the
NDIS, to make it work better for those it supports in al parts of the country
and for al who are eligible.
• An NDIS that is effective for those it supports will generate a significant
return on our investment in years to come – firstly for those it supports, and
also for the wider community and economically.
• This return means stronger social and economic connections for people with
disabilities, and an economic dividend for the country.
• Our election commitments of a Review into the NDIS and co-designing
improvements with people with disability wil be a foundation to improve the
effectiveness of the NDIS and rebuild trust.
POTENTIAL HOT ISSUES
If ASKED - What is the Government doing about the employment
outcomes for NDIS participants, which have not improved in the NDIS?
• The Government maintains a strong focus on employment outcomes for
people with disability.
• We recognise the proportion of participants aged 15 to 64 in paid work has
only increased by 1 per cent after five years in the Scheme.
• More can be done to improve these outcomes. We need employers to
embrace employing people with disability.
• The Government has committed to review the design, operation and
sustainability of the Scheme. Findings from this review wil guide the
Government on priority areas for reform, including effectiveness and
sustainability.
3
o Commence facilitating a scheduled plan review within 56 days (56 per cent). This
does however, represent an increase from the 27 per cent reported in the March
2022 report.
o Complete a participant requested review, after the decision to accept the request
is made, within 28 days (60 per cent). This represents an increase from the 54 per
cent reported in the March 2022 report.
• Of the 3 PSG metrics not yet reported on, the June 2022 report advises that the start date
for reporting these metrics wil commence when the new ICT system is in place.
• By comparison, in the previous report (March 2022), 9 targets were met, 5 were almost
met, 3 were well below the target and 3 were not reported on. This means there has been
an improvement in the number of targets met between the March and June reports.
Locational / place considerations
• Nil.
6
Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Emily Hurley, Branch Manager, NDIS Finance
and Performance
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Input Cleared By (include position):
Peter Broadhead, General Manager,
Participants and Performance Group
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
1 August 2022
MO Clearance Date:
To be completed by MO
7
QB22-000046
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
OVER 65 YEAR’S ELIGIBILITY FOR THE NDIS
KEY ISSUES
• To become an NDIS participant, a person must meet age and residency
as wel as the disability or early intervention requirements set out in the
National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013.
• The design of the NDIS reflects the original Productivity Commission
recommendation that a person seeking access to the NDIS needs to have
acquired their disability and requested access to the scheme before age 65.
• This recommendation was carried through in the NDIS Act, except that
people already in the NDIS could choose to remain in the NDIS after they
turned 65. The Act was passed with bipartisan support.
• Consequently, over time the NDIS wil cover an increasing number of people
aged 65 and over with significant and permanent disability.
• The NDIS was not intended to replace services provided through the health
or aged care systems.
• Limiting NDIS access to people under 65 supports the broader intent
of an integrated system of disability and aged care supports so that people
with disability receive the supports they need over the course of their life.
• Alongside the NDIS, the Productivity Commission recommended the
establishment of a National Injury Insurance Scheme (NIIS) to cover people,
regardless of age, who suffer catastrophic injuries.
• However, states and territories have only implemented two of the four
streams of the NIIS – for motor vehicle accidents and workplace accidents.
KEY FACT
• At 30 June 2022, there were
21,996 active participants (not exited) aged 65
or over in the NDIS, which is 4 per cent of the total population of active NDIS
participants.
1
OUR GOVERNMENT
• When the NDIS was established, there were insufficient supports available
for Australians with disability through the state-run disability system.
• Those 65 or older could be supported through aged care.
• With the introduction of the NDIS, there was also to be a National Injury
Insurance Scheme (NIIS) established by states and territories to provide
cover for catastrophic injuries extending beyond existing motor vehicle
accident and workplace accident schemes.
• The NIIS has not been extended beyond motor vehicle and workplace
accidents as original y envisaged.
• The review of the NDIS will address the design of the scheme and the
Government is also committed to fixing the aged care crisis, including
investing an additional $2.5 bil ion to ensure older Australians receive the
aged care they deserve.
2
POTENTIAL HOT ISSUES
If ASKED – Why are people excluded from entering the NDIS if they are
over age 65?
• I acknowledge the concerns of older Australians with disability, and their
families, who are seeking access to care and support.
• When the NDIS was set up, the focus was addressing care and supports for
people with disability under 65 that prior to the NDIS were inadequate.
• The Productivity Commission recommended in 2011 people should be under
the age of 65 to apply for the NDIS as those 65 or older could be supported
through aged care, or the National Injury Insurance Scheme that was to be
established by states and territories.
• As a result,
the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013, passed in
2013, limits the NDIS to otherwise eligible persons who apply before they
turn 65.
• States and territories have not established the National Injury Insurance
Scheme as was proposed.
If ASKED - Does the Government intend to change NDIS
eligibility to allow those who acquire their disability after age 65 to access
the scheme?
• The Government has committed to review the NDIS design, operation and
sustainability, bringing forward a planned review of the scheme.
• The Government wil consult on terms of reference that wil consider al
available evidence, and look at benefits as wel as problems inside and
outside the NDIS.
• The Government is committed to fixing the aged care crisis, including
investing an additional $2.5 bil ion to ensure older Australians receive the
aged care they deserve.
• The Government is reviewing approaches to implementing the
recommendations from the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and
Safety.
• The Department of Health has been consulting extensively with aged care
stakeholders, including those with disability who are ineligible for the NDIS,
on possible reforms for in-home aged care.
3
If ASKED – What is the National Injury Insurance Scheme and why isn’t it
ful y implemented?
• Alongside the NDIS, the Productivity Commission recommended the
establishment of a National Injury Insurance Scheme (NIIS) to cover people,
regardless of age, who suffer catastrophic injuries.
• The NIIS is intended to be implemented and funded by the states through
either new or existing accident insurance or compensation schemes in their
jurisdiction.
• The Productivity Commission recommended the NIIS be comprised
of four ‘streams’ of coverage: workplace, motor vehicle, general and
medical accidents.
• Only two of the four streams of the NIIS have been implemented by the
states – motor vehicle accidents and workplace accidents.
• On 9 June 2017, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreed not
to proceed with the medical stream of the NIIS at that time.
• States are responsible for implementing and funding the NIIS, including its
extension to general accidents for people of all ages.
4
BACKGROUND / KEY FACTS
Background and Key Facts
STAKEHOLDER REACTIONS
• People who acquire a disability when they are age 65 or over that is not age-related,
for example through catastrophic injury, do not currently receive the same levels of
support in the aged care system as they would under the NDIS.
• People with disability who had reached age 65 before the NDIS was available also do not
receive the same levels of support through aged care as they would in the NDIS.
• People in these cohorts, and their carers and advocates, believe this to constitute
age-based discrimination and are calling for the legislation to be changed to enable
people in this cohort to access NDIS supports.
• Ministerial correspondence is regularly received from the public and peak bodies calling
for removal of the NDIS age criteria, citing age discrimination and dif erences in support
between the two systems. Recently this correspondence often refers to the Royal
Commission’s recommendations for aged care.
MEDIA
• On 16 February 2022, the
West Australian reported that the Centre Al iance member for
Mayo, Rebekha Sharkie MP, would move a motion in the House of Representatives on
the issue of 65 and over eligibility for the NDIS. The planned motion calls for the
Government to identify how they would ensure that people ineligible for the NDIS due to
their age would receive equivalent supports to NDIS participants – whether this be
through the development of the new Support at Home Program or the removal of age
eligibility criteria for the NDIS. Notice of the motion was given 8 February 2022. The
motion was not moved on 16 February 2022 as reported.
• On 31 May 2022, SpinalCure Australia published a joint media statement advocating for
three straightforward reforms to support people with disabilities aged over 65:
- A short-term funding solution for people with high intensity support needs so they can
receive the same standard care and support as other Australians with disabilities,
regardless of when they were acquired.
- A fair and transparent consultation process that prioritises the needs, choices and
goals of people with disabilities aged over 65.
- A streamlined solution that works for older people with severe disabilities as well
as aged care and disability service providers.
Locational / place considerations
• Nil.
Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Julie Yeend, Branch Manager, NDIS
Governance, Policy and Legislation Branch
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
DSS Input Cleared By (include
Peter Broadhead, Group Manager, NDIS
position):
Participants and Performance
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
1 August 2022
MO Clearance Date:
To be completed by MO
5
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
HOSPITAL DISCHARGE DELAYS FOR NDIS PARTICIPANTS
KEY ISSUES
• Safe and timely hospital discharge is essential to achieving positive
outcomes for National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participants.
• There is a range of reasons why NDIS participants experience discharge
delays.
• Some state and territory governments are looking at options to move
NDIS participants into other settings given increasing pressure on hospital
beds.
KEY FACTS
• At any given time, over 50 per cent of NDIS participants in hospital who
are medically ready for discharge experience barriers which delay their
return to the community.
• At 30 June 2022, more than 1,400 NDIS participants were reported
as medical y ready for discharge.
• On 29 July 2022, Disability Ministers discussed a strategy to improve this
situation and agreed next steps.
• Improvements to NDIS processes are needed to ensure no one
is in hospital longer than they need to be, and the NDIA is already working
to implement a range of operational improvements.
• There are many causes of delays in hospital discharge, not al of which
are due to the NDIS. Others include state and territory services, such
as access to post-acute rehabilitation and pal iative care services,
to public and social housing and homelessness services, and availability
of public mental health services and justice support.
QB22-000050
1
OUR GOVERNMENT
• At the 17 June 2022 Disability Reform Ministers' Meeting, ministers
agreed to work together as a priority to develop a strategy to address safe
and timely discharge of NDIS participants from hospital.
• The Commonwealth returned to Disability Reform Ministers’ on 29 July
2022 with:
o A plan for how the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) wil
achieve targets to engage with each NDIS participant in hospital
within four days of admission; and have a participant's plan in place
within a month.
o An outline of what is needed from state health systems, building on
what is working right now, to support the NDIA to deliver against
these targets.
• Ministers also agreed to a statement of policy intent to support hospital
discharge for people with disability. Indicative of the many factors that can
contribute to a delayed stay in hospital, ministers agreed to work with their
colleagues across several federal and state portfolios to ensure a joined
up, systems approach is taken.
• I am a guest at the next Health Ministers Meeting on 5 August 2022 where
I wil discuss this matter further.
PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT
• The previous Government left us the mess of hospital discharge delays
for NDIS participants and hence the need for a NDIS Review.
QB22-000050
2
POTENTIAL HOT ISSUES
If ASKED – Wil you commit to getting people with disability who are ready
for discharge out of public hospitals?
• Disability Reform Ministers met on 29 July 2022 and discussed a strategy to
improve the safe and timely discharge of NDIS participants.
• This strategy is focused on operational improvement within the NDIA, as wel
as actions required from states and territories to support delivery.
• I will continue to work with my colleagues across several federal and state
portfolios to ensure a joined up, systems approach is taken to addressing
this issue.
• It is essential states, territories and the Commonwealth work together on
this.
If ASKED – Do you agree with the South Australian Opposition which is
suggesting settings including the closed Julia Farr Centre (Highgate Park)
and decommissioned facilities at the Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre
should be used to relocate people with disability who are ready for
discharge?
• NDIS participants, like anyone else in our community, are entitled to be
safely discharged from hospital, and preferably to where they wil be living
long term.
• I understand South Australian officials are seeking to discharge people who
are medically ready to alternate settings and I support this where these
settings are appropriate.
• I understand the Julia Farr Centre (Highgate Park) has been closed for some
time as people with disability no longer consider this an appropriate setting in
which to live.
• I remain committed to finding appropriate solutions to support timely hospital
discharge for NDIS participants.
IF ASKED – Should NDIS participants be moved into Victoria’s Mickelham
quarantine facility as an interim solution?
• NDIS participants, like anyone else in our community, are entitled to be
safely discharged from hospital, and preferably to where they wil be living
long term.
• As the operations of Mickelham are the responsibility of the Victorian
Government, I do not have any information at the moment to indicate that the
facility is or is not appropriate for NDIS participants who require transitional
accommodation for a limited period.
QB22-000050
3
• The Australian Government remains committed to finding appropriate
solutions to support the safe and timely discharge of NDIS participants from
hospital, in col aboration with states and territories.
IF ASKED – Should NDIS participants be moved into residential aged care
as an interim solution?
• No. Residential aged care is not an appropriate setting for anyone under the
age of 65, including NDIS participants.
QB22-000050
4
BACKGROUND / KEY FACTS
Background and Key Facts
• According to data gathered by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), as at
30 June 2022,
2,375 NDIS participants were in hospital.
• Of these,
942 (40 per cent) were reported as
not yet medically ready for discharge.
•
1,433 (60 per cent) were reported as medically ready for discharge, of these:
o
631 participants had an NDIS approved plan in place and yet were unable to
discharge;
o
539 participants had planning currently underway or planning booked and assigned to
a planner; and
o
263 participants had their planning awaiting action from either the NDIA or another
service system.
• For those
where planning was awaiting action the most common reasons include:
o 31 per cent were awaiting functional assessments and allied health reports;
o 31 per cent were long stay mental health patients requiring additional support from
agencies to safely discharge; and
o 17 per cent were awaiting a plan review due to change of circumstance or the
participant requesting a review of a decision.
• Of those with a
plan in place but stil unable to discharge, the most common reasons for
delay include:
o 216 (34 per cent) awaiting a provider of supports to be secured;
o 191 (30 per cent) are awaiting a housing solution (either mainstream/community
housing or an NDIA housing solution);
o 147 (23 per cent) are long stay mental health patients and a step down approach to
clinical support is not yet in place (this is a state responsibility); and
• Since July 2022, the NDIA has
33 Health Liaison Officers (HLOs) operating across
Australia, with an
expansion to 40 planned in coming months.
• HLOs have an ongoing role in supporting the safe discharge of NDIS participants from
hospital.
Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Jacqueline Hrast, Branch Manager,
Commonwealth/State Engagement Branch
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
DSS input Cleared By (include
Peter Broadhead, Group Manager,
position):
Participants and Performance Group
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
3 August 2022
MO Clearance Date:
QB22-000050
5
OFFICIAL
NOT FOR TABLING
QB22-000048
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
Funding for NDIS Participant Plans (Claims of Cuts)
KEY ISSUES
• The Government is committed to addressing any unfair cuts to participant
plans.
• The Government would like to assure al people in the NDIS that their plans
wil not be arbitrarily cut.
• The Government is making improvements to the planning pathway and
appeal processes to provide quicker and better outcomes for participants.
KEY FACT
NDIS Plan Budgets can go up and down when plans are reassessed
• The NDIS is designed to support individual needs. As a result,
a participant’s plan can go up or down when their personal needs and
circumstances change.
• For example, plans may go
down when:
o a one-off payment for an individual is funded in one year to purchase
a piece of assistive technology, which does not need to purchased
again the following year.
o a person moving from the family home to independent living may
need additional capacity building supports for a period to make this
transition smoothly, but may not require the same level of support
again in subsequent plans.
• Across the scheme, on average plan budgets
increase when reassessed.
For plans reassessed in the quarter to 30 June 2022:
o The annual value of plans increased on average by 12.7 per cent.
o In the previous quarter to 30 March 2021, the increase on average in
plans on review was 8.3 per cent.
OFFICIAL
NOT FOR TABLING
QB22-000048
1
OFFICIAL
NOT FOR TABLING
• Within these averages, for plans reassessed in the 12 months from
1 July 2021 to 30 June 2022, more than a third of plans (39 per cent)
increased by more than 5 per cent, a quarter of plans (25 per cent)
decreased by more than 5 per cent and the rest (36 per cent) changed
by 5 per cent or less.
Overall the average annual value of NDIS Plan Budgets including first time
plans for new participants decreased because new arrivals in the last year had
less severe disability on average than existing participants.
• In the years of fastest growth in participant numbers from 2017-18 to
2020-21, people supported by state disability services transitioned into the
scheme.
• These people general y have higher support needs than those who were
not previously supported by state services.
• People entering the scheme more recently (particularly since 2021) are
mostly not those who had been previously supported by states. These
newer participants include more people under the age of 18 (children have
lower plan budgets on average than adults) and people with lower support
needs on average than those already in the scheme.
• The effect of this change in mix as new entrants arrive is a slight decrease
in the average value of plans.
o In the same way that a few shorter people joining a group will lower
the average height of the group, this does not mean that the people
who were already in the group have shrunk – average plan values for
earlier participants have not decreased, indeed they continue to grow.
OFFICIAL
NOT FOR TABLING
QB22-000048
2
OFFICIAL
NOT FOR TABLING
NDIS expenditure projections are significantly higher than were anticipated at
the commencement of the scheme or in the 2017 Productivity Commission
study of NDIS costs
• In its 2017 Study Report into NDIS costs, the Productivity Commission
estimated total expenditure on NDIS participant plans for 2024-25 at
$28.5
bil ion.
532,000 participants were projected by June 2025, at an average
cost of
$54,000 per participant.
• The 2022-23 Budget estimates completed in March 2022 instead
contemplate:
o total costs in 2024-25 of
$41.4 bil ion - nearly 50 per cent more than
the projections in the Productivity Commission’s (PC) 2017 study;
o
670,400 participants are now projected by June 2025, 138,400 more
than in the PC 2017 study, and
o The average cost per participant is now projected to be nearly
$63,000 in 2024-25
or $9,000 more than in the PC 2017 study.
• The actual cost of the NDIS is dependent on the number of participants in
the Scheme; the level of supports funded in participant plans based on their
individual needs and circumstances, and the expenditure of those funds by
participants.
• Estimates of the cost of the NDIS are based on the data available at the
time. As the scheme evolves and improves to better meet the support
needs of people with disability, actual figures can differ from the predicted
figures. To the extent this occurs, the estimates wil be revised.
OFFICIAL
NOT FOR TABLING
QB22-000048
3
OFFICIAL
NOT FOR TABLING
OUR GOVERNMENT
• The Government is committed to a better NDIS that puts people with
disability at the centre of the Scheme and includes families, carers, service
providers and workers.
• The Government wants to ensure plan values reflect the reasonable and
necessary supports people with disability require.
• I am working with my col eagues from states and territories, through the
Disability Reform Ministers’ Meetings, to build trust, and support better
outcomes for people with disability, including by improving the effectiveness
of the NDIS.
• The Government is exploring ways to provide a better and earlier outcome
for participants and their plans, reducing the need for them to apply to the
AAT.
PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT
• The previous Government did not properly fund the NDIS Participant
plans and that is why a NDIS Review is needed.
• Many NDIS participants were left frustrated that their plans had been cut
leading to carers not being paid and thus they did not get the care they
required.
OFFICIAL
NOT FOR TABLING
QB22-000048
1
OFFICIAL
NOT FOR TABLING
POTENTIAL HOT ISSUES
IF ASKED: What is the status of Commonwealth compared to state
contributions
• Ful scheme agreements are in place with every state and territory except
Western Australia (which has a transition agreement to mid-2023).
• Under ful scheme agreements, states make set contributions for
participant support costs which increase 4 per cent each year.
The Commonwealth meets the balance of participant support costs and al
of the National Disability Insurance Agency’s operating costs.
• The scheme is now growing faster than the escalation rate in state
contributions, and so the Commonwealth funding as a proportion of total
NDIS costs is increasing. In 2020-21 the Commonwealth funded around
55 per cent of participant support costs national y. Based on the March
2022-23 Budget estimates, the Commonwealth wil fund 62 per cent
in 2021-22, increasing each year to reach 71 per cent in 2025-26.
OFFICIAL
NOT FOR TABLING
QB22-000048
1
BACKGROUND / KEY FACTS
Participant plan payments (last published quarterly report on the NDIS, for the period
ended 30 June 2022)
• The average annualised payment per participant increased by 9.2 per cent per annum on
average over the three years to 30 June 2022 (the median increased by 13.7 per cent per
annum over the same period).
o This compares to an average 10.8 per cent increase reported in the three years
to March 2022 (median 16.4 per cent increase).
• Across the NDIS, the average payment is higher than the median payment because
a small number of participants receive high cost supports. The average annualised
payment per participant in the year to June 2022 is $55,200, compared with the median
annualised payment of $18,500.
NDIS participant plan estimates – comparison of projections
Comparison of
4 year total
projections
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25
2025-26
2022-23
to 2025-26
Current projections – 2022-23 Budget (March 2022)
Expenses ($b)
29.3
33.9
38.0
41.4
44.6
157.8
Participant Numbers
530,457
586,433
630,327
670,400
Not
published
Average annualised
Cost per Participant ($)
57,800
59,900
61,600
62,800
Not
published
Previous Projections – MYEFO 2022-23 (aligned to 2020-21 Annual Financial Sustainability Report*)
Expenses ($b)
29.2
33.9
38.0
41.4
N/A
N/A
Participant Numbers
530,457
586,433
630,327
670,400
N/A
N/A
Average annualised
Cost per Participant ($)
57,800
59,900
61,600
62,800
N/A
N/A
Budget 2021-22
Expenses ($b)
26.5
28.3
29.4
31.9
N/A
N/A
Participant Numbers
531,000
565,300
583,100
590,700
N/A
N/A
Average annualised
Cost per Participant ($)
53,000
52,000
51,000
54,000
N/A
N/A
Productivity Commission (2017)
Expenses ($b)
23.7
25.2
26.8
28.5
N/A
N/A
Participant Numbers
497,700
509,300
520,800
532,000
N/A
N/A
Average annualised
Cost per Participant ($)
48,000
50,000
52,000
54,000
N/A
N/A
* The NDIS Scheme Actuary’s 2020-21 Annual Financial Sustainability Report (AFSR), publicly released on 8 October 2021
and available on the NDIS website. The AFSR is described further below.
Annualised costs means cost for participants over 12 months, correcting for part year costs of those who enter or leave
during the year.
NDIS participant plan estimates - Commonwealth and state/territory contributions
4 year total
$b
2020-21
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25
2025-26
2022-23
to 2025-26
Expenses
23.3
29.3
33.9
38.0
41.4
44.6
157.8
State/Territory
Contributions
10.5
11.1
11.5
12.1
12.6
13.1
49.3
(including in-kind)
Commonwealth
Contribution
(balance of scheme
12.8
18.3
22.3
25.9
28.8
31.5
108.5
costs)
Commonwealth
Share
55%
62%
66%
68%
70%
71%
69%
Note: minor differences due to rounding. Sources: 2020-21 figure - NDIA Annual Report 2020-21; 2021-22 and beyond
figures - NDIA Portfolio Budget Statements 2022-23.
2
Other projections of NDIS costs completed in the last 12 months
Projection
Expenses
2021-22
2024-25
Later years
($ billion)
Baseline
Baseline
Baseline
NDIS Annual Financial
projection: 59.3
Participant Plan
projection: 29.2
projection: 41.4
Sustainability Report
expense only
Low scenario:
Low scenario:
Low scenario:
Released by the NDIS
(does not
53.2
28.3
39.0
Scheme Actuary on
include agency
High scenario:
8 October 2021
costs)
High scenario:
High scenario:
74.2
30.5
47.8
in 2029-30
Page 107:
“…increase from 1.2 per cent of GDP in 2020-21 to
Intergenerational Report
Total
1.5 per cent in the medium term… level ing out at 1.4 per cent
(IGR)
(including
of GDP in the long term…”
Released by the former
agency
Page 107: “…
The Australian Government’s share of spending
Treasurer on 28 June 2021
costs)
wil grow from 0.7 per cent of GDP in 2020-21 to around 1 per
cent by 2031-32…”
Beyond the Budget
Total
Released by the
(including
Parliamentary Budget
agency
−
−
$59 to $72 billion
in 2031-32
Officer on 21 September
costs)
2021
NDIS Annual Financial Sustainability Report (AFSR)
• The AFSR is produced annually as required under section 180B of the
National Disability
Insurance Scheme Act (2013) (NDIS Act), and provides an assessment of the financial
sustainability of the NDIS. The most recent AFSR, being the 2020-21 AFSR, used data to
30 June 2021 to project the future cost of the scheme. This AFSR was publicly released
on the NDIS website on 8 October 2021.
• The AFSR includes analysis and discussion on recent scheme experience, best estimate
projections of future participant numbers and average payments, scenarios relating to
plausible variances in the projections, and recommended strategies to address risks to
financial sustainability.
• The 2021-22 MYEFO, and 2022-23 Budget estimates, were constructed with reference to
the baseline estimates in the 2020-21 AFSR.
• Consistent with the NDIS Act, an updated AFSR is currently under development. This
updated AFSR wil reference data to 30 June 2022 to project the future cost of the
scheme. It is anticipated that the new AFSR wil be publically released in quarter 4, 2022.
Independent Review of NDIA actuarial forecast model and drivers of scheme costs
(Taylor Fry Review)
• In August 2021 Disability Reform Ministers directed work be undertaken to understand
cost drivers and underpinning assumptions in the Scheme Actuary’s 2020-21 AFSR.
• The independent actuarial firm, Taylor Fry, was commissioned and found that:
o The AFSR provides a plausible range based on scenario testing of various
assumptions.
o That the baseline estimates contained within the AFSR may represent a moderate
underestimate of the expected value of future costs.
• The Taylor Fry report was publicly released on 8 January 2022.
• The 2022-23 Budget estimates reflect the projections in the 2020-21 AFSR.
3
Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Emily Hurley, Branch Manager, NDIS Finance
and Performance
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Cleared By (include position):
Peter Broadhead, Group Manager,
Participants and Performance Group
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
1 August 2022
MO Clearance Date:
To be completed by MO
4
QB22-000049
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
REVIEW OF THE NATIONAL DISABILITY INSURANCE SCHEME
DESIGN, OPERATIONS AND SUSTAINABILITY
KEY ISSUES
• The Government has committed to review the design, operation and
sustainability of the National Disability Insurance Scheme, bringing
forward the planned 2023 independent review of the Scheme in bilateral
agreements.
• The review wil consider al available evidence, and look at benefits
as wel as problems inside and outside the Scheme.
• The review is an opportunity for a much stronger focus on improving the
operation of the Scheme and building a col ective understanding of how
to maximise its effectiveness for those it supports.
• People with disability wil be involved in developing the scope and terms
of reference for the review, and wil be engaged in the conduct of the
review.
• The review findings wil guide the Australian Government and state and
territory Disability Ministers on priority areas for improving the Scheme.
KEY FACT
• Bilateral agreements with states and territories set out some of the issues
to be examined in the 2023 review that is being brought forward.
1
OUR GOVERNMENT
• We have election commitments to review the NDIS design, operation and
sustainability as wel as pricing, markets and compliance.
• The Review must participants’ experience of the Scheme – it is not about
cuts, it’s about identifying essential changes so the Scheme is able to
deliver on its promise using the additional expenditure provided for in the
forward estimates.
• Terms of Reference for the review are to be developed with the disability
community – this wil be key to rebuilding disability community trust.
PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT
• The previous Government was satisfied with the NDIS and was stil
planning to undertake a 10 year review in 2023 rather than address al the
systemic issues now.
• 9 years of neglect by the previous Government has led to a NDIS that is
not fit for purpose.
2
POTENTIAL HOT ISSUES
If ASKED – Why are you sending the Terms of Reference (ToR) to states
without co-designing with community, as you committed to before the
election?
• The Government has sent draft ToRs to the states to be discussed at the
Disability Reform Ministers’ Meeting on 29 July 2022, as the basis for then
engaging with the sector. Disability Reform Ministers is the body that sets
policy for the NDIS.
• We wil engage with the disability community on the draft ToRs.
• The disability community wil also be engaged extensively in the conduct of
the review.
If ASKED – Who wil undertake the review?
• The Government is currently considering who wil undertake the review and
wil seek views from states and territories.
3
BACKGROUND / KEY FACTS
Background and Key Facts
• The National Disability Insurance Scheme has been operating for 10 years, and has
transformed many lives. The first three of those years were trials, and the next four were
the transition from trials to national availability.
• Only recently has the Scheme reached the number of participants and the level of
expenditure that was originally envisaged. It is now projected to continue to grow to
significantly exceed the numbers of participants and support costs previously envisaged.
• There are two election commitments relating to reviews of the NDIS – one is a review of
the design, operation and sustainability of the NDIS which is to bring forward a scheduled
review of the NDIS to be commissioned in 2023. The second review commitment relates
to pricing, markets and compliance. The NDIS review will address both elements.
• The full-scheme bilateral agreements with all jurisdictions (except Western Australia
which has a transition agreement until mid-2023) include that governments agree to the
Ministerial Council commissioning an independent review of NDIS costs in 2023 and 2028
(and thereafter as commissioned), which wil examine NDIS financial arrangements.
• Full scheme agreements provide that the review of costs (to commence in 2023):
“Should examine the following issues:
• sustainability of the NDIS, including costs and achievement of participant outcomes
and the effectiveness of ILC;
• cost pressures, including wages pressures;
• the NDIA’s operational costs;
• efficiencies within the Scheme;
• whether there has been any service and financial impact, positive or negative, on
other service systems; and
• the most appropriate levers to manage financial risks and any cost pressures.”
Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Julie Yeend, Branch Manager
NDIS Governance, Policy and Legislation
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
DSS Input Cleared By (include
Peter Broadhead, Group Manager
position):
Participants and Performance
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
25 July 2022
MO Clearance Date:
To be completed by MO
4
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
AAT APPEALS & ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION (ADR)
KEY ISSUES
• The Government is committed to finding ways to address the rising
number of Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) appeals and reduce the
use of external lawyers by the NDIA.
• Recent efforts by the NDIA to improve internal review decisions have
seen around a 50 per cent reduction in new applications to the AAT.
• There has also been an increased focus on early resolution of matters.
• The Government is currently undertaking targeted consultation with the
states and territories, advocates, legal aid and provider representatives to
develop an Alternative Dispute Mechanism.
KEY FACT
• The Government is aware that appeals to the AAT have increased
by approximately 400 per cent over the past 12-18 months, with 4,325
before the AAT as of 17 July 2022.
• 2,639 matters were closed in the year to date. Of these, 2,528 were
resolved without a substantive hearing.
QB22-000050
1
OUR GOVERNMENT
• To improve the effectiveness of the NDIS, it’s important that first we
rebuild trust.
• I am looking for ways to reduce this pain-point for participants, improve
transparency and find alternative, less costly way to resolve disputes.
• The Government is looking to develop an alternative dispute resolution
mechanism that’s voluntary for participants ahead of going to the AAT.
• 4,300 cases is a clumsy, expensive way to al ocate resources
in a Government safety net.
• This will help re-build the trust of participants, their families, and the
community.
• Our election commitments give us the foundation to improve the
effectiveness of the NDIS and rebuild trust.
PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT
• Lamentably, we’ve seen an erosion of trust over the past few years.
• Participants have lost trust as a result of the former Government’s
sponsorship of the NDIA’s Operation Green Light and push for
Independent Assessments.
• Participants feel that these tactics were to squeeze costs to fit
Government forecasts, and question rather than staying true to NDIS’s
original intent of a demand-driven investment approach.
• Fairly or not, many participants also feel that the Agency has been cutting
plans arbitrarily and is not transparent about access or plan-value
decisions.
• This has culminated in the significant number of cases before the
Administrative Appeals Tribunal, especial y in the financial year starting
July 2021.
• Nine years of neglect by the previous Government has led to a huge
caseload in the AAT leaving NDIS participants feeling frustrated and in
many cases without the much-needed supports, they require.
QB22-000050
2
POTENTIAL HOT ISSUES
If ASKED - What is the Government doing to reduce the number of cases
currently before the AAT?
• The Government has asked the NDIA to reduce the caseload in the AAT.
• The NDIA is working with stakeholders, including the AAT, to improve the
NDIS planning pathway and appeal process to resolve appeal cases early.
• These efforts have seen a significant reduction in new applications, with
more cases being closed than the number of new matters received.
• This wil prevent a build up of new appeals to the AAT– the previous
government presided over a 400 per cent increase in AAT cases to 4,325.
IF ASKED – Why is the Government considering introducing another ADR
process?
• The Government’s focus is improving fairness for participants.
• The Government is exploring ways to provide a better and earlier outcome
for participants, reducing the need for them to apply to the AAT.
• This wil reduce the burden on participants as wel as the AAT, and reduce
spending by NDIA on lawyers fighting participants.
• Any new ADR process would be voluntary, confidential and free to
participants and designed to provide a quick, low stress and wel supported
environment for the participant to seek resolution of their matter.
• Consultations will ensure any new model is fit for purpose and provides
a better and fairer experience for participants.
QB22-000050
3
BACKGROUND / KEY FACTS
Background and Key Facts
• The next Disability Reform Ministers’ Meeting on 29 July 2022 wil discuss options
to introduce an additional process in the form of an ADR pilot that can be quickly
implemented under the current administrative and legislative framework.
• The current preferred model is for an independent externally facilitated mediation
or conciliation process, after an NDIA internal review decision has been made but prior
to making an AAT application.
• A group of advocacy, legal aid and provider representatives were provided with a briefing
on proposed options on 12 July 2022.
• The NDIA wil formalise a future consultation process through the existing Dispute
Resolution Working Group (DRWG) that includes key personnel from the NDIA, DSS,
the AAT, Legal Aid, and peak Advocacy bodies. A project control group wil also be
created to implement the ADR pilot through the DRWG.
AAT statistics
• There are approximately 4,325 current active AAT matters and the Agency continues to
receive 80-85 new AAT applications per week (as at 3 July 2022).
• Various factors have driven the increased caseload. From 1 February 2014 to 1 July
2021, the number of applications for review by the AAT increased approximately in line
with increases in the number of Scheme participants (at approximately 4 – 4.4 per
thousand total participants). In financial year 2021-2022 internal review requests
increased and efforts to reduce backlogs in those have led to a greater number of matters
proceeding to external AAT review, with the overall caseload ratio peaking at
approximately 12 per thousand participants in Q3.
• With new applications to the AAT now slowing and more matters being resolved, the
overall caseload in the AAT is reducing. The NDIA anticipates further reduction in the
caseload over coming months.
• Approximately 81 per cent of matters currently before the AAT are planning related (i.e.
more and/or dif erent supports) and 17 per cent relate to people seeking to gain Access
into the Scheme.
• The data shows, with Planning related matters, the main support types in dispute relate to
Capacity Building Supports (disputed in 55 per cent of matters), Core Supports (52 per
cent) and General Supports (27 per cent), noting multiple support types can be disputed
in any one AAT Application.
• The median time to finalise NDIS AAT matters is 22 weeks, with 89 per cent of matters
finalised within 12 months.
• 2,639 matters were closed in the year to date. Of these, 2,528 were resolved without
a substantive hearing.
• The NDIA is mindful of its obligation to act as a model litigant and is working through
a number of complaints. Most relate to delays and consistency in the management
of matters. Not all of these have been substantiated as breaches. The NDIA is
strengthening its model litigant complaint processes and engaging with the Of ice of Legal
Services Coordination on these matters.
Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Julie Yeend, Branch Manager, NDIS Policy,
Legislation and Governance, DSS
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
DSS Input Cleared By (include
Peter Broadhead, Group Manager, NDIS
position):
Participants and Performance, DSS
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
27 July 2022
MO Clearance Date:
23 July 2022
QB22-000050
4
QB22-000078
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
NDIS ELIGIBILITY FOR CHILDREN BORN IN AUSTRALIA TO TWO NEW
ZEALAND PARENTS
KEY ISSUES
• Children born in Australia to two New Zealand parents are eligible for
individual y funded supports under the NDIS from age 10, if they have
been ordinarily a resident in Australia since birth and meet either the
disability or early intervention access requirements.
KEY FACT
• The Australian Government provides some support to children ineligible
for the NDIS through the NDIS Early Childhood Early Intervention (ECEI)
Gateway.
• The ECEI Gateway al ows any family with a child with developmental
delay or other possible disability to seek assistance and assessment from
an ECEI Partner and they may be eligible for supports. This support may
include the provision of information, emotional support, referral to
mainstream services or short-term intervention supports.
• Notwithstanding the support provided by the Government to these
children through the ECEI Gateway, states and territories have primary
responsibility for providing supports to these children.
1
OUR GOVERNMENT
• The Government is continuing to explore opportunities to improve
outcomes for all children with disability living in Australia.
POTENTIAL HOT ISSUES
If ASKED – Implications for the NDIS arising from the Australia New
Zealand Leaders Meeting (ANZLM)
• The ANZLM of 8 July 2022 reaffirmed the unique relationship between
Australia and New Zealand and affirmed a shared commitment to provide
citizens of both countries with better access to social and economic
outcomes.
• Any further questions about the ANZLM and next steps for the Australian
Government should be directed to the Minister for Home Affairs, the Hon
Claire O’Neil.
If ASKED – NDIS access for NZ living in Australia
• The Government acknowledges the important contribution New Zealand
citizens make to Australia’s economic, social and community life.
• However, at this time the Government is not considering changes to NDIS
eligibility requirements for New Zealand citizens living in Australia.
• New Zealand citizens with disability living in Australia can claim the
Disability Support Pension under the Social Security Agreement between
Australia and New Zealand. The Agreement also al ows New Zealand
citizens to claim the Australian Age Pension and Carer Payment.
• New Zealand citizens living in Australia who hold a non-protected Special
Category Visa, a temporary visa class, can also claim a range of other
social security payments, including the Family Tax Benefit, Child Care
Subsidy and Health Care Card.
2
BACKGROUND / KEY FACTS
• Under the
National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013, New Zealand citizens
residing in Australia do not meet the eligibility requirements for access to the NDIS
unless they hold a Permanent Visa or a protected Special Category Visa (issued prior
to 26 February 2001).
• Children born in Australia to two New Zealand citizens who do not do not hold
a Permanent Visa or a protected Special Category Visa do not automatically gain
Australian citizenship at birth. Rather, a child of New Zealand parents where the child
is ordinarily resident in Australia from birth gains Australian citizenship from age 10. It
is from age 10 that they may apply to access individually funded supports under the
NDIS as an Australian citizen.
• The New Zealand Government, and its citizens in Australia, have lobbied the
Australian Government over a number of years for access to the NDIS on the basis
that New Zealand citizens working in Australia pay tax and contribute to the cost of the
NDIS via the 2014 increase in the Medicare levy that helped fund the NDIS.
• The New Zealand Government is particularly concerned that children born in Australia
to two New Zealand citizens do not have access to early intervention supports, and
argue that the severity and cost of providing disability supports wil be higher once
citizenship is granted from age 10. While children in this circumstance can access
limited supports through the National Disability Insurance Agency’s (NDIA) early
childhood approach, the closure of state and territory disability systems in favour of the
NDIS has created a service delivery gap for this cohort.
Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Julie Yeend, Branch Manager, NDIS Policy,
Legislation and Governance, DSS
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
DSS Input Cleared By (include
Peter Broadhead, Group Manager, NDIS
position):
Participants and Performance, DSS
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
26 July 2022
MO Clearance Date:
To be completed by MO
3
OFFICIAL
QB22-000023
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
ENHANCED PAID PARENTAL LEAVE FOR FAMILIES
HEADLINE RESPONSE
• The Albanese Government is committed to a Paid Parental Leave
scheme that offers choice and flexibility for working parents.
• Parenting is an equal partnership and families should be able to
choose how they balance work and care.
• It is important that we have a Paid Parental Leave scheme that
supports modern Australian families and that complements other
parental leave schemes offered by a growing number of employers.
• The Government is currently considering the specific
enhancements to be made to the Paid Parental Leave scheme to
ensure it is working in the best way for families.
CONTACT NAME: Agnieszka Nelson
POSITION: Branch Manager, Families and Payment
Support
PHONE: s 47F
1
OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL
IF ASKED: What do you say to the families who are expecting
a new child next year and want to plan their leave?
• The Government is focused on making sure the enhancements
to the scheme work in the best way for families.
• This means ensuring that families are supported to choose how
they balance work and care.
• The Government also wants to make sure there are no
unintended consequences from these changes, and is carefully
considering the detail of the proposed enhancements.
2
OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL
BACKGROUND / KEY FACTS
Background and Key Facts
• The former government announced changes in the March Budget to the Paid Parental
Leave scheme:
o Combining Dad and Partner Pay and Parental Leave Pay to create a single 20-week
entitlement, to be taken as families choose.
o Broadening the income test to allow those who do not meet the individual income
threshold (currently $156,647 per annum) to stil qualify for payment if they meet a
family income threshold of $350,000 per annum.
o Increasing the flexibility of Parental Leave Pay by allowing:
the leave to be used by parents one day at a time, with periods of work in
between, making it easier for parents to share the entitlement.
parents to take the entitlement on the same day.
• Around 180,000 parents would receive an additional two weeks of Parental Leave Pay.
• Around 2,200 parents who would not have qualified under the current policy settings
(mostly higher income women) would now also be eligible.
• Many fathers and partners would be better of under the proposed arrangements, which
would allow them to access payment under the Paid Parental Leave scheme at the same
time as any available employer-funded leave.
Current Paid Parental Leave entitlements
• Currently, the Paid Parental Leave scheme is comprised of two payments:
o
Parental Leave Pay provides up to 18 weeks' pay at a rate based on the national
minimum wage (currently $812.45 per week) to eligible working primary carers of a
newborn or recently adopted child, and
o
Dad and Partner Pay provides up to two weeks’ pay at a rate based on the national
minimum wage to eligible working fathers or partners caring for a newborn or recently
adopted child
DaPP Sensitivities
Currently, around 90,000 fathers and partners receive Dad and Partner Pay under the Paid
Parental Leave scheme.
- Under the changes announced by the former Government, around 76,500 dads and
partners would be eligible to access the Paid Parental Leave scheme and share in the
20 week entitlement.
- Around 23,500 dads and partners wil not be eligible for Parental Leave Pay under the
new Paid Parental Leave scheme.
• The current claim hierarchy remains, meaning that eligible primary claimants (mainly
mothers) wil need to decide what amount a secondary claimant (fathers/partner) can
claim. Families may decide that a higher income father is better off working than receiving
all or some of the family’s Parental Leave Pay entitlement.
• In its 2009 report, the Productivity Commission proposed two weeks of paid paternity
leave, which Dad and Partner Pay has been based on as a ‘use it or lose it’ basis.
3
OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL
Statistics
• In 2021-22, as at 28 February 2022,
121,056 people started receiving Parental Leave Pay
and 64,443 people received Dad and Partner Pay.
• In 2020-21, 169,029 parents commenced receiving Parental Leave Pay.
o 13,351 Parental Leave Pay claimants used one or more days flexibly.
This equates to around 10 per cent of claimants with a child born on or after
1 July 2020 eligible for flexible Paid Parental Leave (135,812).
• For 2021-22, the Paid Parental Leave scheme is estimated to cost taxpayers around
$2.58 billion.
Payment rates
1 July 2022 – 30 June 2023
Daily rate
$162.49
Weekly rate
$812.45
2 weeks
$1,624.90
18 weeks
$14,624.10
Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Agnieszka Nelson, Branch Manager
Families and Payment Support
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
DSS Input Cleared By:
Jo Evans, Group Manager
Participation and Family Payments
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
20 July/ 2022
MO Clearance Date:
16/7/22
4
OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL
QB22-000017
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
ROBODEBT ROYAL COMMISSION
HEADLINE RESPONSE
• A Royal Commission into the ‘Robodebt’ scheme wil be
established before the end of 2022.
KEY POINTS
• Robodebt was a shameful policy from a shameless government.
• The Royal Commission into Robodebt is a matter of priority for the
Albanese Government and wil be established before the end of
2022.
• We need to learn the truth of Robodebt’s origins so that something
like this can never happen again.
• The Royal Commission will inquire into who was responsible for the
scheme and what advice or processes informed its design and
implementation.
• The Royal Commission wil investigate the impact on individuals,
as well as how complaints and concerns about the schemes
legality were handled.
• The Government has committed
$30 million to conducting this
Royal Commission.
1
OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL
If ASKED - about the Robodebt Class Action Settlement:
• On 11 June 2021, the Federal Court approved the settlement in the
matter of
Prygodicz and Others versus the Commonwealth of
Australia, known as the Robodebt class action.
• The government wil make a settlement payment of $112 mil ion in
lieu of interest, inclusive of court-approved costs for Gordon Legal.
• Services Australia is leading the distribution of these settlement
amounts.
• Over 99 per cent of the Robodebt Scheme refunds have now been
made. If anyone believes they are stil owed a refund under the
Robodebt Scheme they can contact Services Australia.
CONTACT: Alexander Abel
POSITION: Branch Manager, Study and Compliance
PHONE: s 47F
2
OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL
BACKGROUND / KEY FACTS
Background and Key Facts
• A Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme was an election commitment.
• On 6 June 2019, a former Austudy recipient, Ms Amato who had her ATO refund
garnisheed to pay an al eged debt raised under the Robodebt Scheme, applied to the
Court for review of her debt (
Amato v the Commonwealth of Australia).
- In November 2019, the Court found that there was insufficient evidence to support the
determination that a debt existed under s 1222A of the Social Securities Act
1991 (Cth) – effectively finding the approach used by the Robodebt scheme to be
unlawful.
• On 19 November 2019, the then Minister for Government Services announced Services
Australia would cease raising debts based solely on averaged ATO income data.
• On 29 May 2020, the then Minister for Social Services announced Services Australia
would refund all repayments made on debts based wholly or partially on averaged ATO
income data.
• Over 99 per cent of the Robodebt Scheme refunds have now been made.
- The remainder that are outstanding includes former customers who have not
responded to Services Australia’s request for information to enable the refund to occur
(such as provision of bank account information), and those with complex
circumstances who require tailored servicing, such as incarcerated customers, and
deceased estates.
• On 16 November 2020, the Commonwealth and Gordon Legal agreed to settle the
Prygodicz & Ors v Commonwealth of Australia class action on the Robodebt Scheme and
on 11 June 2021, the Federal Court of Australia approved the class action settlement and
the proposed Settlement Distribution Scheme.
• The settlement distribution scheme has commenced, although payments are yet to be
made.
• Nine News reported on 26 July 2022 that Robodebt victims are stil waiting for $112
million in settlement payments (
Attachment A).
Locational / place considerations
• NA
Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Alexander Abel, Branch Manager
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
DSS Input Cleared By (include
position):
Phone/Mobile:
Clearance Date:
27 July 2022
MO Clearance Date:
16/7/2022
3
OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL
QB22-000018
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
DOUGLAS DECISION - IMPACT ON CHILD SUPPORT, FTB AND SOCIAL
SECURITY
HEADLINE RESPONSE
• I acknowledge the Full Federal Court’s decision in the case
Commissioner of Taxation v Douglas which has tax impacts for
some military veterans.
• The Assistant Treasurer is leading the Australian Government’s
response to the Court’s decision.
• This Government is introducing legislation to ensure that no
veteran pays higher income tax because of the Federal Court
decision.
KEY POINTS
• The Albanese Government is introducing legislation to ensure
veterans do not pay more tax, because of the Federal Court
decision in the
Commissioner of Taxation v Douglas case.
• While most veterans are better off under the Court’s decision,
a small number may be adversely affected.
• The Australian Government is developing a whole-of-government
response, which is led by the Assistant Treasurer.
• The Government’s response is supported by the Minister for
Veterans’ Affairs and Defence Personnel and myself.
CONTACT NAME: Agnieszka Nelson
POSITION:
Branch Manager,
Families and Payment Support
PHONE: s 47F
1
OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL
BACKGROUND / KEY FACTS
Current status of Australian Government response:
• On 25 July 2022, the Assistant Treasurer, and the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and
Defence Personnel announced a consultation process had commenced, and invited
submissions for exposure draft legislation related to the
Douglas decision.
• The draft bil :
o retains the
Douglas decision for affected military schemes (retrospectively back to
September 2007 and prospectively, and
o introduces a tax offset for veterans who would pay more tax as a result of their
pensions being taxed as a lump sum rather than as an income stream, and
o reverses the
Douglas decision for all other affected superannuation schemes.
• Submissions can be submit ed up until 5 August 2022.
What is the Douglas decision?
• The Full Federal Court decision in
Commissioner of Taxation v Douglas [2020] FCAFC
220 (the
Douglas decision) has had major implications for the tax treatment of
superannuation invalidity benefits paid to veterans.
• The
Douglas decision considered invalidity pension payments from two schemes where
the benefit commenced on or after 20 September 2007:
o the income tax treatment of pension payments changed to be superannuation
lump sums (formerly they were treated as a superannuation income streams).
o Affected military schemes: the Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits
((DFRDB) and the Military Superannuation Benefits (MSB) schemes)), and non-
military schemes.
• The Court determined these pensions did not meet the legislative definitions of a
superannuation lifetime pension and income stream, as these payments are subject to
review and re-classification (often based on changing health outcomes for veterans),
resulting in payments being paid either temporarily or permanently.
• This also applies to other schemes that are reviewable or cancellable, such as State and
Territory schemes, and presents challenges to the taxation of superannuation benefits,
which are designed to treat such benefits as an income stream, not as a superannuation
lump sum.
• The
Douglas decision primarily affects the amount of tax veterans pay, but it can also
have some non-tax implications.
• Some veterans have Disability Superannuation Benefit (DSB) status, which can also
result in the veteran having a lower taxable income under the Douglas decision.
• Lower taxable income has financial implications for Australian Government payments and
programs which rely on taxable income to calculate adjusted taxable income.
• Affected payments include: Child Support, Family Tax Benefits, Youth Al owance, Child
Care Assistance payments, Stil born Baby Payment, Single Income Family Supplement,
Double Orphan Pension, Health Care and other concession cards, HECS (HELP)
repayments, Private Health Rebates, and certain tax offsets.
• The Assistant Treasurer, the Hon Stephen Jones MP, is leading the Government’s
response to the Douglas decision.
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Contact Officer’s Name:
Agnieszka Nelson, Branch Manager, Families and Payment Support
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
DSS Input Cleared By:
Jo Evans, Group Manager, Participation and Family Payments
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
26 July 2022
MO Clearance Date:
16/7/22
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QB22-000019
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
Reinstatement of NHE Crisis Payment
HEADLINE RESPONSE
• The National Health Emergency Crisis Payment has been
reinstated to people who are income support recipients and who
are required to quarantine or self-isolate, or care for someone who
is quarantining or self-isolating, due to COVID-19.
• Eligibility for the payment has been backdated to 1 July 2022 so
that anyone who met the requirements from that date can make a
claim from Wednesday 20 July 2022.
KEY POINTS
• The National Health Emergency Crisis Payment was introduced on
25 March 2020 as a temporary measure for income support
recipients who are either required to quarantine or self-isolate or
care for someone required to quarantine or self-isolate, due to
COVID-19.
• The payment is available to recipients of: age pension, Austudy,
carer payment, disability support pension, JobSeeker, parenting
payment, youth al owance and farm household allowance.
• The payment is paid in addition to a person’s regular income
support payment. The amount paid is equivalent to one week of a
person’s maximum basic rate of their payment, and so wil vary
depending on which payment the person receives.
• The Australian Government has provided over $546 million in
National Health Emergency Crisis Payments, as at 15 July 2022.
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If ASKED - why did the Government previously cease the
National Health Emergency Crisis Payment?
• Ceasing the payment was in line with states and territories’ easing
of COVID-19 restrictions and the decision was made prior to the
updated health outlook.
• The decision to cease the National Health Emergency Crisis
Payment was made with the knowledge that the payment could be
quickly reinstated if required.
• Beyond the National Health Emergency Crisis Payment, the
Government remains committed to providing support to states and
territories during the COVID-19 pandemic, including extending the
National Partnership on COVID-19 Response for a further three
months to 31 December 2022 at a cost of around $760 mil ion.
If ASKED - why is the Government reinstating the National Health
Emergency Crisis Payment?
• The decision to reinstate the National Health Emergency Crisis
Payment was made in view of the updated health outlook and
recognition of the risks associated with the rise of new, more
infectious, COVID-19 variants during winter.
• This wil ensure people affected by COVID-19 isolation
requirements who receive an income support payment or
ABSTUDY Living Al owance, and who are in severe financial
hardship, can receive additional support through the winter period.
• The Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment, which provides one-off
payments to eligible non-income support recipients required to
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self-isolate or quarantine, has also been reinstated to
1 October 2022.
If ASKED: when is the last day a person can claim the National
Health Emergency Crisis Payment?
• People who start their isolation or caring period prior to
1 October 2022 wil have 14 days to submit a claim.
• For example, a person whose isolation period commenced on
30 September 2022 wil be able to submit a claim for the payment
until 14 October 2022 inclusive.
• The claim period can be extended by a further 14 days for people
who contact Services Australia about a claim within the initial
14 day period.
If ASKED: would the Government consider extending the
payment beyond October 2022?
• The Government wil continue to respond to public health advice
and act according to the changing circumstances of the pandemic.
• Based on advice from the Chief Medical Officer and the
Department of Health the Government decided to reinstate both the
Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment and the National Health
Emergency Crisis Payment until 1 October 2022.
CONTACT NAME: Alfred Opoku
POSITION: A/g Branch Manager, Participation
and Supplementary Payments
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PHONE: s 47F
BACKGROUND / KEY FACTS
National Health Emergency (NHE) Crisis Payment
• From 25 March 2020, a new category of Crisis Payment for a NHE was introduced by
the Coronavirus Economic Response Package Omnibus Act 2020 (Schedule 11). This
schedule did not limit the NHE to COVID-19, rather, it provided that the Minister may
determine eligibility requirements for this payment by legislative instrument.
• The Social Security (Coronavirus Economic Response - 2020 Measures No. 2)
Determination 2020 provided the requirements for eligibility for a NHE Crisis Payment
in respect of COVID-19. To be eligible, a person must be in financial hardship and
required to self-isolate or quarantine, or care for another person who is required to
self-isolate or quarantine, because of advice from, or a requirement made, by the
Commonwealth, a state or territory or a health professional regarding
COVID-19.
• Claims can be made online through myGov, over the phone or by submit ing a ‘Claim
for Crisis Payment – National Health Emergency (COVID-19)’ form.
• From 12 September 2021, a person was required to submit evidence of a recent
COVID 19 test with their claim.
• From 13 January 2022, a positive Rapid Antigen Test result could be provided as
evidence that a person, or the person they were caring for, were required to self-
isolate or quarantine.
Crisis Payment (all categories) overview
• Crisis Payment is a one-off payment available to income support recipients who are in
severe financial hardship and have experienced a specific event, such as domestic
violence, arrival in Australia as a humanitarian entrant, or release from prison.
• A single person is in severe financial hardship if the value of their liquid assets is less
than their maximum fortnightly payment rate (includes maximum basic rate, Energy
Supplement and, if applicable, Rent Assistance, Pharmaceutical Al owance and
Pension Supplement).
• A member of a couple is in severe financial hardship if the value of their liquid assets
is less than twice their maximum fortnightly payment rate.
• The amount of Crisis Payment is equal to half of the person’s fortnightly maximum
basic rate of payment. For example, as at 15 July 2022, a single JobSeeker Payment
recipient without dependent children would receive $321.35.
Contact Officer’s Name and Position:
Alfred Opoku, A/g Branch Manager
Phone/Mobile: s 47F
DSS Input Cleared By (include position):
Phone/Mobile: s 47F
Clearance Date:
20 July 2022
MO Clearance Date:
25 July 2022
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QB22-000024
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
Jobseeker Payment
HEADLINE RESPONSE
• The Albanese Labor Government is deeply committed to building
a welfare and social security system that is a strong safety net
and supports vulnerable Australians when they need it, and that
doesn’t judge anyone for needing a support payment.
• Nobody pretends that living on JobSeeker is easy.
• JobSeeker is designed to support Australians who are unable to
support themselves whilst they look for a job or have a
temporary injury or incapacity.
• JobSeeker is not designed to replace lost salary or wages.
• We know many Australians are doing it tough. They need and
rely on the government supporting them.
• That’s why we made a number of commitments to help with the
cost of living – such as by cutting the cost of PBS co-payments,
and making child care cheaper.
• As the Prime Minister has made clear, the Government wil
consider the rate of JobSeeker when we sit down to do the
Budget each year.
• We face many competing calls on the Budget, which is groaning
under a tril ion dollars of Liberal debt.
• Our decisions wil always be based on our commitment to leave
no one behind and hold no one back.
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KEY POINTS
• JobSeeker is designed to support Australians who are unable to
support themselves whilst they look for a job or have a
temporary injury or incapacity.
• The current basic rate of JobSeeker for a single person with no
children is
$642.70 per fortnight before supplements.
• The Government is holding a
Jobs and Skills Summit on
1 and 2 September 2022. The Summit wil bring together
Australians, including employers, unions and civil society to start
a national conversation about a shared vision for Australia’s
labour market.
• The Summit wil be followed by a Government White Paper on
Employment which wil focus on opportunities to build a better
trained more productive workforce, boosting incomes and living
standards and creating opportunities for more Australians to
prosper.
• The Summit and subsequent Employment White Paper wil focus
on expanding the employment opportunities for all Australians
including the most disadvantaged and those that face barriers to
employment.
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IF ASKED - Do you think that a payment of $45.91 per day is an
adequate amount for JobSeeker Payment recipients? ACOSS
is calling for an increase of JobSeeker Payment rate to $70 a
day.
• JobSeeker is designed to support Australians who are unable to
support themselves whilst they look for a job or have a
temporary injury or incapacity.
• JobSeeker is not designed to replace lost salary or wages.
• It is funded by taxpayers and this means we have an obligation
to manage it in a sustainable and responsible way.
• Income support recipients may also be able to access other
benefits and concessions to assist them with the cost of living.
• Where recipients have additional costs, such as those
associated with renting in the private market and raising children,
supplementary payments such as Rent Assistance and Family
Tax Benefit are available.
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If ASKED – With the unemployment rate fal ing, why has the
number of JobSeeker Payment recipients increased?
• The unemployment rate as at June 2022 is 3.5 per cent.
• Generally, the number of JobSeeker Payment recipients has
been trending downwards since the height of the pandemic.
o The number of JobSeeker Payment recipients has steadily
declined from a high point of 1,486,676 in May 2020 to
831,601 in June 2022, a decline of around 44 per cent.
• As at 24 June 2022 there were 831,601 JobSeeker Payment
recipients. This is an increase of 3.3 per cent compared to
27 May 2022.
• We can attribute this increase in recipient numbers to reinstating
suspended recipients into the JobSeeker recipient numbers as
part of the transition to Workforce Australia which occurred on
4 July 2022. It is anticipated that the reported recipients data will
return to usual levels as mutual obligations are reactivated (on
1 August).
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If ASKED – Points Based Activation System – when will mutual
obligations re-commence?
• To support the transition of Workforce Australia participants,
mutual obligations were temporarily suspended, including
meeting the required ‘points’, between 1 July and 31 July 2022.
There were no payment suspensions during this period.
• Mutual obligation requirements resume from Monday,
1 August 2022 for participants in Workforce Australia Services,
Workforce Australia Online and ParentsNext.
• To further support Workforce Australia participants in
transitioning into the Points Based Activation System, they will
have a further reporting period where no compliance action wil
be raised. This means that compliance action for not meeting
points targets wil start from September 2022.
• In addition, mutual obligation requirements are temporarily
suspended until 31 August 2022 in those 37 New South Wales
local government areas affected by the recent rain event and
flooding.
BACKGROUND / KEY FACTS
• The basic rate of JobSeeker Payment for a single person with no children is
$642.70 per
fortnight. Higher rates may be payable to individuals with children, primary caring
responsibilities or who are over 60 and have been on payment for more than 9 months.
• Along with the basic rate of payment, everyone who receives JobSeeker Payment is
eligible for at least one additional form of support such as:
o Rent Assistance: up to
$193.62 a fortnight for families with three or more
children.
o FTB Part A per child: up to
$257.46 a fortnight for children aged 13 to 19 years.
o FTB Part B per family: up to
$168.28 a fortnight for children under 5 years.
o Pharmaceutical Al owance: up to
$6.20 a fortnight.
o Telephone Al owance: up to
$185.60 a year.
o Energy Supplement: up to
$12 a fortnight.
• There are also a range of other supplements based on an individual’s particular
circumstances such as remote area allowance, language, literacy and numeracy
supplement and the approved program of work supplement.
• As at 24 June 2022 there were 831,601 JobSeeker Payment recipients.
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• This is an increase of 3.3 per cent compared to 27 May 2022. We can attribute this
increase in recipient numbers to reinstating suspended recipients as part of the transition
to Workforce Australia which occurred on 4 July 2022.
• Compared to June 2021 (1,001,253), the number of JobSeeker Payment recipients in
June 2022 (831,601) has decreased by 169,652 recipients or 16.9 per cent.
Points Based Activation System (Workforce Australia)
• On 4 July 2022 the Points Based Activation System was introduced to provide recipients of
JobSeeker Payment with more flexibility when meeting their mutual obligation
requirements.
• Recipients wil have a target of up to 100 points per month that they can meet in a variety
of ways such as through job searches, undertaking study or attending a job interview.
• Recipients can work with their provider or the Digital Services Contact Centre to tailor their
points requirements based on their personal circumstances.
Stakeholder Comments
• ACOSS has called for the basic rates of all income support to be raised to $70 per day,
indexed to wages. This is expected to cost tens of bil ions of dollars over the forward
estimates.
• The table below summarises proposed increases to the basic rate of JobSeeker Payment
by various organisations.
Per fortnight
Per day
Percentage
increase
Current rate
$642.70
$45.91
N/A
Grattan Institute $792.70
$56.62
23.3 per cent
BankWest Curtin $922.70
$65.91
43.6 per cent
Economics
Centre (BCEC)
ACOSS
$980.00
$70
52.5 per cent
The Greens
$1,232.00
$88.00
91.7 per cent
Independents
$792.70
$52.62
23.3 per cent
Locational / place considerations
• N/A
Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Alfred Opoku
A/g Branch Manager, Participation and
Supplementary Payments
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Input Cleared By (include position):
Jo Evans, Group Manager, Participation and
Family Payments
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
1 August 2022
MO Clearance Date:
27/7/22
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QB22-000067
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
SOCIAL SECURITY PAYMENT ACCURACY, DEBT AND COMPLIANCE
HEADLINE RESPONSE
• The Government takes its responsibility for upholding the integrity
of Australia’s social security system seriously and seeks to ensure
it is sustainable into the future.
KEY POINTS
• The Government needs to have safeguards in place which ensure
payments are made to people who are eligible for them under the
law, and that they are paid correctly, so that individuals receive the
amount of assistance to which they are entitled.
• Not only can individuals be over paid, they can also be under paid
if the information received is not correct.
• The Government is concerned many people are not aware they
have incurred a debt, and that payment accuracy has declined over
the last couple of years.
• Safeguards to assist with payment accuracy include data matching
with third parties, reviews with customers and tip-off lines.
• A strong focus on payment accuracy, recovery of debts and
reviews is supported through improved education about mutual
obligations and use of technology.
• The Government has a responsibility to take steps to recover debts
that are owed.
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• Services Australia provides flexible debt repayment options based
on the person’s circumstances. This includes situations where the
person is experiencing family or domestic violence, are in financial
hardship, or where there are other indicators of vulnerability.
• Anyone who owes a debt and is experiencing difficulty with
repayments is encouraged to contact Services Australia to discuss
their circumstances. They can do this on the dedicated debt phone
line (1800 076 072).
If ASKED – about how the Government is preventing payment
inaccuracy and debt
• Services Australia makes use of technologies such as SMS text
reminders, pop-ups with information on customers’ MyGov
accounts, and data matching to alert a customer to information
discrepancies so they have an opportunity to correct the
information before changes are made which could lead to a debt.
• Services Australia uses data matching with third parties, such as
Births Deaths and Marriages, allowing them to verify information
which could affect payment accuracy, including residency,
identity, income and assets.
• Expanded Single Touch Payroll (STP) data is being
progressively provided to Centrelink by the Australian Taxation
Office and is being used to prefil employment and income
details to make reporting easier.
o The process of reporting income wil generally involve the
recipient confirming the pre-fil ed amount is correct.
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• I wil be working closely with my department and the Minister for
Government Services, the Hon Bil Shorten MP to improve
services for citizens including to improve payment accuracy and
better use of technology and digital servicing.
If ASKED – what is the government doing in relation to debt
raising and recovery in flood affected areas?
• The Government is committed to helping those who have been
affected by the recent flood events across New South Wales.
• Services Australia have put in place a debt pause for people in
affected local government areas to ease the financial burden during
this tough time.
CONTACT NAME: Alexander Abel
POSITION: Branch Manager, Study and Compliance
PHONE: s 47F
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BACKGROUND / KEY FACTS
Background and Key Facts
• Following the recent natural disasters and COVID-19 lockdowns the previous
Government implemented a number of debt pauses across impacted areas.
• Some areas have been under a debt pause for the last 2 years.
• These widespread debt pauses have led to an increase in unprocessed potential
overpayments, known as debt shells.
• Social security payment accuracy has fallen in the last two years, with overall payment
accuracy dropping from 96 to 94 per cent, and the accuracy of JobSeeker Payment
dropping from 93 to 83 per cent.
- Payment accuracy measures the dollar value, in percentage terms,
of inaccurate payment. For example, a $100 payment that was being overpaid by $5
is measured as having a payment accuracy of 95 per cent (or 5 per cent inaccuracy).
- Random Sample Survey reviews for over 20,000 recipients annually are conducted
by Services Australia to measure payment accuracy, using a random sample
of the population for 13 different payment types.
• Services Australia is focusing on the most effective actions to address key payment risks
such as JobSeeker Payment, and is examining the impact of Single Touch Payroll as a
key driver for improving the accuracy of recipient reporting of employment income.
• The Canberra Times reported on 25 July 2022 that the Department provided briefing that
stated “robodebt remained contentious and conflated with government debt policy, and
admit ed public faith in the handling of debts needed repair.” (
Attachment A).
Locational / place considerations
• LGAs which have been affected by recent flooding wil remain under a debt pause.
Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Alexander Abel – Branch Manager
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
DSS Input Cleared By (include
position):
Phone/Mobile:
Clearance Date:
27 July 2022
MO Clearance Date:
16/7/22
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QB22-000069
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
Single Parent Payments
HEADLINE RESPONSE
• The Albanese Labor Government is committed to ensuring
Australia has a strong social security safety net so that no one is
left behind.
• We acknowledge the challenges parents can experience in the
care of their children and so we maintain a range of programs and
payments to provide support where it is needed.
KEY POINTS
• The Government is committed to helping parents balance their
work and family responsibilities through a range of programs and
payments.
• At the same time, the Government has a responsibility to ensure
family assistance and social security payments are well targeted
and sustainable into the future.
• While the support of children is primarily the responsibility of
parents, financial assistance is available to help with some of the
costs of raising children, recognising that costs vary at different
stages and that parents’ ability to participate in the workforce wil
generally increase as children get older.
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If ASKED – What is the current rate of Parenting Payment
Single?
• Parenting Payment Single is paid at a basic rate of $855.00 per
fortnight. Typically, when other supplementary payments are
included, the total rate is $898.40 (includes Energy Supplement,
basic Pension Supplement and Pharmaceutical Al owance).
o Depending on the number and ages of children in their
care, a single Parenting Payment recipient receiving Family
Tax Benefit may receive an additional $537.74 per fortnight
in payments to assist with raising their children. This could
include per fortnight:
FTB Part A, one child aged 0 to 12 $197.96
FTB Part B, youngest child under 5 years $168.28
Commonwealth Rent Assistance up to a maximum
fortnightly rate of $171.50.
If ASKED – How is the Government supporting single parents
with cost of living pressures?
• To address the effects of inflation on cost of living for those on a
payment, such as Parenting Payment and JobSeeker Payment,
payments are increased each year in March and September in line
with the Consumer Price Index.
• The Government is also taking action to reduce the cost of
childcare.
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If ASKED - Is the role of the welfare system being contemplated
as part of the new national plan to end violence against
women?
• The social security system needs to be considered in the broader
context of supports available to women to not only to leave a
violent relationship, but also to establish a life free from violence,
and start the journey towards recovery and healing.
o In the first instance, this can include options such as Crisis
Payment, and/or the Escaping Violence Payment (EVP).
Crisis Payment is a one-off payment available to income
support recipients who have experienced an extreme
circumstance, such as family or domestic violence. The
amount paid is equal to one week of the maximum basic
rate of the person’s income support payment.
The EVP provides financial assistance of up to $5,000
(with a cash component of $1,500 and the remaining
funds provided in goods, services and supports) to
people who have experienced partner violence.
Individuals do not need to be on a social security
payment to access the EVP.
o There are longer-term options available such as technology
upgrades to stay safe, accommodation assistance, and
counselling and support.
• Refer to
QB22-000038 for additional information on the National
Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032.
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If ASKED - Will you increase the rate of Parenting Payment
Single to the Age Pension rate?
• While it historical y shared some features with pension
payments, Parenting Payment Single is a working age income
support payment, sharing features with other income support
payments for parents, including Parenting Payment Partnered
and JobSeeker Payment.
• It would not be appropriate to align rates and indexation settings
with pensions, which are designed to support people who are not
expected to work due to age, disability or caring responsibilities.
• Parenting Payment is part of a wider system of support for
families with children, which includes supplementary payments
such as Family Tax Benefit, Child Care Subsidy and Rent
Assistance.
If ASKED – Why should single parents have to move to
JobSeeker payment when their youngest child turns 8?
• As children get older and attend school, most parents find they
can increase their level of employment and reduce their need to
rely on income support. It is important that payment
arrangements for parents recognise this increased capacity and
provide the best incentives for parents to participate in the
workforce.
• JobSeeker Payment is the most appropriate payment for parents
with older children as it is specifically designed to provide the
right balance of financial support and incentives for recipients to
find and maintain employment to support themselves.
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• Nobody pretends that living on JobSeeker is easy.
• JobSeeker is designed to support Australians who are unable to
support themselves whilst they look for a job or have a
temporary injury or incapacity.
• JobSeeker is not designed to replace lost salary or wages.
• We know many Australians are doing it tough. They need and
rely on the government supporting them.
• That’s why we made a number of commitments to help with the
cost of living – such as by cutting the cost of PBS co-payments,
and making child care cheaper.
• As the Prime Minister has made clear, the Government wil
consider the rate of JobSeeker when we sit down to do the
Budget each year.
CONTACT NAME: Alfred Opoku
POSITION: A/g Branch Manager, Participation and
Supplementary Payments
PHONE: s 47F
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BACKGROUND / KEY FACTS
Background and Key Facts
• Parenting Payment Single is designed to provide a safety net for single people who
require financial assistance while they are unemployed and supporting their young
children.
- Payment ceases when a recipient’s youngest child turns eight because the key
eligibility criteria is based on a parent’s reduced capacity to support themselves
through employment due to their caring responsibilities.
- Single principal carers on JobSeeker Payment are paid at the higher ‘with child’ rate of
payment and also benefit from a single income test taper rate of 40 cents in the dollar.
: This allows single principal carers to keep more of their payment each fortnight,
providing families with greater financial security.
: They also continue to have access to the existing range of supplementary benefits,
including rent assistance, childcare fee assistance and family assistance
payments.
• Parents receiving Parenting Payment or JobSeeker Payment usually have part-time
mutual obligation requirements of 30 hours per fortnight once their youngest child turns
six.
- Parents can meet their mutual obligation requirements in several ways, including by
looking for part-time work of at least 30 hours per fortnight or by undertaking part-time
employment, study or voluntary work (in limited circumstances) for 30 hours per
fortnight.
- Parents are also able to undertake a combination of activities, for example part-time
work and study, to meet their mutual obligation requirements.
• ParentsNext is a pre-employment program that aims to help parents to plan and prepare
for employment before their youngest child reaches school age.
- ParentNext aims to improve the labour market attachment of participating parents with
young children, especially mothers. Improving work and study outcomes for parents
benefits their children by reducing intergenerational disadvantage.
- Usually, Parenting Payment recipients with a youngest child under the age of 6 do not
have mutual obligation requirements. However, they may be required to participate in
the ParentsNext program.
• The ABS Labour Force survey for June 2022 shows that the female seasonally adjusted
participation rate has increased 0.9 per cent between June 2021 and June 2022 to 62.5
per cent, compared to a participation rate of 66.8 per cent for all Australians.
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• Single parents make up around 28 per cent of working age payment recipients across
Parenting Payment, JobSeeker Payment and Youth Al owance (other).
Receive Single with
Proportion receiving
dependent child rate
Al recipients
Single with
dependent child rate
JobSeeker Payment
112,024
831,601
13.5
Youth Al owance (other)
285
77,237
0.4
Parenting Payment
231,999*
302,294
76.7
(Partnered and Single)
Total
344,308
1,211,132
28.4
Based on 24 June 2022 recipients by payment rate data – number of recipients receiving a
single with dependent child rate of payment.
* For Parenting Payment, this is the number of recipients in receipt of Parenting Payment
Single.
Changes to Parenting Payment eligibility since 2006
• In 2006, the Howard Government changed eligibility criteria and participation
requirements for Parenting Payment as part of a broader set of Welfare to Work reforms,
eligibility for new applicants for Parenting Payment was restricted to those with a
youngest child aged less than eight years of age if single or six years of age if partnered.
• Those people who had been receiving PP since before 1 July 2006 remained on payment
until their youngest child turned 16, subject to continued eligibility and meeting
participation requirements from when their youngest child turned 7.
• From 1 January 2013, transitional arrangements were abolished meaning that, regardless
of when they claimed payment, all parents could only receive PP until their youngest child
turned 8 (for single recipients) or 6 (for partnered parents).
• Advocates including Anne Summers and the National Council for Single Mothers and their
Children have called for the former arrangements to be reinstated, that is, for single
parents to be able to receive PP until their youngest child turns 16.
Locational / place considerations
• Not applicable
Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Alfred Opoku, A/g Branch Manager,
Participation and Supplementary Payments
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
DSS Input Cleared By:
Jo Evans, Group Manager, Participation and
Family Payments
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
20 July 2022
MO Clearance Date:
4/8/22
7
OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL
QB22-000052
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
Family and Domestic Violence Housing
HEADLINE RESPONSE
• Keeping Australians safe and secure is a key priority for the
Australian Government. Family and domestic violence disrupts
housing security and is one of the leading causes of homelessness
for women and children.
KEY POINTS
•
$100 million has been committed for crisis and transitional housing
options for women and children experiencing family and domestic
violence, and older women on low incomes who are at risk
of homelessness.
• This additional investment wil supplement the
$72.6 million
commitment already made to the Emergency Accommodation
program (Safe Places program) to deliver emergency
accommodation in regional, remote and metropolitan areas.
SAFE PLACES EMERGENCY ACCOMMODATION PROGRAM
• All 41 agreements are in place to deliver projects to renovate, build
or purchase dwellings for women and children leaving family and
domestic violence.
• Eight projects (Toora Women Inc, Centacare Housing Services,
Normanton Hope, St Vincent De Paul Society (WA), Jireh House
Anglicare NSW (Goulburn), the Salvation Army (SA) and
Coast2Bay Housing Group have commenced delivering services.
• More than half of the total projects under the Safe Places program
wil be delivered in remote and regional Australia.
• The Safe Places program is for capital works only, and providers
commit to providing wrap-around services as part of the funding
agreement.
1
OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL
If required:
• The Safe Places program was initially established under the
$340 mil ion investment to support the Fourth Action Plan to the
National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and Children
2010-2022.
• The initial Safe Places program grant funding wil provide about
780 new safe places assisting up to 6,340 women and children
experiencing family and domestic violence each year.
NATIONAL HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS AGREEMENT
• Under the National Housing and Homelessness Agreement
(NHHA) the Australian Government provides around $1.6 billion
a year to states and territory governments (states) to support
housing and homelessness outcomes. States determine their
priorities and the type and location of housing and homelessness
services funded.
• Under the NHHA,
$135 million is set aside for homelessness
services in
2022-23. States are required to match this funding, with
women and children affected by family and domestic violence one
of the priority homelessness cohorts under the NHHA.
• States are responsible for the provision of day-to-day housing and
homelessness services, and delivering frontline domestic and
family violence services.
2
OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL
If ASKED - What is the expected commencement date for the
$100 mil ion commitment for women fleeing violence and older
women at risk of homelessness?
• The Government is committed to delivering crisis accommodation
for women and children escaping family and domestic violence.
Implementation planning is underway now and wil be subject
to Government decision-making processes. When further specific
detail is available, it wil be communicated to relevant stakeholders.
IF ASKED: Why is there no funding for FDV service delivery for
Safe Places projects?
• The Safe Places program is a capital works grant program
providing funding for organisations to build, renovate or acquire
suitable accommodation to support women and children
escaping family and domestic violence.
• Al grantees are responsible for securing funding to support the
dwellings operations, FDV support services, and ongoing
maintenance of the facility.
• The Safe Places program is intended to complement state and
philanthropic investment in specialist services.
• States are responsible for the provision of day-to-day housing
and homelessness services, and delivering frontline domestic
and family violence services.
• As part of around $1.1 bil ion in funding for women’s safety
announced in the 2021-22 Budget, the Government is investing
up to $260 mil ion for a two year National Partnership with state
and territory governments, to support frontline family domestic
and sexual violence services to trial new initiatives to support
women and children experiencing violence.
• The Government has also committed $157.8 million to generate
500 new jobs for community organisations, by providing funding
for new frontline and community sector workers who can provide
support to women and children experiencing violence.
4
OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL
Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Rob Stedman, Branch Manager, Housing and
Homelessness Program Delivery
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
DSS Input Cleared By (include
Troy Sloan Group Manager,
position):
Pensions, Housing and Homelessness
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
1 August 2022
MO Clearance Date:
1/8/22
6
OFFICIAL
QB22-000031
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
Housing and homelessness reforms
HEADLINE RESPONSE
• The Albanese Government understands access to secure and
affordable housing has significant social, economic and personal
benefits.
• The former Liberal Government has left a legacy of inaction to
support Australians to have access to secure housing.
• For too long the Commonwealth Government has not shown
leadership in addressing these challenges. Because of this more
Australians are struggling to rent or buy a home.
• One of Anthony Albanese first acts as Prime Minister was to put
Housing and Homelessness in Cabinet.
• The Albanese Government acknowledges the housing challenges
faced by many Australians and has committed to a housing reform
agenda to improve housing and homelessness outcomes. This
includes establishing:
o a $10 bil ion Housing Australia Future Fund;
o a national Help to Buy shared equity scheme; and
o a Regional First Home Buyer Support Scheme.
• In addition, the Albanese Government has committed to a number
of strategic initiatives to improve housing supply and affordability in
the short, medium and longer term, including
o the establishment of the National Housing Supply and
Affordability Council; and
o the creation of a National Housing and Homelessness Plan.
• These initiatives are in addition to:
1
Modified: 27/05/2022 1:27:47 PM
o the expected $5 bil ion in Commonwealth Rent Assistance in
2022-23, which helps eligible Australians on income support
payments pay their rent;
o around $1.6 bil ion through the National Housing and
Homelessness Agreement (NHHA) to support states deliver
housing and homelessness services and programs; and
o the initiatives delivered by the National Housing Finance and
Investment Corporation which provides affordable lending to
grow the community housing sector and the Home Guarantee
Scheme which supports more Australians to purchase their
own home with a low deposit.
• The Albanese Government is committed to working collaboratively
with the states to design and implement the new system.
Acknowledging this wil take time, the Albanese Government has
offered states an additional 12 months of NHHA funding
(to 30 June 2024) to provide certainty and minimise disruption
while the initiatives are put in place.
KEY FACTS
Housing Australia Future Fund
• The Albanese Government has committed to investing $10
bil ion in a Housing Australia Future Fund.
• The returns from the Housing Australia Future Fund wil build
around 30,000 new social and affordable housing properties in
its first 5 years. This includes:
o 20,000 social housing properties – 4,000 of which wil be
allocated for women and children fleeing domestic and family
violence and older women on low incomes who are at risk of
homelessness
o 10,000 affordable homes for frontline workers like police,
nurses and cleaners.
2
Modified: 27/05/2022 1:27:47 PM
• Each year, investment returns from the Fund wil be used to fund
social and affordable housing projects.
• In addition to this, a portion of the investment returns wil be
made available to fund acute housing needs on an ongoing
basis. In the first 5 years, this includes:
o $200 mil ion for the repair, maintenance and improvements of
housing in remote Indigenous communities
o $100 mil ion for crisis and transitional housing options for
women and children fleeing domestic and family violence and
older women on low incomes who are at risk of homelessness
o $30 mil ion to build more housing and fund specialist services
for veterans who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk
of homelessness.
• The Albanese Government is working closely with states and
consulting stakeholders on the design of the Fund.
Help to Buy
• Help to Buy is a shared equity scheme which wil allow 10,000
eligible home buyers a year with a minimum deposit of 2 per
cent to purchase a new or existing home with an equity
contribution from the Government.
• The Albanese Government has committed to providing an equity
contribution of up to a maximum of 40 per cent of the purchase
price of a new home and up to a maximum of 30 per cent of the
purchase price for an existing home.
• This wil mean Australians can buy a home with a smaller
deposit, smaller mortgage and smaller mortgage payments.
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Establishing this new program is a key priority of the Albanese
Government.
Regional First Home Buyer Support Scheme
• The Regional First Home Buyer Support Scheme will help
10,000 first home buyers a year in regional Australia to buy a
home. The Scheme wil provide a government guarantee of up to
15 per cent of the purchase price of a home for eligible first
home buyers. This wil enable eligible applicants with a 5 per
cent deposit to avoid paying Lenders Mortgage Insurance.
• The Government wil announce further details on the Scheme in
due course. Establishing the Scheme is a key priority for the
Albanese Government.
National Housing Supply and Affordability Council
• The Albanese Government will establish a National Housing
Supply and Affordability Council (the Council). The Council wil
help ensure the Commonwealth plays a leadership role in
increasing housing supply and improving housing affordability.
• The Council wil be advised by experts from a diverse range of
relevant fields including finance, economics, urban development,
residential construction, urban planning and social housing
sectors.
National Housing and Homelessness Plan
• The National Housing and Homelessness Plan wil be developed
in collaboration with key stakeholders including state and
territory governments, local government, not for profit and civil
4
Modified: 27/05/2022 1:27:47 PM
society organisations, industry bodies, superannuation funds and
other experts in housing, finance and urban development.
• It wil be informed by advice provided by the newly established
National Housing Supply and Affordability Council and wil set
out the key short, medium and longer term reforms needed
improve housing and homelessness outcomes across the
spectrum, including to make it easier for Australians to buy a
home, easier to rent, and put a roof over the heads of more
homeless Australians.
If ASKED – when wil the Government start building the new social
and affordable homes? / how long wil it take for individuals to
benefit from the Government’s new housing commitments?
• The Government is in the early stages of designing the specifics of
these new initiatives, and many of these initiatives require
legislative amendment. For example, legislation wil be required to
establish the Housing Australia Future Fund and wil need to start
producing a return on the $10 bil ion invested before these returns
can be used to build social and affordable housing.
• The Government is working to implement its initiatives quickly, in
consultation with stakeholders and states. The housing agenda is a
priority for the Albanese Government.
CONTACT NAME: Julia Chandra
POSITION: Branch Manager
PHONE: s 47F
5
Modified: 27/05/2022 1:27:47 PM
Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Julia Chandra, Branch Manager
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
DSS Input Cleared By (include
Troy Sloan, Group Manager Pensions,
position):
Housing and Homelessness
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
22/07/2022
MO Clearance Date:
To be completed by MO
6
Modified: 27/05/2022 1:27:47 PM
QB22-000032
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
Housing and rental affordability, including Commonwealth Rent
Assistance (CRA)
HEADLINE RESPONSE
• The Albanese Government understands access to secure and
affordable housing has social, economic and personal benefits for
all Australians.
• The former Liberal Government has left a legacy of inaction to
support Australians to have access to secure housing.
• For too long the Commonwealth Government has not shown
leadership in addressing these challenges. Because of this more
Australians are struggling to rent or buy a home.
• The rental market is tight across the country, with low vacancy
rates in capital cities and regional areas. High demand in the
private rental market has resulted in rising rents, with affordability
declining in almost all markets.
• The Albanese Government is committed to building more social
housing, upgrading existing housing and making sure the promise
of home ownership is extended to all Australians.
• The Albanese has a comprehensive housing agenda aimed at
making it easier for all Australians to own or rent a house. We want
every Australian to have the security of having a roof over their
head and have hit the ground running on these important housing
reforms.
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KEY FACTS
• In 2022-23, the Government expects to spend around $5.0 bil ion in
Commonwealth Rent Assistance to around 1.4 mil ion households
receiving income support with the cost of private rental or
community housing.
• In addition, the Albanese Government has committed to a
comprehensive housing agenda which includes:
o The $10 bil ion Housing Australia Future Fund, the returns of
which wil be used build around 30,000 social and affordable
houses over the next 5 years;
o establishing a National Housing Supply and Affordability
Council;
o the development of a comprehensive National Housing and
Homelessness Plan;
o the Help to Buy scheme and, for regional homebuyers, the
Regional First Home Buyer Support Scheme.
• Combined, these policies wil support access to housing, align the
efforts of the Commonwealth and state and territory Governments
to deliver better housing outcomes and increase housing supply
and affordability for renters and buyers across Australia.
• To date, the National Housing and Finance Investment
Corporation’s (NHFIC) Board has approved more than $2.9 bil ion
of loans to Community Housing Providers (CHPs) under the
Affordable Housing Bond Aggregator (AHBA). This has supported
the delivery of more than 15,000 new and existing social and
affordable dwellings.
• The Home Guarantee Scheme has supported more than 61,000
Australians to buy their own home.
• The Government has expanded the Home Guarantee Scheme to
include: 35,000 places each financial year to support first home
buyers to purchase a home with a deposit of as little as five per
cent (the First Home Guarantee); and 5,000 places each financial
year to support single parents with dependents to purchase a home
2
Modified: 27/05/2022 1:27:47 PM
with a deposit of as little as two per cent (the Family Home
Guarantee).
General housing affordability facts refer to QB22-000071 Key Facts
(Housing, Homelessness and social and affordable housing)
Rental affordability
• Rental market conditions have continued to tighten in most cities
and regions, reflected by rising advertised rents and falling
vacancy rates.
• Advertised rents (i.e. rents on newly signed contracts) increased
in the year to July 2022 by 9.8 per cent nationally (Core Logic
July Home Value Index, released 1 August 2022).
• ABS CPI rents (i.e. household out of pocket rental costs for
existing rental contracts in capital cities) rose in the March
quarter 2022 by 0.6 per cent.
o Rents in Sydney and Melbourne recorded small rises in the
March quarter. Rents across the remaining capital cities
continue to record relatively stronger rises, reflecting low
vacancy rates.
Low Vacancy rates
• Core Logic data shows vacancy rates in July 2022 fell to a
record low of around 1 per cent or lower across many parts of
Australia.
Rate of CRA
• The Albanese Government is committed to ensuring Australia
has a strong social safety net as we navigate increases to the
cost of living.
• Commonwealth Rent Assistance (CRA) is an important
component of the income support and family payment systems.
It contributes to the improvement of housing affordability and
complements broader income support objectives by assisting
individuals and families with rental costs.
• The Government expects to spend $5 bil ion on CRA in 2022-23
to support around 1.4 mil ion households receiving income
support.
3
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• Further, the Government provides around $1.6 bil ion per year to
states and territories under the National Housing and
Homelessness Agreement. Under the NHHA, states are
responsible for the day to day provision of housing and
homelessness services.
• States have introduced a range of measures and new
investment to support improved housing and homelessness
outcomes in their jurisdictions. The Albanese Government wil
work collaboratively with states to boost and leverage States
recent investments.
• The Albanese Government’s commitments reflect an ambitious
reform agenda aimed at improving housing affordability,
including but not limited to increasing the level of social and
affordable housing through the $10 bil ion Housing Australia
Future Fund, which wil build 30,000 social and affordable homes
within its first five years:
o 20,000 social housing properties of which 4,000 wil be
allocated for women and children fleeing domestic and family
violence and older women on low incomes who are at risk of
homelessness.
o 10,000 affordable homes for frontline workers like police,
nurses and cleaners.
CONTACT NAME: Julia Chandra
POSITION: Branch Manager
PHONE: s 47F
4
Modified: 27/05/2022 1:27:47 PM
QB22-000033
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
National Housing and Homelessness Agreement
HEADLINE RESPONSE
• The Albanese Government understands access to secure and
affordable housing has social, economic and personal benefits for
all Australians.
• The former Liberal Government failed to show leadership in this
space, I am proud to be a part of the Albanese Government
committed to a large housing reform agenda.
• I am pleased to say the Albanese Government has offered states
and territories (states) a one year extension to the National
Housing and Homelessness Agreements, to 30 June 2024, to
provide certainty while we work with states and key stakeholders
across the housing spectrum to implement our housing agenda.
• As a first step in working together, I met with Housing Ministers
(July 15 2022) to discuss how we can work together to address the
significant housing and homelessness challenges facing Australia.
o This included discussion on States priorities and challenges
and how the Albanese Government’s initiatives wil boost and
leverage States recent investments to increase social and
affordable housing.
• The Albanese Government’s early focus wil be on working with
stakeholders across the housing spectrum to implement its housing
agenda. States are key partners and the Government is committed
to working with States to design and implement these reforms.
• The Government is working with States to consider the future role
of the NHHA, in the context of its housing agenda.
1
Modified: 07/07/2022 1:27:47 PM
• The Productivity Commission is expected to deliver its final report
on its review of the NHHA by the end of August 2022.
2
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KEY FACTS
• The NHHA is the overarching agreement through which the
Australian Government funds States to deliver housing and
homelessness services and programs.
• The NHHA wil provide around $1.6 bil ion to States in 2022-23,
including $135.0 million for homelessness services which States
are required to at least match.
• This is in addition to around $5 bil ion in Commonwealth Rent
Assistance (2022-23), initiatives under the National Housing
Finance and Investment Corporation to finance the community
housing sector, and the Home Guarantee Scheme.
• The Government will deliver a comprehensive and ambitious
Housing agenda, to respond to pressures and gaps in the current
housing arrangements.
• Addressing housing affordability is complex, with no short-term
solutions. Establishing the Housing Australia Future Fund, the
National Supply and Affordability Council, and developing the
National Housing and Homelessness Plan wil take time to
implement.
CONTACT NAME: Julia Chandra
POSITION: Branch Manager
PHONE: +s 47F
3
Modified: 07/07/2022 1:27:47 PM
BACKGROUND
NHHA
• The objective of the NHHA is to contribute to improving access to affordable, safe and
sustainable housing across the housing spectrum, including to prevent and address
homelessness, and to support social and economic participation.
• The NHHA is a multilateral agreement between the Commonwealth and the States and
is supported by bilateral schedules between the Commonwealth and individual States.
• The NHHA provides considerable flexibility and scope for States to determine their
spending on housing and homelessness related activities and services based on the
specific needs in their jurisdiction.
• NHHA funding allocated to state and territories from 2018-19 to 2022-23.
($millions)
NSW
VIC
QLD
WA
SA
TAS
ACT
NT
Total
2018-19
476.2
395.3
314.3 163.6 107.6
33.2
25.9
19.7
1,535.8
2019-20
482.7
405.3
320.5 166.9 109.3
33.8
26.5
19.9
1,564.9
2020-21
489.9
411.8
328.1 171.3 111.4
34.6
27.2
20.4
1,594.5
2021-22
495.0
415.9
334.4 174.5 113.0
35.1
27.6
20.7
1,616.2
2022-23
501.8
423.0
341.8 178.1 115.0
35.7
28.0
21.1
1,644.5
5 year total 2,445.6 2,051.3 1,639.2 854.3 556.2
172.5 135.2 101.7
7,955.9
Source: NNHA Budget model 2022-23
Productivity Commission Review of the NHHA
• On 13 December 2021, the Productivity Commission (PC) commenced a review of the
NHHA to determine the extent it is meeting its objectives (as required under clause 54
of the NHHA). The review seeks to determine how well the Australian and state
governments have achieved the objectives, outcomes and outputs of the NHHA.
• The Review is considering a range of issues across the housing spectrum, including
homelessness, social housing, affordable housing and assistance for low-income renters,
housing outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, and Australia’s
Disability Strategy.
• Over 100 submissions have been made to the PC, including state and territory
governments, housing industry peak bodies and organisations, social welfare
organisations and service providers amongst other groups. The Department
of Social Services lodged its submission on 25 March 2022.
• In their submissions to the PC Review, the majority of States are calling for the
establishment of a national governance forum; the establishment of a broad policy-based
national strategy; additional funding and national consistency and efficiency in data
collection.
4
Modified: 07/07/2022 1:27:47 PM
Contact Officer:
Julia Chandra, Branch Manager
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
DSS Input Cleared by: Troy Sloan, Group Manager Pensions, Housing and Homelessness
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
22/07/2022
MO Clearance Date:
To be completed by MO
5
Modified: 07/07/2022 1:27:47 PM
QB22-000042
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
Home Equity Access Scheme (formerly Pension Loans Scheme)
HEADLINE RESPONSE
• The Home Equity Access Scheme (the Scheme) al ows eligible
Australians over Age Pension age to supplement their retirement
income by unlocking the equity in their home through an Australian
Government loan.
• The Scheme is available to both pensioners and self-funded
retirees, and is similar to a reverse mortgage product.
• From 1 July 2022, participants have the option of accessing
modest lump sum advance payments in addition to the fortnightly
payment option the Scheme has always provided.
• Also from 1 July 2022, all participants benefit from a No Negative
Equity Guarantee, ensuring they never have to repay more than
the equity in the property they used to secure their loan.
KEY FACTS
• As at 30 June 2022, there were 6,041 participants with the Scheme
growing by nearly 700 per cent since July 2019.
• The average age of a participant is 75 years.
• The average term of a loan is around 7 years.
• Around 73 per cent of Scheme participants receive the maximum
rate of Age Pension.
• The
fortnightly payment option allows participants to receive up
to 150 per cent of the maximum Age Pension rate, less any
pension payment they already receive.
1
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o Maximum-rate pensioners can receive up to an extra
50 per cent of the pension rate.
o Self-funded retirees can receive the full 150 per cent of the
pension rate.
o Part-pensioners can receive an amount in between,
depending on the level of their part payment.
• This means a participant can use the Scheme to increase their
fortnightly pension plus loan payment to a maximum of around:
o $1,480 for singles
o $2,230 for couples combined.
• The
lump sum advance option al ows participants to receive up
to two lump sum payments in any 26 fortnight period, to a
combined total of 50 per cent of the maximum annual rate of
Age Pension.
• On current pension rates, the maximum advance is around:
o $12,840 for singles
o $19,355 for couples combined
• Any advance payment wil reduce the maximum fortnightly loan
amount a person can receive over the subsequent 26 fortnights.
• Payments under the Scheme accrue compound interest, currently
at a rate of
3.95% per annum.
• The loan must be repaid on the sale of the securing property, or out
of the participant’s estate.
• Voluntary repayments are not required, but can be made at any
time.
2
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Retirement vil age properties
• People who own retirement vil age properties may be eligible for
the Scheme depending on their individual circumstances. The
requirements are the same as for other property owners.
• To use the Scheme, a person must have freehold or equivalent title
to property, including land, to offer as security for their loan.
• This allows the Commonwealth to assess whether the security is
adequate for a loan which may extend over many years, with no
repayments required until the end of the participant’s life or when
the property is sold.
• Retirement vil age models vary widely by jurisdiction and provider.
o Some models do provide the kind of title that can be used for
the Scheme.
o Models that rely on lend lease, leasehold or similar
arrangements do not provide land ownership and cannot be
used as security for the Scheme.
• Commercial reverse mortgages have similar security requirements.
No Negative Equity Guarantee
• The No Negative Equity Guarantee brings the Home Equity Access
Scheme into line with a key requirement placed on commercial
reverse mortgage providers since 2012.
• The risk of a Scheme participant getting into a negative equity
situation is low.
o The Scheme includes maximum loan-to-value ratios that limit
the total amount a participant can borrow based on their age
and the equity they have in the securing property.
3
Modified: 27/05/2022 1:27:47 PM
o Whether a participant chooses fortnightly payments, advance
payments (or both), the total amount they can borrow per year
is limited to 150 per cent of the maximum pension rate less
any pension they already receive.
• The Australian Government Actuary estimates the amount of
Scheme debt not expected to be repaid is well below 1 per cent.
o Debt Not Expected to be Repaid (DNER) is a standard
financial reporting measure for Commonwealth debt
repayment arrangements.
BACKGROUND
• There were
6,041 participants at the end of June 2022. Usage of the Scheme has grown
by nearly 700 per cent since July 2019.
o This followed changes to the Scheme which al owed access to full rate pensioners
and all self-funded retirees for the first time.
• The 1 July 2022 changes are expected to drive further growth in participant numbers over
the next few years. In particular, the introduction of advance payments gives people an
entirely new way to use the Scheme. Previously, only a fortnightly income stream was
available.
Table 1: Home Equity Access Scheme - participants by payment rate since June 2020
Date:
June June June June
2019
2020
2021
2022
Total participants:
768
3,142 4,380 6,041
Maximum rate of pension
0
2,016 3,080 4,389
PLS Only (no pension paid)
91
176
206
299
Part rate - Income test:
269
568
591
746
Part rate - Assets test:
274
304
368
429
Others (registered for Scheme but not
receiving loan, e.g. deceased persons):
134
78
134
178
• The total outstanding loan balance for the Scheme, as at 30 June 2022, is around
$138 million.
CONTACT NAME: Caitlin Delaney
POSITION: Branch Manager – Payment Structures
and Seniors
PHONE: s 47F
4
Modified: 27/05/2022 1:27:47 PM
Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Caitlin Delaney: Branch Manager, Payment
Structures and Seniors
Mobile:
s 47F
DSS Input Cleared By (include
Troy Sloan, GM, Pensions, Housing and
position):
Homelessness
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
1 August 2022
MO Clearance Date:
To be completed by MO
5
Modified: 27/05/2022 1:27:47 PM
QB22-000043
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
Indigenous Housing
HEADLINE RESPONSE
• The Albanese Government recognises the important work to be
done to support Indigenous housing. I understand there is so much
more to do.
• The Albanese Government has committed several new initiatives to
support Indigenous housing. These include allocating $200 million
from the returns from the Housing Australia Future Fund for the
repair, maintenance and improvements of housing in remote
Indigenous communities.
• In addition, the Government has committed to $100 mil ion to fund
housing and essential infrastructure on Northern Territory
homelands and negotiate a new remote housing agreement with
the Northern Territory.
• Target 9 of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap is a joint
commitment to increase the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander people living in appropriately sized (not
overcrowded) housing to 88 per cent. The Government has several
initiatives to support this target (see below).
1
Modified: 07/07/2022 1:27:47 PM
KEY FACTS
• The Government currently invests:
o around
$1.6 billion annually to the states and territories
through the National Housing and Homelessness Agreement
(NHHA). The PC Review of the NHHA (due to Government by
31 August) is expected to provide specific findings regarding
the effectiveness of the objectives, outcomes and outputs of
the NHHA, which includes consideration of Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander people as a homelessness priority
cohort.
o around
$5 billion in 2022-23 in Commonwealth Rent
Assistance to help all eligible Australians pay their rent in the
private market or in community housing.
o
$550 million from 2018-23, matched by the Northern Territory
government, for the National Partnership for Remote Housing
in the Northern Territory to help reduce overcrowding through
increasing the supply and standard of public housing in
remote communities and town camps.
o
$150 million in the 2020-21 Budget over three years to
Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) to deliver 360 new
construction loans in regional Australia. As at 30 June 2022
IBA has approved
95 home loans to the value of
$41 million.
• According to the
2021 Census, there was an improvement in the
proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in
appropriately sized housing from the baseline of
78.9 per cent in
2016 to
81.4 per cent in 2021.
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• The Government is also supporting specific actions under the
National Agreement on Closing the Gap aimed at improving
Indigenous housing:
o Under Priority Reform 1 (formal partnerships and shared
decision making), housing is one of 5 sectors identified for
shared decision making and policy partnerships between
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and governments.
The Housing Policy Partnership wil be established in late
2022.
o Under Priority Reform 2 (building the community-controlled
sector), housing is one of 4 key sectors identified for building
formal Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community
controlled sectors to deliver services.
Working with the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Housing Association a Sector Strengthening
Plan has been drafted.
This Plan wil be considered by the Joint Council on
Closing the Gap for agreement in August 2022.
CONTACT NAME: Julia Chandra
POSITION: Branch Manager Housing and
Homelessness Policy
PHONE: s 47F
3
Modified: 07/07/2022 1:27:47 PM
Historical Partnership Agreements for Remote Indigenous Housing
• From 2008 to 2018 the Australian Government invested $5.4 bil ion to reduce remote
overcrowding and improve the standard of housing through National Partnership
Agreements for Remote Indigenous Housing. These investments delivered 4,000 new
houses and 7,500 refurbishments across 300 Indigenous communities.
• Any further questions about remote housing agreements should be referred to the
Minister for Indigenous Australians the Hon Linda Burney MP.
Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Julia Chandra, Branch Manager Housing and
Homelessness Policy
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
DSS Input Cleared By (include
Troy Sloan, Group Manager Pensions,
position):
Housing and Homelessness
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
22/07/22
5
Modified: 07/07/2022 1:27:47 PM
MO Clearance Date:
To be completed by MO
6
Modified: 07/07/2022 1:27:47 PM
QB22-000045
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
National Rental Affordability Scheme
HEADLINE RESPONSE
• The National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS, the Scheme)
is an Australian Government affordable housing initiative, delivered
in partnership with state and territory governments.
• The former Liberal Government has left a legacy of inaction
to support Australians to have access to secure housing, including
cutting NRAS in 2014 – 8 years ago.
• NRAS wil continue to operate until June 2026, with properties
progressively exiting the Scheme as their 10 year timeframe for
incentives ends.
• As the 10 year timeframe concludes, ongoing tenancy
arrangements wil be a matter for discussion between tenants,
property manager, approved participants and investors who own
the dwellings.
• The Albanese Government is committed to working with states and
territories as we work to implement a number of new initiatives from
the Commonwealth, including the Housing Australia Future Fund.
• The Albanese Government understands access to secure and
affordable housing has significant economic and personal benefits.
• We are working to help Australian households more easily access
safe and affordable housing through a number of new initiatives
including establishing:
- a Housing Australia Future Fund;
- a national Help to Buy shared equity scheme; and
- a Regional First Home Buyer Support Scheme.
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• In addition, the Albanese Government has committed to a number
of strategic initiatives to improve housing supply and affordability
in the medium and long term, including:
- the establishment of the National Housing Supply and
Affordability Council; and
- the creation of a National Housing and Homelessness Plan.
KEY FACTS
• In 2021, NRAS provided affordable rental homes to around 55,000
people including individuals and families.
• As at 31 March 2022, there were 28,596 NRAS dwellings.
• NRAS dwellings are located roughly in proportion to the population
with about 91 per cent of NRAS dwellings located in Major Cities
and Inner Regional.
• Al ocations started exiting the Scheme in 2018, with 4,210 NRAS
dwellings exiting the Scheme this year.
• In the 2022-23 NRAS year, the total incentive for an NRAS dwelling
is $11,168.56 ($8,376.42 Commonwealth and $2,792.14 states and
territories).
• There have been no new allocations made under NRAS since
30 June 2016.
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BACKGROUND
NRAS
• NRAS commenced in 2008, its purpose is to provide an annual,
retrospective financial incentive for up to 10 years to housing
providers (known as approved participants), to rent dwellings
to eligible people on low to moderate incomes at a rate at least
20 per cent below market rent.
• At the conclusion of the 10 year incentive period, NRAS dwellings
remain subject to all relevant state government tenancy laws, with
respect to lease agreements and rental increases.
• Some NRAS dwellings are held by endorsed charities, which may
include Community Housing Providers (CHPs) who are subject
to charters, which include restrictions on rent such as limiting rent
to 80 per cent of market rates or charging no more than 30 per cent
of household income.
• These arrangements are specific to CHPs, and may continue upon
dwellings exiting NRAS.
• Commonwealth Rent Assistance wil stil be available for eligible
tenants.
• The National Rental Affordability Scheme Regulations 2020
(NRAS Regulations) strengthened investor protections under the
Scheme.
• There are protections for investors in circumstances where
an approved participant would have superior bargaining powers
to force those investors to purchase certain services from providers
specified by approved participants, such as a tenancy management
(or similar) or a service from providers (section 65).
• There are now also protections for investors in relation to paying
excessive fees or charges if they do not purchase certain services
from providers specified by approved participants. This includes,
requiring approved participants to pass on incentives and not
terminate an arrangement because an investor uses an alternative
service and does not pay a bond to the approved participant
(section 66).
• These provisions along with the Code of Conduct, which all
approved participants must comply with, aims to protect the
interests of investors and promote the integrity of the Scheme
(section 27).
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Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Rob Stedman, Branch Manager, Housing
Programs and Homelessness Delivery
Phone/Mobile:
(s 47F
DSS Input Cleared By (include
Troy Sloan, Group Manager Pensions,
position):
Housing & Homelessness Group
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
22 July 2022
MO Clearance Date:
To be completed by MO
CONTACT NAME: Rob Stedman
POSITION: Branch Manager, Housing &
Homelessness Delivery
PHONE: (s 47F
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OFFICIAL
QB22-000053
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
Support for Self-funded Retirees, Deeming Rates, Downsizing HEADLINE RESPONSE
• The Government recognises the valuable contribution self-funded
retirees make to Australia’s economy through the steps they have
taken during their working lives to provide for their retirement.
• Retirees are expected to use their own resources to support
themselves where they are able to do so.
• The Government appreciates that self-funded retirees’ income and
assets may have been affected by the volatility in financial markets
over recent years.
KEY POINTS
Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC) income limits
• The Government is
increasing the CSHC income limits to
$90,000 a year for singles and $144,000 a year for couples.
o This change wil allow more self-funded retirees to access
Commonwealth pharmaceutical and medical concessions.
• This change requires legislation. As Parliament did not sit before
1 July 2022, the increase could not be implemented as planned.
• Subject to legislation passing, the increase wil take effect on
20 September 2022 (see
QB22-000068).
Freezing the Social Security Deeming Rates for Two Years
• The Government is easing cost of living pressures on pensioners
and self-funded retirees by
freezing the social security deeming
rates at their current levels for two years to 30 June 2024.
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o A
lower deeming rate of 0.25 per cent applies to the first
$56,400 of a single recipient’s total financial investments or
the first $93,600 of a pensioner couple’s total combined
financial investments.
o An
upper deeming rate of 2.25 per cent applies to financial
investments above these amounts.
o The thresholds at which the upper deeming rate applies are
reviewed in line with the Consumer Price Index in July each
year. This wil continue during the freeze.
o
The deeming freeze benefits self-funded retirees seeking
to access a part-pension or the CSHC by ensuring they are
not affected by deeming rate changes for the next two years.
• Even if a person does not qualify for an Australian Government
concession card, the Government stil provides assistance with
medical and prescription costs by way of subsidies for higher cost
Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) medicines and the
general thresholds for the PBS and Extended Medicare safety
nets.
Incentivising Pensioners to Downsize
• The Government is making downsizing easier for pensioners and
some other income support recipients by reducing the social
security impact of selling their family home and buying a new one.
• From 1 January 2023 (subject to passage of legislation), the
Government wil :
o Extend the assets test exemption on principal home sale
proceeds from
up to 12 months to up to 24 months to give
people more time to purchase or build their new home; and
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o Ensure only the lower deeming rate of
0.25 per cent is
applied to principal home sale proceeds during the exempt
period.
• Currently, when a person sells their principal home and intends to
buy or build a new home, the sale proceeds are exempt from the
assets test for up to 12 months.
o A 12 month extension is available under extenuating
circumstances and wil continue to be available (so in such
circumstances a person wil be able to access a total of
3 years exemption).
• At present, the usual deeming rules are applied to the exempt
home sale proceeds under the income test.
o The high value of most homes means the bulk of the proceeds
are deemed at the upper rate of
2.25 per cent.
o This can significantly impact a person’s income support
payment.
• Applying only the lower deeming rate of
0.25 per cent during the
asset test exemption period reduces the impact on a person’s
payment.
o It recognises people intending to purchase a new home often
invest those funds in lower returning, more liquid investments.
o These changes wil cost an estimated $61.4 mil ion over the
forward estimates and are expected to benefit around 7,100
income support recipients in the first year.
Other options available for self-funded retirees
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• Self-funded retirees of Age Pension age can access the
Home
Equity Access Scheme (formerly Pension Loans Scheme) to
supplement their retirement income through an Australian
Government loan (see
QB22-000042).
CONTACT NAME: Caitlin Delaney
POSITION: Branch Manager – Older Australians
PHONE: s 47F
Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Caitlin Delaney: Branch Manager, Older
Australians
Mobile:
s 47F
DSS Input Cleared By (include
Troy Sloan, GM, Pensions, Housing and
position):
Homelessness
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
22/07/2022
MO Clearance Date:
16/7/22
4
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QB22-000055
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
Age Pension and Indexation
HEADLINE RESPONSE
• The Albanese Labor Government appreciates the important
economic and social contribution senior Australians make to our
community and ensures pensioners’ living standards are
safeguarded by the Age Pension.
• The Government understands the challenges Australian
households are facing with increasing cost of living pressures,
especially those on fixed incomes, such as pensioners.
• The Government is committed to a welfare system that supports
the most vulnerable, encourages those who are able to work or
study, and is sustainable for future generations.
• The indexation process ensures payments maintain their value
over time. It complements the levers the Government is pulling
across portfolios to help address the rising cost of living.
• These indexation arrangements have operated for many years
under various governments.
• Older Australians are also able to supplement their retirement
income by accessing the equity in their home through the Home
Equity Access Scheme (see
QB22-000042) and benefit from the
exemption of the principal home from the assets test
• The Albanese Government is also helping to address cost of living
pressures on older Australians by:
o Freezing the social security deeming rates for two years; and
o Lifting the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card income limits.
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KEY POINTS
• Pensions are paid at the highest rate of income support in the
social security system as pensioners are not expected to work to
support themselves, due to age, disability or caring responsibilities.
o Recipients of other payment types have greater capacity to
support themselves or supplement their income through paid
work.
• Pensions are indexed in March and September. Indexation is
based on the higher of the 6-monthly increase in the Consumer
Price Index (CPI) and the Pensioner and Beneficiary Living Cost
(PBLCI).
• After indexation to prices, pension rates are then compared to the
Male Total Average Weekly Earnings (MTAWE) benchmark and if
necessary, increased to match the benchmark. This ensures they
keep pace with community living standards as measured by
increases in wages.
• As a result of indexation, pension rates increased on 20 March
2022, by
$20.10 a fortnight for singles and by
$30.20 a fortnight for couples combined.
o The current maximum fortnightly rates (including Pension
Supplement and Energy Supplement) are
$987.60 a fortnight
for singles and
$1,488.80 a fortnight for couples
combined.
o The next indexation of pensions wil be on 20 September
2022.
• Pensioners can access a range of other benefits and concessions
to assist them with living costs, such as Commonwealth Rent
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Assistance for those who rent, subsidised medicines, health care
and aged care, and other concessions provided by state and
territory governments.
• Pensioners over Age Pension age who want to supplement their
pension with employment income also benefit from the
Work
Bonus, which allows them to keep more of what they earn (
see
QB22-000058).
If ASKED – Is the Government doing enough to address the cost
of living crisis?
• Recent price increases primarily reflect a confluence of supply side
problems including those stemming from the pandemic, the
invasion of Ukraine, global energy price shocks and severe
weather events. These factors have combined with a shift in
consumer demand towards goods and capacity constraints in
specific sectors to generate significant near-term price pressure.
• Many of the external shocks are expected to moderate as supply-
side pressures ease beyond 2022, when inflation is expected to be
increasingly driven by underlying factors.
• Indexation is one of the ways the social security system assists
people with increases in the cost of living.
If ASKED – Why is there a delay between prices going up and
payments being indexed?
• Indexation settings need to balance responsiveness with
achievable and efficient administration.
• Some delay is necessary as the Australian Bureau of Statistics
takes time to measure and release economic parameters such as
prices and wages. For 20 September 2022 indexation:
- CPI was released on 27 July 2022
- PBLCI wil be released on 3 August 2022
- MTAWE wil be released on 18 August 2022
• New rates also need to be built into Services Australia’s systems to
ensure people are paid the right amounts.
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If ASKED – Is the Age Pension fair for people who paid taxes
their whole lives?
• Australia has a non-contributory Age Pension system, meaning the
Age Pension is not based on past income or contributions, or taxes
paid during a person’s working life.
• Eligibility is based on age and residency requirements. The amount
a person receives is based on a means test, which considers the
person’s levels of income and assets. This helps target Age
Pension payments to those who need it most.
• Pensions such as the Age Pension are paid at the highest rate of
income support in the Australian social security system because
recipients are not expected to work to support themselves.
• The retirement income system contains other components that
supplement the Age Pension safety net, including superannuation
and private savings.
If ASKED – How does the Minister respond to the class action
to reduce pension age for Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islanders?
• We cannot comment on ongoing legal matters.
• The Government is committed to working with Indigenous
communities to achieve better life outcomes for Indigenous
Australians.
CONTACT NAME: Caitlin Delaney
POSITION: Branch Manager, Payment Structures and
Seniors
PHONE: s 47F
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BACKGROUND / KEY FACTS
Background and Key Facts
Indexation
• Pension increases are calculated according to provisions in social security law. They are
not based on individual decisions of government.
• Base pensions are indexed twice a year, in March and September, to the higher of the
increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and the Pensioner and Beneficiary Living
cost Index (PBLCI).
- PBLCI was introduced to ensure pension indexation better reflects changes to
pensioners’ costs of living. It takes into account the goods and services pensioners
buy – not what the rest of the community buys.
- For March indexation, the growth in CPI or PBLCI for the six months to December is
used.
- For September indexation, the growth in CPI or PBLCI for the six months to June is
used.
• Pensions are also benchmarked to MTAWE to align them with community living
standards.
- This provides an important mechanism to ensure pensioners’ income increases in line
with improvements in living standards, noting pensioners are not expected (or not
able) to supplement their income through paid work.
- With low wage growth in recent years, there has not been a need to apply the MTAWE
benchmark since September 2013.
• Importantly, social security law also provides a protection to recipients to ensure
pensioners’ living standards do not go backwards.
- Payment rates, free areas and thresholds remain the same, even if price indices fall.
- This is why pension rates did not decrease on 20 September 2020.
• The current maximum fortnightly rates (including Pension Supplement and Energy
Supplement) are $987.60 a fortnight for singles and $1,488.80 a fortnight for couples
combined.
Age Pension eligibility
• Consistent with legislation passed in 2009, the Age Pension qualification age has been
increasing by six months every two years until it reaches 67 years on 1 July 2023. It is
currently 66.5 years.
• To receive the Age Pension, a person must also satisfy the residence requirements and
have income and assets below certain limits.
Deeming rates
• The Government announced deeming rates wil be frozen for two years, remaining at their
current levels until 30 June 2024. This wil support pensioners who rely on income from
deemed financial investments (see
QB22-000059).
Locational / place considerations
• N/A.
Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Caitlin Delaney, Branch Manager, Payment
Structures and Seniors
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
DSS Input Cleared By (include
Troy Sloan, Group Manager Pensions,
position):
Housing and Homelessness
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
28 July 2022
MO Clearance Date:
16/7/22
5
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QB22-000056
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
POVERTY AND INEQUALITY / COST OF LIVING
HEADLINE RESPONSE
• Australians are doing it tough. The most vulnerable Australians are at the
moment making decisions between basic things like paying for their
vegetables or paying for their rent. The Albanese Labor Government is
committed to a welfare system that supports the most vulnerable
Australians, encourages those who are able to work or study, and
importantly is sustainable for future generations.
KEY POINTS
• The Government understands the challenges Australian households are
facing with increasing cost of living pressures, especially those on low
and/or fixed incomes.
• We inherited a budget heaving with a tril ion dollars of debt so we need to
be responsible when it comes to budget management, not only for now
but also for future generations.
• The inflation figure out just released is confronting and the reality it is
likely to get worse, which wil have impacts on cost of living and the
pressures Australians are under.
• It is not possible with our budget constraints to fund every good idea that
people might have about cost of living relief.
• We need to tread a pretty careful path when it comes to budget. We need
to make sure that everything we do ticks more than one box – both cost
of living relief and also economic dividend.
• Childcare relief - which in opposition I helped to champion - and relief in
the cost of medicines are key areas we are looking at. I have also just
introduced today changes to the income threshold for the Commonwealth
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Modified: 27/05/2022 1:27:47 PM
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Seniors Health Card which wil enable 50,000 more self-funded retirees
to get access to the card with higher income thresholds. This wil reduce
cost of living pain for older Australians, in line with our commitment to
leave no one behind and hold no one back.
• There are good ideas and other things we might contemplate through the
normal budget processes but we are intent on being responsible
economic managers and we are operating under some pretty severe
constraints and economic conditions.
• The cost of living package flagged in the October Budget wil have a
focus on long-term and sustainable relief, addressing the costs of
childcare, power bil s and medicines, among others. But it wil be
responsible.
• In our social security system, indexation is one of the ways to address
increases in the cost of living as rates move in line with movements in
consumer prices. Payments such as Job Seeker are indexed to
increases in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Pensions, as long-term
payments for those who are not expected to support themselves through
paid work, are increased by the higher of the growth in CPI and the
Pensioner and Beneficiary Cost of Living Index (PBLCI) and linked to
community living standards through benchmarking to wages.
• Income support recipients may also be eligible for other benefits to assist
with living costs, such as Family Tax Benefit for those with children,
Commonwealth Rent Assistance for those who rent, subsidised
medicines, health care and aged care, and other concessions provided
by state and territory governments.
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If Asked – Do you think that a payment of $45.91 per day is an
adequate amount for JobSeeker Payment recipients? ACOSS is
calling for an increase of JobSeeker Payment rate to $70 a day.
• JobSeeker Payment is designed to support Australians who are unable to
support themselves whilst they look for a job or have a temporary injury
or incapacity.
• As the Prime Minister has made clear, the Government wil consider the
rate of JobSeeker Payment at every Budget update from next year. This
Government wil always strike a balance between what is affordable and
responsible and what people need. We’re committed to our core
principles of leaving no one behind and holding no one back.
• We don’t want welfare to be punitive and we wil help those who most
need it but we have to look at this from a whole-of-budget context.
• Along with the basic rate of payment, everyone who receives JobSeeker
Payment is eligible for at least one additional form of support which,
depending on their circumstances, may include Commonwealth Rent
Assistance for those who rent, Family Tax Benefit for those with children,
as well as Pharmaceutical Al owance, Telephone Al owance and Energy
Supplement.
• However,
JobSeeker Payment is not designed to replace lost salary
or wages. It is funded by taxpayers and this means we have an
obligations to manage it in a sustainable and responsible way.
• The Government is holding a Jobs and Skil s Summit on 1 and 2
September 2022. This wil be followed by an Employment White Paper
which wil focus on keeping unemployment low and boosting
participation.
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• Together with the business sector, we wil work through ways of
expanding employment opportunities for all Australians including the
most disadvantaged in our community and those facing barriers to work.
If Asked – Is the Government doing enough to address the cost of
living crisis?
• The causes of recent price increases are complex and it wil take time to
address them. The Government has indicated that it would consider the
rate of Job Seeker payment in future Budgets and do what it can to help
those in need.
• It is estimated that through the Social Services portfolio the Government
wil spend around $126 bil ion on income support payments, family
assistance and student assistance payments in 2022-23.
• It is important that the government acts in a fiscal y responsible manner
so that the social security system is sustainable for the future.
CONTACT NAME: Alfred Opoku
POSITION: A/g Branch Manager, Participation and
Supplementary Payments
PHONE: s 47F
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BACKGROUND / KEY FACTS
Key Facts about cost of living comments by key stakeholders
1. The current basic single rate of JobSeeker Payment is $642.70 per fortnight. This rate is
scheduled to be indexed on 20 September 2022, which wil take into account recent inflation
data.
2. ACOSS has called for the basic rates of all income support to be raised to $70 per day,
indexed to wages. This could be expected to cost tens of bil ions of dollars over the forward
estimates.
3. The table below summarises proposed increases to the basic rate of JobSeeker Payment by
various organisations.
Per fortnight
Per day
Percentage
increase
Current rate
$642.70
$45.91
N/A
Grattan Institute $792.70
$56.62
23.3 per cent
BankWest Curtin $922.70
$65.91
43.6 per cent
Economics
Centre (BCEC)
ACOSS
$980.00
$70
52.5 per cent
The Greens
$1,232.00
$88.00
91.7 per cent
Independents
$792.70
$52.62
23.3 per cent
4. Jacqueline Philips, Director of Policy and Advocacy and Co-Deputy CEO of ACOSS, recently
made the following statements about the adequacy of JobSeeker Payment:
o “Those getting by on $46 a day – who were already struggling to cover the basics – are
now facing a long and extremely difficult winter with even more impossible choices to
make”;
o “We are hearing of people who are limiting their showers to every second or third day,
turning off the heater to save on electricity bil s, skipping meals to make sure their
children can eat”; and
o “Rising interest rates and the risk of landlords passing these costs onto renters is yet
another blow to those already experiencing the impossible housing market.”
Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Alfred Opoku,
A/g Branch Manager, Participation and
Supplementary Payments
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
DSS Input Cleared By:
Jo Evans, Participation and Family Payments
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
20 July 2022
MO Clearance Date:
1/8/22
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QB22-000058
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
Employment incentives for seniors
HEADLINE RESPONSE
• I thank the member for their question and their interest in this issue
– but I do wonder why they didn’t act on it when they sat on the
Treasury benches a few months ago.
• The Albanese Labor Government is always ready to consider ideas
to boost workforce participation or labour supply.
• We know the Coalition is keen for pensioners to work more – they
raised the retirement age to 70!
• Pensioners are able to work now if they wish to and it won’t affect
their pension.
• It was the last Labor Government who introduced the Work Bonus
in 2009.
• Pensioners wil always be financial y better off if they do some
work.
• A single age pensioner, who has no other income, can earn up to
$490 a fortnight from work and stil receive the maximum rate of the
Age Pension. This equates to approximately 20 hours a fortnight at
minimum wage.
• Or they could choose to bank the Work Bonus, up to $7,800, in
order to do a few weeks from time to time, picking fruit or doing
other seasonal work, and it would not affect their pension.
• I want to ensure that all Australians have every opportunity to work.
People living with a disability and assessed as being partially ablee
to work; mature age people; the long term unemployed – I want to
look at all of the existing barriers to work.
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• That’s why the Albanese Government is convening the Job Summit
next month – we want to do better at helping any and all
Australians who want to work but can’t right now.
• I expect the pensioner work bonus wil be a part of these
discussions and I look forward to the Summit.
KEY POINTS
• The income free areas ($190 single and $336 couple) and taper
rates means a part pension is payable up to an assessable income
of $2,165.20 a fortnight for a single pensioner or $3,313.60 a
fortnight for a pensioner couple.
• For age pensioners, the Work Bonus provides an additional
employment incentive. Under the Work Bonus the first $300 of
work income a fortnight is not counted in the pension income test
and does not reduce the amount of pension received.
o The income free area and Work Bonus combined al ow, for
example, a single age pensioner with no other income, to earn
up to $490 a fortnight from work and stil receive the maximum
rate of the Age Pension.
o Pensioners are able to build up any unused amount of the
$300 fortnightly concession in a Work Bonus income bank up
to a total of $7,800. Pensioners who may do intermittent
blocks of work within this income bank may therefore see no
impact at all on their pension.
2
OFFICIAL
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o
• As at March 2022, only
3 per cent of age pensioners
(75,706 people out of 2.6 million) were taking advantage of the
current Work Bonus concession.
• The low number of pensioners undertaking work is likely due to
other factors, such as a desire to be retired, physical impairments,
and the type of work available.
• The number of age pensioners with employment earnings has
been declining over time, despite previous increases in the value of
the concession.
CONTACT NAME: Caitlin Delaney
POSITION: Branch Manager, Payment Structures and
Seniors
PHONE: s 47F
3
OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL
BACKGROUND / KEY FACTS
Income test
• Under the income test, a pensioner and their partner can receive a certain amount of
income before their pension starts to be reduced. This may comprise income from various
sources and is known as the income free area.
• From 1 July 2022, the pension income free area is $190 a fortnight for singles and $336 a
fortnight for couples combined.
• For each dollar of income over the income free area a single person’s pension is reduced
by 50 cents.
• For couples, each of their individual pensions is reduced by 25 cents a fortnight for each
dollar of income the couple has over the income free area.
• From 1 July 2022, a part pension wil be payable up to an assessable income of
$2,165.20 a fortnight for a single pensioner or $3,313.60 a fortnight for a pensioner
couple.
Work Bonus
• As of 1 July 2022, a single age pensioner with no other income is able to earn up to $490
a fortnight from work and stil receive the maximum rate of the Age Pension.
• Pensioners are able to build up any unused amount of the $300 fortnightly concession in
a Work Bonus income bank, up to a total of $7,800. This amount can be used to exempt
future earnings from the pension income test.
• This means a pensioner could earn up to $7,800 a year extra without it affecting their
pension.
• The income bank amount is not time-limited – if unused it carries forward, even across
years.
Work Bonus History
• The Work Bonus was first introduced in 2009 as an incentive for age pensioners to
undertake employment.
o Under the original design, half of the first $500 of employment income earned in a
fortnight was excluded from the income test (e.g. $200 was excluded if a person
had $400 of employment income).
• In 2011 the Work Bonus was set to $250 per fortnight and the Income Bank ($6,500 per
year) was introduced.
• From 1 July 2019, the Work Bonus increased to $300 a fortnight and the maximum
income bank amount increased to $7,800 per year.
o Despite the increase, the percentage of pensioners with employment income has
declined from 4.3 percent in June 2019 to around 3 percent in March 2022.
Tax Concessions
• Retirees who choose to work also receive tax relief.
• Tax concessions such as the seniors and pensioners tax offset and low and middle
income tax offsets, together with the tax free threshold of $18,200, mean single senior
Australians with incomes up to $33,088 (or $29,783 for each member of a couple) pay no
income tax.
National Seniors Australia proposal
4
OFFICIAL
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• National Seniors Australia’s ‘Let pensioners work!’ campaign seeks to exempt
employment income from the income test for age pensioners with limited
wealth or savings.
- National Seniors Australia’s Chief Advocate, Ian Henschke, sent correspondence on
27 June to a number of Ministers outlining their proposed policy.
Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Caitlin Delaney, Branch Manager, Payment
Structures and Seniors
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
DSS Input Cleared By (include
Troy Sloan, Group Manager, Pensions
position):
Housing and Homelessness
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
1827/07/2022
MO Clearance Date:
1/8/2022
5
OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL
BACKGROUND / KEY FACTS
See
Attachment A for a full list of Unlegislated unimplemented measures in the
Social Security stream.
Contact Officer’s Name and Position: s 22 - Out of scope, Executive Officer, Pensions,
Housing and Homelessness
Phone/Mobile:
s 22 - Out of scope
DSS Input Cleared By:
Troy Sloan, Group Manager, Pensions,
Housing and Homelessness
Phone/Mobile:
(s 47F
Clearance Date:
13/07/2022
DSS Input Cleared By:
Jo Evans, Group Manager, Participation and
Family Payments
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
20/07/2022
MO Clearance Date:
To be completed by MO
2
Modified: 14/07/2022
OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL
QB22-000068
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
Delay to implementation of commitment to increase the Commonwealth
Seniors Health Card income limits
HEADLINE RESPONSE
• During the 2022 Election, the Government committed to increase
the income limit for the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card.
• The increase requires legislation, so it was not possible to
implement it on 1 July as planned.
• Last week the Government introduced legislation to increase the
income limits, which if passed, are due to take effect from
20 September 2022.
KEY POINTS
• The Government wil increase the income limits for the
Commonwealth Seniors Health Card:
o from $57,761 to
$90,000 for singles; and
o from $92,416 to
$144,000 for couples (combined).
• This change is expected to assist
over 50,000 self-funded
retirees by providing access to concessional Pharmaceutical
Benefits Scheme (PBS) medicines, the concessional threshold for
the PBS Safety Net and the concessional threshold for the
Extended Medicare Safety Net.
• The income test for the card takes into account a person’s adjusted
taxable income plus deemed income from any account based
pensions (the most common form of superannuation). There is no
assets test.
• This commitment is expected to cost
$69.4 million over the
forward estimates.
1
Modified: 27/05/2022 1:27:47 PM
OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL
Indexation of the income limits
• The increase to the income limits, which are due to take effect from
20 September, wil replace annual indexation for 2022.
• The income limits are indexed each year on 20 September by
changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
• Annual indexation wil continue each year from 2023.
• This is the largest increase to the income limits since 1999,
equivalent to many years’ of annual indexation in a single step.
• Following the significant increase to the income limits in 2001,
indexation ceased until 2014.
Why is this change not being backdated to 1 July 2022
• People who become eligible for a Commonwealth Seniors Health
Card under the new income limits from 20 September 2022 wil be
able to count any Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)
prescriptions they have purchased during the calendar year toward
their concessional PBS Safety Net threshold for 2022.
• Similar arrangements apply for the Extended Medicare Safety Net.
• This is the largest increase to the income limits since 1999.
• The increase is ongoing and wil continue to benefit new
cardholders in future years, including through annual indexation of
the income limits.
CONTACT NAME: Caitlin Delaney
POSITION: Branch Manager – Payment Structures
and Seniors
PHONE: s 47F
2
Modified: 27/05/2022 1:27:47 PM
OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL
BACKGROUND / KEY FACTS
• A bil to implement this commitment, the Social Services and Other Legislation
Amendment (Lifting the Income Limit for the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card) Bil
2022, was introduced on 27 July 2022.
• There are currently around 435,000 CSHC holders. The increase to the income limits is
expected to result in at least an additional 45,000 CSHC holders in the first year,
increasing to over 50,000 by the end of the forward estimates period (2025-26).
Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) Safety Net
• The PBS Safety Net applies for a person or family per calendar year. Once a person or
family’s applicable out-of-pocket expenses for PBS medicines have reached a threshold
amount, they are eligible for the PBS Safety Net.
• There are different threshold amounts for general and concessional patients/families.
• For people with a concession card, the concessional threshold has been reduced to
$1,457.10 from 1 July 2022. After they have spent this amount on concessional PBS
medicines during 2022, they are eligible to receive PBS medicines for free for the rest of
the calendar year.
• If a person changes from being a general patient to a concessional patient during the
calendar year (e.g. from 20 September), they will become eligible for the concessional
Safety Net threshold.
• Any prescriptions they purchased during the portion of the year when they didn’t have a
concession card will be counted towards the concessional threshold, but only at the
concessional co-payment rate of $6.80.
Extended Medicare Safety Net (EMSN)
• The EMSN provides additional benefits for people and families with high out-of-pocket
costs for out-of-hospital Medicare funded services during a calendar year.
• Once a person or family’s out-of-pocket costs (amounts paid above the Medicare benefit
for the service) reach the relevant EMSN threshold, their Medicare benefit wil cover 80
per cent of their out-of-pocket costs for the remainder of the calendar year.
• For people with a concession card, the EMSN threshold for 2022 is $717.90.
• If a person changes from being a general patient to a concessional patient during the
calendar year (e.g. from 20 September) they become eligible for the concessional EMSN
threshold. Any out-of-pocket costs they have already incurred for 2022 are counted
toward this threshold.
Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Caitlin Delaney: Branch Manager, Payment
Structures and Seniors
Mobile:
s 47F
DSS Input Cleared By (include
Troy Sloan, GM, Pensions, Housing and
position):
Homelessness
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
1 August 2022
MO Clearance Date:
25 July 2022
3
Modified: 27/05/2022 1:27:47 PM
OFFICIAL
QB22-000071
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
Key facts social housing and homelessness
HEADLINE RESPONSE
• The Albanese Government understands access to secure and
affordable housing has social, economic and personal benefits for
all Australians.
• The former Liberal Government was inept at supporting social and
affordable housing and has left a legacy of inaction to support
Australians to have access to secure housing.
• The Albanese Government is proud of the fact that we are showing
leadership in this space.
• The Albanese Government is committed to working with states and
territories as we work to implement a number of new initiatives from
the Commonwealth, including the Housing Australia Future Fund.
• I was pleased to recently host a meeting of Australia’s Housing
Ministers, the first in almost 5 years, to help progress our housing
reform agenda and demonstrate this Government’s commitment
to collaboration and leadership to support more Australians to have
a place to call home.
KEY FACTS
• There are over 200,000 households on social housing waiting lists.
• There are 440,192 social housing dwellings across the country
(as at 2021).
• States and territories wil build 15,000 new social housing
properties over the next few years.
1
Modified: 04/08/2022 8:23AM
• There were 116,427 people homeless on Census night in 2016.
o New census data on homelessness is expected
to be released in 2023.
• Indigenous Australians are over 7 times more likely to experience
homelessness.
• The 2016 census also showed an increase in homelessness for:
o Older females 6,866 (31 per cent increase)
o Older males 11,757 (26 per cent increase)
Government Action
• In 2022-23, through the National Housing and Homelessness
Agreement, the Government wil provide around $1.6 bil ion
to states to assist with social housing and homelessness.
o This includes $135 mil ion to assist the delivery of critical
frontline homelessness services, which the states must match.
• The Albanese Government is establishing the Housing Australia
Future Fund. This $10 bil ion initiative wil build
30,000 new social
housing and affordable homes in its first 5 years, including
20,000 social housing properties and 10,000 affordable homes.
• Investment returns from the Housing Australia Future Fund wil also
be made available to fund acute housing needs on an ongoing
basis. In the first 5 years, this includes:
o $100 mil ion for crisis and transitional housing options for
women and children fleeing domestic and family violence and
older women on low incomes who are at risk of homelessness
2
Modified: 04/08/2022 8:23AM
BACKGROUND
Social housing
•
Housing Assistance in Australia 2021 released by the Australian Institute of Health and
Welfare (AIHW) provides a snapshot of social housing dwellings across Australia.
At 30 June 2021 there were around 440,200 social housing dwellings:
o 68 per cent were public housing dwellings, 25 per cent were community housing
dwellings, 3 per cent were state owned and managed Indigenous housing and
4 per cent were Indigenous community housing.
Table 1: Social housing dwellings by state and territory at 30 June each year from 2017 to 2021
Year
NSW
Vic
Qld
WA
SA
Tas
ACT
NT
Total
2021 159,527
80,611
72,086
42,615
46,572
14,361
11,829
12,591 440,192
2020 156,019
80,599
71,424
43,113
46,576
14,274
11,921
12,407 436,333
2019 156,756
81,121
71,429
43,584
46,406
14,034
11,862
12,526 437,718
2018 156,260
80,488
71,045
44,059
46,624
13,288
12,076
12,373 436,213
2017 154,293
80,168
71,331
44,332
47,433
13,479
11,960
12,665 435,661
Data sourced from
Housing Assistance in Australia 2021 Social Housing Data tables, AIHW
Table 2: Social housing waiting lists (as at 30 June 2021)
State
Public housing
SOMIH*
Community housing
Total
NSW
45,429
2,810
n/a
48,239
Vic
51,859
n/a
285
52,144
Qld
21,274
6,016
27,933
55,223
WA
17,207
n/a
458
17,665
SA
15,988
592
11,815
28,395
Tas
4,144
n/a
421
4,565
ACT
2,880
n/a
328
3,208
NT
4,727
2,680
n/a
7,407
Aus
163,508
12,098
41,240
216,846
Source: Report on Government Services 2022, Table 18A.5-18A.7.
* State Owned and Managed Indigenous Housing
Homelessness
• The Government’s understanding of homelessness is informed by estimates
of homelessness derived from the homelessness estimates in the
Census of Population
and Housing published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), as well as service
usage statistics from
specialist homelessness services (SHS) published by the AIHW.
• As per Table 3, between 2006 and 2016, homelessness estimates increased, driven
by increases in severe crowding (44 per cent of all homelessness).
• There were 116,427 people homeless (50 per 10,000) on Census night in 2016, up from
89,728 persons (45 per 10,000) in 2006.
• Indigenous Australians are over 7 times more likely to experience homelessness
(361 persons per 10,000), largely due to severe overcrowding in remote Australia.
• Newly arrived migrants and young people are overrepresented in homelessness
estimates (157 per 10,000 and 73 per 10,000 respectively in 2016) and are more likely
to experience severe overcrowding and ‘couch surfing’.
4
Modified: 04/08/2022 8:23AM
• Older males experiencing homelessness increased from 9,350 in 2011 to 11,757 in 2016
(increase of 26 per cent). Men accounted for 63 per cent of older people experiencing
homelessness in 2016.
• Older females experiencing homelessness increased from 5,234 in 2011 to 6,866 in 2016
(increase of 31 per cent). Older women are the fastest growing homelessness cohort.
Table 3: Census estimates of homelessness by state and territory from 2001 to 2016 Rate
Year
NSW
Vic
Qld
WA
SA
Tas
ACT
NT
Total (per 10,000)
37,715 24,817 21,671
9,005
6,224
1,622
1,596 13,717 116,427
50
2016 27,479 22,306 19,039 9,191 5,816 1,537 1,738 15,330 102,439
48
2011 22,219 17,410 18,856 8,277 5,607 1,145 949 15,265 89,728
45
2006 23,041 18,154 19,316 9,799 5,844 1,264 943 16,948 95,314
51
2001
Data sourced from
Census of Population and Housing: Estimating Homelessness, ABS
• As per Table 4, homelessness service usage has remained relatively stable, however,
the number of
unassisted requests for homelessness services
rose by 19.7 per cent
(to 114,026) in 2020-21.
• Around a third of homelessness services clients are Indigenous, a third have a mental
health issue, and just under half are experiencing family and domestic violence.
• Three-quarters of clients accessing services for family and domestic violence are female
and 60 per cent of all clients are female.
• 53 per cent of clients listed accommodation as a contributing factor, 34 per cent were
experiencing a housing crisis, and 29 per cent nominated housing affordability stress
as a factor.
Table 4: Clients assisted by SHS agencies by state and territory from 2016-17 to 2020-21
Year
NSW
Vic
Qld
WA
SA
Tas
ACT
NT
Total
2020-21
70,588 105,510
41,227
24,470
18,610
6,567
4,012
10,122 278,275
2019-20
70,372 115,306
43,094
24,956
19,218
6,444
4,143
10,277 290,462
2018-19
73,549 112,919
43,087
24,871
19,637
6,623
3,808
9,646 290,317
2017-18
71,628 116,872
41,118
23,739
19,641
6,508
4,026
9,285 288,795
2016-17
74,216 109,901
41,438
24,626
20,771
7,789
4,585
9,187 288,273
Data sourced from
Specialist homelessness services annual report (published annually around December), AIHW
Recent media on social housing, affordable housing and homelessness
•
Social housing stock barely changes as waiting lists blow out and rental stress rises
across Australia, The Guardian 29 June 2022.
o The article highlights the low-growth in social housing dwellings and increases
in social housing waiting list. The article highlights recent growth of social housing
dwellings in New South Wales and forthcoming investment in Victoria as positive
signs.
Social housing stock barely changes as waiting lists blow out and rental stress rises across
Australia | Housing | The Guardian
5
Modified: 04/08/2022 8:23AM
•
Tent sales surge in South Australian town as desperate homeless families shelter from
cold, Australian Broadcasting Corporation 1 July 2022
o The article highlighted a ‘big surge’ in the number of people purchasing tents and
increasing numbers of people seeking homelessness assistance in regional areas.
The article highlighted vacant property stock as a contributing factor.
Tent sales surge in South Australian town as desperate homeless families shelter from
cold - ABC News
•
Can we solve Australia’s housing crisis? Ambitious plan launched to eradicate rental
stress and lower homeless rate, Australian Broadcasting Corporation 1 August 2022.
o Homelessness Australia has launched a plan calling on state and federal
governments to invest in 50,000 homes a year and increase current annual funding
allocated to states for housing. The plan would include investing in 25,000
affordable rental properties per year for low-income earners, plus an additional
25,000 social housing properties.
Can we solve Australia's housing crisis? Ambitious plan launched to eradicate rental stress
and lower homeless rate - ABC News
•
Calls for more social housing and higher allowances for Tasmania's homeless youth,
Australian Broadcasting Corporation 3 August 2022
o A recent Mission Australia survey found during the COVID pandemic, more than
one in 30 young Tasmanians experienced homelessness for the first time.
The article points to rising rents and a large group of people on low incomes
as contributing factors. Peak bodies Shelter Tasmania and Youth Network call for
an increase in Youth Al owance and for more social housing to be allocated
to young people.
Calls for more social housing and higher allowances for Tasmania's homeless youth - ABC
News
Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Julia Chandra, Branch Manager Housing and
Homelessness Branch
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
DSS Input Cleared By (include
Troy Sloan, Group Manager Pensions,
position):
Housing and Homelessness
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
4/08/22
MO Clearance Date:
4/08/22
6
Modified: 04/08/2022 8:23AM
OFFICIAL
QB22-000034
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
National Redress Scheme
HEADLINE RESPONSE
• The Albanese Government is committed to delivering a timely,
trauma-informed, accessible Redress Scheme that supports and
recognises survivors of institutional child sexual abuse.
KEY POINTS
• For many survivors of institutional child sexual abuse, lodging their
redress application is the first time they have told anyone what
happened to them.
• I recently announced funding of
$39.2 million over 2 years for free
and confidential support services for survivors to access the
National Redress Scheme.
• 43 services are funded to provide support to survivors, including 15
new providers from July with at least one new provider in each
state and territory.
• As at 29 July 2022, 17,783
applications have been received by the
Scheme, with 10,038 outcomes issued to survivors.
• There are currently 598 institutions participating in the Scheme.
o In addition, there are 73 unique institutions where the
Commonwealth, with state and territory governments, have
taken responsibility under Funder of Last Resort
arrangements.
1
Modified: 27/05/2022 1:27:47 PM
OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL
If ASKED – What is the average application processing time?
• Processing times can vary, depending on the complexity of an
application, or whether an institution has joined.
• Each application is considered carefully and given as much attention
as its individual circumstances require.
• Over the life of the Scheme, the average processing time from the
date the Scheme first receives an application until notifying an
outcome is
11.8 months.
o This includes time outside the Scheme’s control, such as when
gathering information from institutions or applicants.
• The Scheme continues to look for improvement opportunities at
each step of the application process to maximise efficiency.
If ASKED – What is the current status of Fairbridge applications?
• I recently declared expanded Funder of Last Resort arrangements
to cover the five Australian Fairbridge farm schools.
• This means jurisdictions can now fund redress payments for
applicants in circumstances beyond a child being a ward of the
state.
2
Modified: 27/05/2022 1:27:47 PM
OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL
BACKGROUND / KEY FACTS
• As at 29 July 2022:
• 17,783 applications for Redress have been received by the Scheme
• 10,038 outcomes have been issued to applicants
• 9,342 applications have been finalised
• 8,968 payments have been made, totalling approximately $781 million dollars
• The average payment is $87,119 (which is 34.0% higher than the Royal
Commission’s estimate of $65,000)
• 7,953 applications are currently on hand being processed
• 676 offers have been made and are awaiting an applicant’s decision
• 740 applications are with institutions to provide information
• 83% of applications name multiple institutions, with 34% of applications naming
four or more institutions
• 1,587 applications are on hold
• 488 have been withdrawn
• 1,305 applicants are eligible for advance payment and 885 advance payments
have been made
• 46 applicants have requested payment by instalments
• 276,700 calls (approx.) have been made to the Scheme.
• To date, 5 institutions have been publicly named as declining to join the Scheme:
Woodlands Golf Club (VIC), CYMS Basketball Association (VIC), Devonport Community
Church (TAS), Forrest Tennis Club (ACT) and Kenja Communication (NSW).
o Institutions which fail to join the Scheme wil be publicly named, be ineligible for
Commonwealth grant funding and may be stripped of their charitable status.
• To date, 73 individual institutions are declared under the FOLR arrangement. Of these
o 66 institutions are declared under the original FOLR arrangement, which includes 10
institutions that are also declared under the expanded FOLR arrangement.
o 17 institutions are declared under the expanded FOLR arrangement, including the
Fairbridge Farm Schools in five states.
• Significant improvements made to the Scheme over the last 12 months include the removal
of the statutory declaration requirement, introduction of a $10,000 advance payment,
payments by instalment and expanded Funder of Last Resort arrangements.
• As a result of recent improvements, claiming is easier, evidenced by the significant
increase in applications lodged recently.
o In the period 1 July 2021 to 12 March 2022, the Scheme received an average of 84
new applications per week. From 13 March 2022 to 30 June 2022, this increased to
an average of 179 new applications per week.
3
Modified: 27/05/2022 1:27:47 PM
OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL
Contact Officer’s Name and Position:
Emma Kate McGuirk
Group Manager Redress
s 47F
Input cleared by:
Sarah Peascod
Branch Manager Redress Enabling
Services
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
2 August 2022
MO Clearance Date:
4
Modified: 27/05/2022 1:27:47 PM
OFFICIAL
QB22-000035
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
NDIS WORKFORCE
KEY ISSUE
• The Australian Government is committed to building a stronger NDIS
workforce and service provider market to support NDIS participants to
achieve their goals.
KEY FACT
• The NDIS wil require around
83,000 additional workers by 2024.
• Disability is one of the most female-dominated industries in Australia
(
79 per cent). Improving the skil s and quality of this workforce wil help to
increase women’s workforce participation, improve job quality, and
support career pathways for women.
1
Modified: 27/05/2022 1:27:47 PM
OUR GOVERNMENT
• The Government has committed to a review of the NDIS, which wil
include a focus on pricing, markets, compliance and quality and
safeguards, and we wil also develop a
comprehensive NDIS workforce
strategy to ensure NDIS participants can access the supports they need.
• The Workforce Strategy wil address
attraction and retention,
training,
skil s development and career pathways, and ensure workers are
paid
fairly.
• The Workforce Strategy wil also seek to
grow the Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander workforce so NDIS participants can access
cultural y safe services, and support
NDIS service delivery in rural and
remote areas.
• The
high demand for workers in the disability sector provides an
opportunity to
employ Australians, including entry-level jobs and
employment opportunities for Workforce Australia participants.
• The Government is similarly committed to supporting people with disability
to themselves participate in the workforce, including in the care economy.
• This Government wil be convening a NDIS Jobs Summit next month & a
National Jobs & Skills Summit on 1-2 September 2022, which wil look at
NDIS Workforce issues.
PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT
• The previous Government failed to address the systemic NDIS Workforce
issues. Hence, the need for a NDIS Review.
2
Modified: 27/05/2022 1:27:47 PM
POTENTIAL HOT ISSUES
If ASKED – Are you scrapping existing NDIS Workforce Plan initiatives?
• The NDIS is stil facing significant workforce chal enges. We need to make
sure everything we do is wel targeted and effective.
• As part of the development of the NDIS Workforce Strategy, we will review
what worked and what didn’t, and where the gaps are in previous plans and
initiatives.
If ASKED – The NDIS National Workforce Plan: 2021-2025 was released
June 2021. Why is an NDIS Workforce Strategy being developed?
• The review of NDIS pricing, markets and compliance and the development of
a NDIS workforce strategy wil be subject to detailed consultation and co-
design of initiatives to ensure they have broad support and are effective,
including having regard to areas the NDIS National Workforce Plan did not
adequately address, including:
o More solutions to address worker shortages in the sector and reduce
worker turnover.
o Improved pay and conditions for NDIS workers.
o Skil s uplift and career development opportunities for NDIS workers.
o Reducing barriers to service delivery in remote areas of Australia and
other thin markets including by growing the Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander workforce and improving access to culturally safe services.
3
Modified: 27/05/2022 1:27:47 PM
BACKGROUND / KEY FACTS
Background and Key Facts
• The current NDIS workforce is estimated at
270,000 workers across
20 occupations.
• Of the estimated 270,000 workers providing services to NDIS participants:
-
178, 000 (66 per cent) are home-based support workers;
-
63,900 (23.7 per cent) are community-based support workers; and
-
19, 900 (7.4 per cent) are allied health workers
• The NDIS workforce wil need to grow by an additional
83,000 workers by 2024 (in
addition to replacing workers lost to workforce churn) in order to meet demand for
disability services to support over 500,000 NDIS participants, this includes:
-
60,900 additional home-based support workers;
-
10,000 additional community-based support workers; and
-
8,000 additional allied health workers.
Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Lydia Ross, Branch Manager, Strategic Policy
and Workforce
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
DSS Input Cleared By:
Debbie Mitchell, Deputy Secretary
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
25 July 2022
MO Clearance Date:
To be completed by MO
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QB22-000037
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
DISABILITY ACCOMMODATION & SDA HOUSING
KEY ISSUES
• The Australian Government recognises that safe, affordable and suitable
housing is essential for the economic, social and cultural wel being of all
Australians, including people with disability.
• The Government is committed to ensuring that people with disability who
are eligible for housing supports in the NDIS can access appropriate
housing as soon as possible. A key focus is on improving the pathways
for participants to pursue their home and living goals, including through
Specialist Disability Housing (SDA), Supported Independent Living (SIL),
Medium Term Accommodation (MTA), home modifications and
Individualised Living Options (ILOs).
• States and territories also continue to have a key role to play as they are
primarily responsible for the provision of disability housing through social
housing, and the private rental and ownership markets.
KEY FACTS
SDA
• As at 30 June annualised SDA in active plans was $271 million for 19,358
active NDIS participant with SDA supports. The total number of SDA
dwellings as at 30 June 2022 was 7,086
.
Home Modifications
• As at 31 March 2022, 14,891 participants had $134 mil ion in their plans for
home modifications. The average home modification amount in NDIS plans
as at 31 March 2022 is $9,000.
SIL
• As at 30 June 2022, there were 26,950 NDIS participants receiving
$8.8 billion in SIL supports. The average plan budget was $358,000.
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OUR GOVERNMENT
• To improve the availability of accommodation through the NDIS the
Government wil be:
o engaging with people with disability and providers about how to
improve access and reduce red tape to make it easier and faster for
eligible NDIS participants to access housing supports.
o investigating the $500 mil ion underspend in SDA to ensure people are
not missing out on housing.
o pausing SIL reforms to ensure any future reforms are informed by
consultation with the disability community.
• I have also asked the NDIA to rapidly examine these issues to ensure SDA
funding decisions are made in a timely, consistent and accurate way.
• I wil also be working closely with the Minister for Housing
the Hon Julie Collins MP and state and territory Disability Ministers to
increase supply of safe and affordable housing for people with disability,
including social and affordable housing.
• The Terms of Reference for the SDA price review wil be released shortly.
• We are ensuring the ToRs adequately address the issues to support the
direction of the SDA market to ensure participants get the support they need.
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POTENTIAL HOT ISSUES
If ASKED – Why haven’t you released the terms of reference for the SDA
price review?
• It is important the Government had time to review the proposed Terms of
Reference and to ensure the review delivers the pricing certainty the sector
is seeking to invest and grow the sector.
• The NDIA has committed to releasing the Terms of Reference for the SDA
Price Review as soon as practicable. The Terms of Reference will be
supported by a comprehensive communication plan.
• The NDIA’s SDA Reference Group made of up of representatives from the
sector have had an opportunity to provide feedback and advice on the draft
Terms of Reference.
If ASKED – Wil you commit to completing the review by December?
• The SDA Pricing Review is a complex piece of analysis that wil be
undertaken in a number of stages. The SDA Pricing Review wil involve
extensive consultation with the sector, government jurisdictions, and industry
stakeholders.
• The review wil be completed in time to ensure any pricing outcomes can be
implemented from 1 July 2023.
If ASKED – What wil the impact of a delay in the introduction of the
National Construction Code (NCC) minimum accessibility standards have
on the supply of accessible accommodation for people with disability?
• The implementation of the new minimum accessibility standards through the
National Construction Code is a matter for each state and territory.
• The Commonwealth through Building Ministers is working with al
jurisdictions to ensure a coordinated transition and implementation of the
NCC changes.
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• Several states and territories, including the Northern Territory, Queensland,
the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria and Tasmania have indicated they
wil adopt the minimum accessibility standards introduced into the NCC.
• For those states and territories that choose to implement these new
provisions, there is expected to be a significant increase in the availability of
new dwellings that are suitable for people with disability and we welcome
that.
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BACKGROUND / KEY FACTS
Background and Key Facts
• As at 30 June 2022:
o there were 19,358 active NDIS participants with SDA supports in their plans. Of
these 4,720 (24 percent) were seeking a dwelling (new or alternative).
o the annualised SDA in active plans was $271 million.
o the average SDA payment was $10,523.
o the total number of SDA dwellings was 7,086.Of these dwellings 3,987 were
existing, 250 legacy,2,775 were new builds and 74 new builds (refurbished).
o
o there were 319 active SDA providers.
• In 2011, the Productivity Commission forecast demand for SDA at full scheme would be
approximately 27,880 or around 6.8 per cent of the total projected population of scheme
participants. The expected total funding cost of SDA at full scheme was anticipated to be
around $700 mil ion per annum. The forecast did not expect this level of expenditure
would be reached until 2036.
NDIA Reporting
• The NDIA is now reporting on the end-to-end process for Home and Living applications
and streamlining processes to improve timeframes.
o In the June 2022 quarter, 7,616 Home and Living applications were closed or
implemented and 62 per cent were finalised within 90 days.
o At 30 June 2022, 3,973 applications remained in-progress. 2,964 in progress
applications were waiting for a decision from the Home and Living Panel, while a
further 1,009 were waiting for supports to be implemented in a Plan. Approximately
5 per cent of the open applications have been in progress for 90 days or more.
SDA Price Review
• A review of SDA pricing is required every five years under the SDA Pricing and Payments
Framework. The next review was due to occur in the first half of 2023 with any changes to
pricing to start from 1 July 2023.
• On 14 April 2022, the NDIA announced that it would bring forward commencement of the
Review of the Specific Underlying Assumptions within the Pricing Methodology for SDA.
• The review wil now take place in the second half of 2022 with pricing changes stil to
occur from 1 July 2023
Supported Independent Living
• On 1 July 2022, the price limits for all NDIS supports delivered by disability support
workers, including in SIL, increased by 9 per cent.
• The price increase took into account a range of factors that have impacted the cost of
delivering supports, and wil ensure that the workers who support participants are properly
compensated for their work.
• The Government has also made up to an extra $514 mil ion available to registered
providers of activities of daily living and community participant supports to recognise costs
of keeping participants safe, particularly during COVID-19, and the significant additional
overhead costs incurred by providers this year.
SIL Demonstration Projects
• While changes to SIL are paused, the NDIA is working with participants and providers to
design improved ways of delivering home and living supports, through Home and Living
Demonstration Projects.
• Demonstration Projects look at different ways of delivering home and living supports to
give greater flexibility to participants and providers.
• The Projects are designed to be outcomes-focused and encourage better practice and wil
help ensure participants get the right individual supports they need.
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Individualised Living Options
• ILOs are an alternative to SIL and promote a more natural, inclusive type of living, with
participants able to utilise their supports to live in a home environment of their own
choosing, such as with friends, housemates or a host family.
• ILOs give participants greater control over where they live, with who, and how their
supports are delivered.
• As at April 2022 there were approximately 890 NDIS participants living in ILOs, with the
number of NDIS participants investing in exploration of ILO exploration and design
growing consistently over the past 12 months.
• The market for ILOs is continuing to grow, with 76 per cent of providers who have claimed
from ILO support line items having done so for the first time.
• However, the Government recognises there is stil more to be done to support uptake of
ILOs as an alternative to SIL, in particular by building awareness of the benefits offered by
this model of home and living supports.
• The Government wil continue to work with and listen to participants, providers and the
broader disability community to progress continuous improvements to the ILO model.
Down to 10 Campaign
• The Summer Foundation recently launched (16 March 2022) it’s down to 10 days
campaign calling for faster, more accurate decisions around housing and supports for
Australians with a disability.
• The Summer Foundation and Housing Hub released in June 2022 its Specialist Disability
Accommodation Provider Experience Survey.
• Nine recommendations were made including improving the clarity on the demand side of
the SDA market, using available supply of SDA and enhancing the quality of SDA funding
decision.
National Construction Code (NCC)
• Building Ministers are scheduled to meet in late August 2022 and wil consider NCC 2022,
including final analysis from the Australian Building Code Board (ABCB) on proposed
improvements to residential energy efficiency provisions for NCC 2022.
• Recognising the tight timeframes associated with Building Ministers not meeting until late
August, and the complexity of other issues currently affecting the construction sector, the
ABCB wil recommend to Building Ministers that the publication date for NCC 2022 be
further delayed from 1 September 2022, to be not earlier than 1 October 2022.
• In addition to this recommended deferral of publication, at the meeting in late August
Building Ministers wil be provided with the advice – requested at their March 2022
meeting from senior officials and the ABCB – on transition timeframes for the residential
energy efficiency and livable housing provisions.
Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Valerie Spencer, Branch Manager, Quality
and Safeguards Policy, DSS
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
DSS Input Clear By
Luke Mansfield, Group Manager, Strategic
Policy, Markets and Safeguards Group
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
3 August 2022
MO Clearance Date:
To be completed by MO
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QB22-000065
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
COVID-19 RESPONSE – Vaccine Rollout and Winter Preparedness
KEY ISSUES
• The Government is committed to ensuring people with disability are included
at every stage of our pandemic response.
• Increasing the uptake of vaccination among people with disability, including
the additional booster dose where eligible, is a key priority of the
Government to safeguard people with disability against serious il ness from
COVID-19.
• I am committed to working very closely with people with disability and other
stakeholders as the Commonwealth continues to adjust and strengthen its
COVID-19 response to the changing health impacts of the pandemic.
• The NDIA has implemented a range of responsive measures to support
participants and providers to manage the impacts of the pandemic.
• Extensive communication campaigns and engagement activities have been
implemented to promote vaccinations and assist Health agencies to provide
vaccination opportunities to participants in high-risk settings.
• The NDIS provides funding to support providers with increased costs
associated with the pandemic.
KEY FACTS
• Supported Independent Living (SIL) providers can continue to claim $12.50
per RAT per support worker COVID-19 test, and participants can buy RATs
with plan funding to safely access disability supports at no cost to them.
• National distribution of 6.8 mil ion Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT) to SIL
providers wil be completed on 31 July 2022. This includes 160,000 for rural
and remote locations. Access to the National Medical Stockpile is
available where necessary.
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• 90.2 per cent of eligible NDIS participants in residential settings (residential
aged care and disability accommodation) have had three doses; 19.2 per
cent ahead of the eligible general population aged 16 plus with three doses.
• 85.6 per cent in the broader NDIS cohort 16 plus group have had two doses;
75.6 per cent of those eligible have received three doses; 4.6 per cent ahead
of the eligible general population aged 16 plus with three doses.
• Among 12-15 year old NDIS participants, the rate of vaccination has steadily
increased, with 71.6 per cent with two doses and 3.8 per cent have received
more than two doses. This is 8.0 per cent below the general population aged
12-15 who have had two doses.
• Among NDIS participants aged 5-11, 38.1 per cent have received two doses.
This is 2.3 per cent below the general population aged 5-11 who have had
two doses.
OUR GOVERNMENT
• Some people with disability feel they had been de-prioritised in the
Commonwealth’s response to the pandemic to date.
• The Government is committed to working with people with disability and the
sector to continually adjust and strengthen the Government’s pandemic
response as circumstances change.
• At my request, people with disability, disability representative organisations,
independent health experts, providers, unions and officials came together on
18 July 2022 to test the Commonwealth COVID-19 responses for people with
disability to ensure they are robust in the face of the current wave of people
infected with the BA.5 and BA.4 variants. .
The insights from this exercise are informing further work to strengthen our
arrangements, with a particular focus on communication, workforce, infection
control and vaccination.
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POTENTIAL HOT ISSUES
If ASKED - How is the Government putting people with disability at the
centre of the COVID response?
• Within 10 days of becoming Minister for the NDIS, I met with disability sector
representatives, unions and people with lived experience to hear their
concerns around the impacts of COVID-19 on people with disability.
• I am meeting with state and territory disability Ministers regularly and our
col ective pandemic response remains a key focus of conversation and
collaboration.
• On 18 July 2022, a simulation testing exercise with health experts, people
with lived experience, sector peaks, union officials and officials to test the
effectiveness of the COVID-19 response for people with disability. Insights
from this exercise highlighted strengths in our current response and areas for
further work to be explored further across government.
If ASKED - What is the Government doing to increase vaccination rates?
• Compared to the general population, COVID-19 booster rates are higher
among NDIS participants aged 16 years and markedly higher for those in
residential disability settings and aged care.
• With the expansion of eligibility for a second booster (or 4th dose), officials
are actively working with NDIS providers to accelerate the in-reach program
for people with disability in residential settings, in line with ATAGI’s updated
guidance.
• We also remain focused on efforts to close the gap for young people and
people with disability who are harder to reach outside the NDIS.
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If ASKED - What is the mortality rate for people with disability and how
does this compare with the general population?
• As of 31 March 2022, there have been 122 COVID-19 associated deaths
among NDIS participants and 241 COVID-19 associated deaths among
Disability Support Pension recipients.
• Every single death from COVID-19 is a tragedy and we wil continue to work
with people with disability, providers and health officials around vaccination
and other controls that help reduce the risk of infection and protect those
who do contract COVID-19 from serious il ness.
If ASKED - Why are people with disability left out?
• Some people with disability feel they had been de-prioritised in the
Commonwealth’s response to the pandemic to date.
• Within 10 days of becoming Minister for the NDIS, I met with disability sector
representatives, unions and people with lived experience to hear their
concerns around the impacts of COVID-19 on people with disability.
• At my request, people with disability, disability representative organisations,
independent health experts, providers, unions and officials came together on
18 July 2022 to test the Commonwealth COVID-19 responses for people with
disability to ensure they are robust in the face of the current wave of people
infected with the BA.5 and BA.4 variants.
• The insights from this exercise are informing further work to strengthen our
arrangements, with a particular focus on planning, co-designed
communications, workforce supports and of course use of data to inform
targeted approaches that drive up vaccination rates.
• This wil ensure people with disability who are at greatest health risk from
COVID-19 are not left behind in our pandemic response.
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If ASKED - Why don’t people with disability get the flu vaccine for free?
• People with disability who are at increased risk of complications from
influenza are able to receive a free flu vaccine, under the Commonwealth’s
National Immunisation Program.
• People eligible for a free flu vaccine include:
o al children from 6 months to less than 5 years of age
o al adults aged 65 years and older
o pregnant women
o al Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 6 months and
over
o individuals aged 6 months and older with medical conditions which
increase the risk of influenza disease complications:
cardiac disease
chronic respiratory conditions
chronic neurological conditions
immunocompromising conditions
diabetes and other metabolic disorders
renal disease
haematological disorders
children aged six months to 10 years on long term aspirin
therapy.
• All National Immunisation Program influenza vaccines are free, but a GP or
other health care provider (such as a pharmacy) may charge a
consultation/administration fee for the visit.
• In some states and territories, influenza vaccines may also be provided for
free to other people not eligible under the Commonwealth National
Immunisation Program.
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BACKGROUND/KEY FACTS
Vaccination
• With the current increase in COVID-19 infection, all Australians including people with
disability, are encouraged to stay up to date with their COVID-19 vaccination, including a
2nd booster (fourth dose) if eligible.
• We are ensuring NDIS participants in higher risk residential accommodation settings have
an opportunity to receive their booster doses through in-reach to their home where this is
their wish.
• The Portfolio continues to promote vaccinations for people with disability via social media
and official websites.
• Eligible NDIS providers can currently claim $75 per participant per COVID-19 dosage
when they support a participant to receive a COVID-19 vaccination, and $100 for any
disability support worker booster vaccination
• The NDIA has also encouraged participants to get vaccinated through partnerships with
trusted organisations, including support coordinators and the Pharmacy Guild of Australia.
Vaccination rates
• NDIS Participants (As at midnight July 18 2022)
o 5-11 years:
49.4% at least one dose (2.9% below general population)
38.0% two doses
o 12-15 years:
76.0% at least one dose
71.6% two doses (8.0% below general population)
o Aged 16+
87.0% at least one dose (10.7% below general population)
85.5% two doses (10.5% below general population)
75.5% eligible three doses (4.6% ahead of general population)
23.4% four or more doses
o NDIS participants in residential disability accommodation
89.0% at least one dose (8.7% below general population)
87.6% two doses (8.4% below gen pop.)
89.3% eligible three doses (18.4% ahead of general population)
28.8% four or more doses
o NDIS participants in residential aged care
89.5% at least one dose (8.2% below general population)
88.1% two doses (7.9% below general population)
93.9% eligible three doses (23.0% ahead of general population)
80.9% four or more doses
• DSP recipients (as at midnight July 18 2022
o 86.3% at least one dose (11.4% below general population)
o 84.9% two doses (11.1% below general population)
o
73.9% eligible three doses (3.0% ahead of general population)
o 16.2% four or more doses
• NDIS Workforce (as at 14 July 2022)
o 3.0% part vaccinated
o
95.4% ful y vaccinated (based on public health orders)
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Mortality rate (as at 31 March 2022):
o NDIS Participants: 122 COVID-19 associated deaths
o DSP Recipients: 241 COVID-19 associated deaths
General COVID-19 response - NDIA
• During the Covid-19 pandemic the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), has
implemented a range of measures to support participants and providers to manage the
impacts of the pandemic.
• The NDIA has undertaken extensive communication campaigns and engagement
activities to promote vaccinations and assist Health agencies to provide vaccination
opportunities to participants in high-risk settings.
• The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) provides funding to support Supported
Independent Living (SIL) providers with increased costs associated with managing
outbreaks and funding for providers who assist participants and disability support workers
to obtain their vaccinations.
• The Government is helping NDIS providers with disrupted workforces by offering access
to flexible workforce support arrangements.
• As at 30 June 2022, NDIS total expenditure across all COVID-19 related supports was
$440.07 mil ion.
Other NDIA supports
• The NDIA has made advice available to support participants to get vaccinated via voice
recordings on the contact centre, and offers to transfer callers to the Disability Gateway
for assistance in booking a vaccine appointment.
• As of early July 2022 the NDIA Contact Centre reports around 5-10 calls per week are
COVID-19 related.
• The recent NDIA price limit increase enables providers to deliver supports that keep NDIS
participants safe.
o Up to $514 mil ion is also being made available to eligible registered providers in
recognition of the increased cost of keeping participants safe during the pandemic.
• A robust audit and assurance regime wil sit around these payments to ensure this money
goes where it is intended.
• In Local Government Areas with low vaccination rates, the NDIA arranged for its Partners
in the Community to contact participants to offer vaccine appointments assistance,
arrange transport and advice to address vaccine hesitancy and misinformation.
• The NDIA Provider Engagement Branch called 1,195 registered providers near
Commonwealth vaccination hubs to raise awareness, confirm NDIS supports available
and identify barriers providers might be experiencing.
• Settlement Services International (SSI) trialled a targeted vaccine outreach service to
support Culturally and Linguistically Diverse participants in Sydney and South-West
Sydney. It made 3471 calls. 98.4% of participants contacted did not need assistance.
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Workforce
• The disability sector has managed contingency workforce issues well, despite disruptions
and workforce challenges experienced.
• The NDIS COVID-19 Sector Workforce Support Framework developed in late 2021
outlines the Agency’s flexible approach to refine new and enhanced pandemic support
options to assist participants and providers in winter 2022 and beyond.
• The Agency’s workforce support initiatives complement but do not replace the
requirement for providers to have contingency plans in place to comply with practice
standards administered by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.
NDIS provider workforce support arrangements
• The NDIA has a 3-tiered workforce support arrangement.
• Any or all tiers can be activated if the provider workforce is disrupted and they have
exhausted their contingency plan.
• Providers who require essential services workforce support advise the NDIS Commission
and/or the NDIA. Available supports are:
o Tier 1 – GenU Workforce Support – virtual peer coaching and mentoring support.
Since 13 December 2021, the NDIA has resolved 160 provider workforce
challenges. GenU virtually coached and mentored 42 providers.
o Tier 2 - Ready Teams – GenU linked with 6 large disability providers to provide
their own workforce to smaller providers in critical need. Ready Team Partners
operate in QLD, NSW, VIC, TAS, SA and ACT. The NDIA is working to identify
partners in WA and NT. The receiving provider pays deployed staff costs.
o Tier 3 / Winter Relief Workforce (WRW) register. NDIA engaged IPA Personnel to
create a register of qualified former or retired disability support workers or final year
students, wil ing to be deployed at short notice to fil critical vacancies in their local
areas. This is able to be used where Tier 1 or 2 supports are not sufficient. By 14
July 2022, IPA Personal reported 217 nominees had registered, of which 27 are
fully screened, registered and deployable.
• Self-managing participants should work with their providers to plan for COVID-19 related
disruptions to their supports. Self-managing participants can engage registered or
unregistered providers, and/or move to Agency or plan management.
• Self-managing participants can also access emergency preparedness planning supports
developed by and available from the Collaborating 4 Inclusion website.
Aspen clinical first response service
• From 1 July 2022, Aspen Medical is delivering an updated Clinical First Response
Service. This includes virtual management of outbreak clinical advice and how to deploy
clinical staff to assist with critical situations. Infection control and outbreak management
webinars are planned late July-September 2022.
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Communications
• All NDIA communication channels promote and assist participants and disability support
workers to book and access vaccinations via a 3 pil ar COVID-19 communications and
engagement approach:
• Pillar 1 – Amplifies Department of Health and Aged Care (DHAC), Department of Social
Services (DSS) and NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission’s latest health promotion
and policy content.
• Pillar 2 – Paid social media to promote NDIA vaccination initiatives targeted by Local
Government Area vaccination with low take-up.
• Pillar 3 – Educates participants and providers via webinar series from June – September
2022 to address known concerns. Provider concerns are clear. Further work is underway
with DSS, DHAC and sector representatives to define and address disability community
concerns.
Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Luke Mansfield, Group Manager
Strategic Policy, Markets and Safeguards
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
26 July 2022
MO Clearance Date:
To be completed by MO
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QUESTION TIME BRIEF
National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Quality and Safeguarding
KEY ISSUES
• The Australian Government is committed to ensuring we have the right
safeguards in place to uphold the rights of NDIS participants to be safe and to
receive quality services from the providers and workers they choose to support
them.
• To do this, we must continue to lift the capability of providers and workers
through responsive regulation and education, including ensuring participants
have the information they need to make informed choices and, if they have a
concern or complaint, to raise it knowing that it will be investigated and acted on.
• Safeguards such as registration, worker screening, mandatory reporting,
monitoring and investigative activities are important protections for participants
as is building and retaining a skil ed workforce and provider market.
KEY FACT
• The NDIS Quality and Safeguarding Framework (the Framework) provides a
national y consistent approach to ensure high quality supports and services for
al NDIS participants.
• Since 1 December 2020, all providers and workers delivering NDIS supports and
services across Australia fal within the regulation of the NDIS Quality and
Safeguards Commission (the NDIS Commission) which is an independent
agency responsible for the Commonwealth regulatory functions under the
Framework.
• There have been a number of recent reviews that look to NDIS quality and
safeguarding arrangements including the Robertson Review into the Death of
Ann Marie Smith, the Joint Standing Committee report into the NDIS
Commission, and early findings from the Disability Royal Commission.
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• Under Australia’s Disability Strategy, the Safety Targeted Action Plan commits al
governments to a range of actions to improve quality and safeguards including
identify NDIS participants at risk of harm; examining outreach and working with
state and territory governments on mainstream interfaces.
OUR GOVERNMENT
• I am committed to improving the quality and safety of supports for NDIS
participants.
• We need to make sure the service that is promised is the service delivered.
• Quality and safeguards wil be an important part of the review of the NDIS as wil
issues around the market, workforce and compliance.
• The review wil consult widely and wil particularly hear from people with
disability about their experiences around quality and safeguarding issues.
• I look forward to hearing from them, and from other stakeholders, around ways
we can continue to strengthen safeguards for participants and particularly those
who are at greater risk of harm; and ensure effective monitoring, compliance
and enforcement in relation to providers, including tackling fraud in the Scheme.
PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT
• The previous Government failed to tackle the problem of fraud and the systemic
quality and safeguarding issues in the scheme.
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POTENTIAL HOT ISSUES
If ASKED - Wasn’t there already a commitment to conduct a separate review of
the NDIS Quality and Safeguarding Framework and will quality and
safeguards get lost if rolled into a broader review?
• When the Framework was endorsed by the then Council of Australian Governments
(COAG) in 2016, there was also agreement to conduct a review of the Framework
in 2021-22 to ensure it remains fit for purpose.
• Including quality and safeguards as part of the broader review of the NDIS ensures
any improvements to quality and safeguards are considered in the context of any
broader reforms to the NDIS.
IF ASKED – What is government doing to address the Joint Standing Committee
report on the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission?
• The Government welcomes the Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability
Insurance Scheme report on its inquiry into the NDIS Commission, published on
30 November 2021.
• The Government is considering this report and wil respond in due course.
• Steps have already been taken to address many of the recommendations including
establishment of a number of operational protocols between the NDIS Commission
and the NDIA to share information and protect at risk participants; the development
of a Site Visit policy by the NDIS Commission; and additional requirements on
providers and workers to better protect participants receiving services from a sole-
worker.
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BACKGROUND / KEY FACTS
December 2016
Framework endorsed by the Council of Australian Governments.
July 2018
The NDIS Commission commenced operations in NSW and South Australia
April 2019
The Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of
People with Disability (Disability Royal Commission) was established
July 2019
The NDIS Commission commenced operations in Queensland, Victoria,
Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory
May 2020
Additional funding of $6.2 mil ion over two years (2019-21) to the NDIS
Commission to support its COVID-19 response
September 2020
Robertson Review into the NDIS Commission response and the death of Ann
Marie Smith
October 2020
Disability Royal Commission interim report
December 2020
The NDIS Commission commenced operations in Western Australia and
achieved national coverage
December 2020
The NDIS Commission received additional ongoing funding of $92.9 mil ion
over four years as an immediate boost in funding to address immediate
pressures identified in the 2020 Tune review of operational funding of the
Commission
February 2021
NDIS worker screening commenced in all jurisdictions except for the Northern
Territory
May 2021
$12.3 mil ion was invested (two years to 2022-23) under the Aligning Provider
Regulation Across the Care and Support sector measure
June 2021
NDIS Worker Screening checks were recognised in the Aged Care Act 1997
July 2021
NDIS worker screening commenced in the Northern Territory
November 2021
Joint Standing Commit ee Report into the NDIS Quality and Safeguards
Commission released
December 2021
Safety Targeted Action Plan (Safety TAP) under Australia’s Disability Strategy
was released
May 2022
$10.8 mil ion was invested to continue the regulatory alignment work.
September 2023
Final report of Disability Royal Commission expected
Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Luke Mansfield
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
DSS Input Cleared By (include
Policy, Markets and Safeguards
position):
Phone/Mobile:
Clearance Date:
2 August 2022
MO Clearance Date:
To be completed by MO
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QB22-000081
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
COVID-19 RESPONSE – People with disability outside of the NDIS
HEADLINE RESPONSE
• The Albanese Labor Government is committed to ensuring people
with disability are included at every stage of our pandemic
response.
• Increasing the uptake of vaccination among people with disability,
including the additional booster dose where eligible, is a key priority
of our Government to safeguard people with disability against
serious il ness from COVID-19.
• That’s why this month we are rolling out a text message campaign
to reach more than a mil ion Disability Support Pension and Carer
Payment recipients to highlight the opportunity to access a fourth
COVID-19 vaccine dose and help ensure awareness of anti-viral
treatments.
KEY POINTS
• Our Government is working very closely with people with disability
and other stakeholders as we continue to adjust and strengthen its
COVID-19 response to the changing health impacts of the
pandemic.
• Extensive communication and engagement activities continue to be
implemented to promote vaccinations and assist Health agencies
to provide vaccination opportunities to people with disability.
• A text message campaign developed in consultation with the
disability community wil kick off within the next few weeks.
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KEY FACTS
• Among Disability Support Pension (DSP) recipients, 62.8 per cent
have received three doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. This is 3.1 per
cent ahead of the eligible general population who have had three
doses.
• 84.9 per cent of DSP recipients have had two doses, compared to
96.1 per cent of all Australians aged over 16.
If ASKED - How is the Government putting people with disability at the
centre of the COVID response?
• Our Government has brought people with disability to the table to help
understand what can be done better to meet their needs during the
pandemic.
• On 18 July 2022, people with disability, representative organisations,
independent health experts, sector peaks, union officials and Commonwealth
and state officials engaged in a detailed exercise to rigorously test the
effectiveness of the COVID-19 response for people with disability.
• Insights from this exercise are informing further work to strengthen our
arrangements, with a particular focus on planning, co-designed
communications, workforce supports and of course use of data to inform
targeted approaches that drive up vaccination rates.
• Our Government has also stepped up the level of engagement with state and
territory disability Ministers and our collective pandemic response is a key
focus area for collaborative action.
If ASKED - What is the Government doing to increase vaccination rates?
• Compared to the general population, COVID-19 booster rates are higher
among DSP recipients, as wel as NDIS participants aged 16 years and over.
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These rates are markedly higher for those NDIS participants aged 16 and
over in residential disability settings and aged care.
• This Government is focused, along with our state and territory counterparts,
on efforts to close the gap in vaccination rates for young people and people
with disability who are harder to reach outside the NDIS.
• Beginning in August, text messages wil be sent to more than a mil ion DSP
recipients and Carer Payment recipients to highlight the opportunity to
access a fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose and reinforce that anti-viral
treatments may be available for people with disability who contract COVID-
19 to prevent severe il ness.
• My message to all people with disability is: get your fourth dose of a
COVID-19 vaccine as this is one of the best ways you can protect yourself
from severe il ness, and if you need help, you can cal the Disability Gateway
on 1800 643 787 to get information and support.
If ASKED - What is the mortality rate for people with disability and how
does this compare with the general population?
• As of 31 March 2022, there have been 241 COVID-19 associated deaths
among DSP recipients.
• Every single death from COVID-19 is a tragedy and we wil continue to work
with people with disability, providers and health officials around vaccination
and other controls including masks and antivirals that help reduce the risk of
infection and protect those who do contract COVID-19 from serious illness.
If ASKED - Why don’t people with disability get the flu vaccine for free?
• People with disability who are at increased risk of complications from
influenza are able to receive a free flu vaccine, under the Commonwealth’s
National Immunisation Program.
• People eligible for a free flu vaccine include:
o al children from 6 months to less than 5 years of age
o al adults aged 65 years and older
o pregnant women
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o al Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 6 months and
over
o individuals aged 6 months and older with medical conditions which
increase the risk of influenza disease complications:
cardiac disease
chronic respiratory conditions
chronic neurological conditions
immunocompromising conditions
diabetes and other metabolic disorders
renal disease
haematological disorders
children aged six months to 10 years on long term aspirin
therapy.
• All National Immunisation Program influenza vaccines are free, but a GP or
other health care provider (such as a pharmacy) may charge a
consultation/administration fee for the visit.
• In some states and territories, influenza vaccines may also be provided for
free to other people not eligible under the Commonwealth National
Immunisation Program.
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BACKGROUND/KEY FACTS
Vaccination promotion including text message campaign
• With the current increase in COVID-19 infection, all Australians including people with
disability, are encouraged to stay up to date with their COVID-19 vaccination, including a
2nd booster (fourth dose) if eligible.
• In coming weeks, all DSP recipients and recipients of carer payments contactable by
phone (more than 1,000,000 people) wil be sent an SMS message raising awareness
around eligibility for a fourth dose and antiviral medication which help prevent severe
complications from COVID-19.
• The SMS message also prompts people to contact the Disability Gateway or Carer
Gateway for further information and support.
• Only 40,000 text messages can be sent per day, so this will take some time to reach
every person.
• This is the Social Services Portfolio’s fourth COVID-19 text message campaign. Similar
messages were sent regarding primary dose bookings and booster shots.
• Al people with disability can receive free COVID-19 information and support over the
phone or online through the Disability Gateway including:
o help with booking vaccination appointments
o fact-checked information on COVID-19 and support on getting tested
o applying for COVID-19 financial support
o COVID-19 information in accessible formats such as Easy Read or Auslan.
• The Carer Gateway provides a range of information to assist carers supporting people
with COVID-19 in their home, or with vaccination.
• Promotion of vaccination for people with disability via social media and official websites
continues to be a priority.
Communication
• Within the Portfolio and the Department of Health and Aged Care, there is ongoing,
intensive work around communication to improve and simplify targeted messaging in
formats that people with disability understand.
• Communication includes targeted activity through:
o Information and support available via the Disability Gateway and Carer Gateway
o Social media messaging across Portfolio platforms
o Engagement with disability representative organisations, providers and relevant
grant recipients including those who specifical y support children, CALD and First
Nations people to increase COVID-19 vaccination and communication.
• The Department of Health and Aged Care leads the creation of communication products
on COVID-19, in consultation with the Advisory Commit ee for the COVID-19 Response
for People with Disability.
• Communication channels include:
o Easy read resources
o Webpages for providers on disability support services during COVID-19
o Webinars for providers on topics such as infection control, vaccine consent and
hesitancy, and oral treatments
o Online videos including Auslan content
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o Regular Disability Provider Alerts with information on COVID-19 which are
distributed to all DSS disability and carer grant recipients
o National Coronavirus Helpline
o Healthdirect, a 24-hour service with health information and advice.
• State and territories also have information and in some cases dedicated teams focused
on supporting people with disability to take up vaccination opportunities.
Vaccination rates
• DSP recipients (as at midnight July 25 2022)
o 86.3% one dose (11.4% below general population)
o 84.9% two doses (11.2% below general population)
o
74.2% eligible three doses (3.1% ahead of eligible general population)
o 19.0% four or more doses
Mortality rate (as at 31 March 2022):
o DSP Recipients: 241 COVID-19 associated deaths.
Data collection and localised activation to support increased vaccination
• Services Australia provides near-real time vaccination data through matching of DSP
recipients with Australian Immunisation Register records.
• The Department of Social Services has leveraged programs it manages to raise
awareness of the importance of vaccination against COVID-19 and influenza ahead of
winter, for example speaking with leaders of community organisations delivering services
to vulnerable people in the community including those represented at the National
Coordination Group meeting.
• The Department has provided messaging kits for Services Australia Indigenous Services
Officers, Multicultural Services Officers and Community Engagement Officers and Home
Affairs Multicultural Officers to talk about COVID-19 and flu vaccines on the ground.
• Messaging includes an up to date summary of areas with low vaccination rates and
updated information on COVID-19 and oral treatments.
• The COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic Finder on the Department of Health and Aged Care website
includes features like wheelchair access, low sensory areas, and staff who speak
languages other than English.
• The Social Services Portfolio provides weekly LGA-level data to each state and territory to
activate localised options for people with disability who haven’t yet taken up opportunities
to be vaccinated and to support those with complex requirements.
Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Jodi Cassar, Portfolio Lead, BM,
Portfolio Response COVID-19 Taskforce
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
1 August 2022
MO Clearance Date:
1 August 2022
6
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QB22-000026
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
DFSV Commission
HEADLINE RESPONSE
• The Albanese Government has established the Domestic, Family
and Sexual Violence Commission (Commission) and has
commenced an open, national search for the Domestic, Family and
Sexual Violence Commissioner.
• The Government has invested $22.4 mil ion to establish the
Commission to amplify the voices of victim survivors in policy and
oversee implementation of the National Plan to End Violence
against Women and Children 2022-32 (National Plan).
• Applications for the position of the Domestic, Family and Sexual
Violence Commissioner are open until 14 August 2022.
• Consistent with search and selection processes for other significant
appointments, public-notice style advertising wil be placed in
selected print and online media outlets.
• A vacancy notice wil also be published on the APS Jobs website
and in the Gazette.
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KEY POINTS
• The Commission is an executive agency for the purposes of the
Public Service Act 1999.
• Key functions of the Commission include:
o co-ordinating action across the country so that people
experiencing violence can access the support and services
they need no matter where they live.
o working with Commonwealth agencies, states, territories and
community organisations to gather the data we need to invest
resources effectively and track progress.
o tracking implementation and progress against targets in the
National Plan.
o amplifying the voices of victim-survivors.
• In establishing the Commission, the Albanese Government is
responding to recommendation 23 from the report from the House
of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal
Affairs Inquiry into family, domestic and sexual violence (the
Inquiry).
• Establishing the Commission also responds to recommendation 20
of the Inquiry to establish a program of monitoring and reporting
against the next National Plan.
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If ASKED – Why did the Government not proceed with the
appointment of Ms Catherine Fitzpatrick? Is Ms Fitzpatrick
entitled to compensation?
• The Government wil not be proceeding with the appointment
of Ms Catherine Fitzpatrick, who was due to take up this role
on 1 July 2022.
• This decision was not about Ms Fitzpatrick but about the
importance of undertaking an open, competitive process, a process
the Albanese Government believes is critical to the success of the
inaugural Commissioner.
• The terms and conditions of Head of Executive Agency
appointments, including any entitlement to compensation, are
determined by the Remuneration Tribunal.
If ASKED – When wil the search for a new candidate begin?
What will the process be?
• An open, national search for the Domestic, Family and Sexual
Violence Commissioner is currently underway and I encourage
interested candidates to apply.
• The position was advertised on 22 July 2022 and applications wil
be accepted until 14 August 2022.
• NGS Global is assisting with the search process.
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If ASKED – Is the Commission fully established and independent
of Government?
• On 17 March 2022, an Executive Order establishing the
Commission was made by the Governor-General, with the order
expressed to commence on 1 July 2022.
• The Commission is an executive agency for the purposes of the
Public Service Act 1999.
• While the appropriate basis for the Commission is finalised, the
Commission is grouped with the Department of Social Services for
administrative purposes.
• Arrangements are being progressed by my department as a
priority.
• A senior public servant is undertaking the role of interim
Commissioner. Staff for the Commission have commenced.
CONTACT NAME: Rhiannon Box
POSITION: A/g Branch Manager, Women’s Safety
Policy
PHONE: s 47F
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BACKGROUND / KEY FACTS
Background and Key Facts
• 17 March 2022 – Commission established as an Executive Agency in accordance with
section 65(1) of the
Public Service Act 1999 (see below).
• 8 April 2022 – Ms Catherine Fitzpatrick announced as Domestic, Family and Sexual
Violence Commissioner by the former Government.
• 30 June 2022 – Minister for Social Services and the Assistant Minister for the Prevention
of Family Violence issued a media release announcing the Government wil undertake an
open, national search for the Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commissioner
(Attachment A).
1 June 2022 – Governor General issued an Executive Order identifying the Assistant
Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence, the Hon Justine El iot MP, as the Minister
responsible for the Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commission (see below).
• Recent media coverage of Commission:
- An article in the Australian on 22 July 2022, which announced that the national search
for a Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commission had been launched
(
Attachment B)
- An article in the Saturday Paper on 25 June 2022, which noted:
Several sources tell The Saturday Paper that the April appointment of
Catherine Fitzpatrick as the inaugural Domestic, Family and Sexual
Violence Commissioner wil be rescinded and a proper appointment
process will take place, with Fitzpatrick invited to apply (Attachment C).
- An article in the Sydney Morning Herald on 30 June 2022 which noted:
Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth has dropped the inaugural
Family Domestic and Sexual Violence Commissioner the day before she
was due to start the job but wil allow her to apply for the role in a new,
transparent recruitment process (Attachment D).
• 22 July – 14 August 2022 – Position is advertised to recruit a substantive Commissioner
with support from recruitment firm NGS Global
(Attachment E).
Locational / place considerations: Nil
Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Rhiannon Box, A/g Branch Manager,
Women’s Safety Policy
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
DSS Input Cleared By (include
Greta Doherty, A/g Group Manager,
position):
Women’s Safety
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
26 July 2022
MO Clearance Date:
To be completed by MO
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COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA
Public Service Act 1999
Order to Establish the Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commission as an Executive
Agency
I, General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd), Governor-General of the Commonwealth of
Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council and under section 65 of the
Public
Service Act 1999 (Cth):
(a) establish the Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commission as an Executive Agency;
(b) allocate the name Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commission to the Executive Agency;
(c) allocate the name Commissioner to the Head of the Executive Agency;
(d) identify the Minister for Women’s Safety as the Minister responsible for the Executive Agency;
(e) specify the functions of the Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commission be as follows:
i. provide strategic policy advice to the Assistant Minister for the Prevention of Family
Violence;
ii. promote and enhance coordination across Commonwealth, state and territory
governments, and the not-for-profit and private sectors;
iii. promote coordinated and consistent monitoring and evaluation frameworks by all
governments for the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032
(National Plan);
iv. develop and maintain a supportive and structured approach to victim-survivor
engagement;
v. inform priorities for policy, research and data collection in cooperation with jurisdictions
and relevant organisations and agencies; and
vi. promote the objectives of the National Plan across all parts of Australian society.
This order will commence on 1 July 2022.
Dated 17 March 2022
Governor-General
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COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA
Public Service Act 1999
Order to Identify the Minister Responsible for the
Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commission
I, General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd), Governor-General of the Commonwealth
of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council and under section 65 of
the
Public Service Act 1999, identify the Assistant Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence as
the Minister responsible for the Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commission.
Dated 1 June 2022
David Hurley
Governor-General
By His Excellency’s Command
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QB22-000030
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
1800RESPECT
HEADLINE RESPONSE
• The Albanese Government is committed to ongoing support for
1800RESPECT, the national telephone, online and counselling
support service for people at risk of or experiencing domestic,
family and sexual violence.
• 1800RESPECT is a free, confidential service available 24 hours
a day, 7 days a week.
• Following a comprehensive procurement process, Telstra Health
was selected to deliver 1800RESPECT for 5 years with the
possibility of extension, at a contract value of around
$200 million.
• On 28 June 2022, delivery of 1800RESPECT was successfully
transferred from Medibank Health Solutions to Telstra Health.
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KEY POINTS
• Telstra Health is delivering 1800RESPECT with the support of
specialist organisations DVConnect, Save the Children and
Marninwarntikura Women’s Resource Centre.
• Qualification and skil requirements for counsellors and staff have
been maintained.
• People can stil access the service confidentially, including using a
pseudonym, and have needs assessed by a qualified counsellor.
• Counsellors assist by providing information, advice, short to
medium-term counselling or referrals to a senior counsellor or state
and territory based service.
• So 1800RESPECT continues to meet the diverse and complex
needs of its users, service improvements wil be progressively
implemented from 1 July 2022.
• Service changes will include:
o technology improvements to support a ‘tell it once’ model
of service delivery to minimise the need for users to repeat
their story
o making the service accessible through SMS and video call,
when safe and appropriate
o redesigning digital products, including the 1800RESPECT
website and mobile applications, to improve user experience
and interactions, and
o expanding the service to address workplace sexual
harassment, consistent with the Respect@Work report.
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If ASKED – How has the expertise of the 1800RESPECT
workforce (qualified counsel ors) been maintained through
transition?
• Providing high quality, responsive and trauma-informed support to
people affected by domestic, family and sexual violence is a priority
for 1800RESPECT.
• In February 2022, Telstra Health held recruitment rounds that were
open to the former 1800RESPECT workforce and the broader
community.
• Al counsellors were required to undertake training to ensure they
were informed about the complex and diverse needs of all service
users, and are able to provide the appropriate support.
• The previous qualification and skil requirements for counsellors
and staff have been maintained.
• Team leaders are required to meet additional requirements,
including registration with an appropriate professional body.
If ASKED – Has the service remained uncapped under Telstra
Health?
• 1800RESPECT is a demand-driven service, and continues
to ensure people affected by domestic, family and sexual violence
and in need of counselling can access this support when they need
it.
• Telstra Health wil continue to deliver 1800RESPECT to meet
demand.
CONTACT NAME: Stephanie Rake
POSITION: Branch Manager, 1800RESPECT
PHONE: 02 6146 6740 / 0422 497 933
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BACKGROUND / KEY FACTS
Background and Key Facts
• Department of Social Services (the department) recently conducted a two-stage open
competitive procurement process to secure a suitably qualified provider to deliver
1800RESPECT into the future.
• 24 January 2022 – Telstra Health announced as the successful tenderer.
- Telstra Health, with support of DVConnect and other specialist organisations, was
assessed as offering the strongest service and technology solution with the capability
to provide a high quality, inclusive service.
• Department worked closely with the previous service provider, Medibank Health
Solutions, and Telstra Health to transfer the service by 1 July 2022.
Future funding
• 6 October 2020 – ongoing funding provided through the 2020-21 Budget for the future
delivery of 1800RESPECT.
• 24 January 2022 – former Government announced Telstra Health would deliver
1800RESPECT from 1 July 2022 for 5 years with possibility of extension,
at an estimated contract value of around $200 million.
Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Stephanie Rake, Branch Manager,
1800RESPECT & Capability
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
DSS Input Cleared By (include
Greta Doherty, A/g Group Manager, Women’s
position):
Safety
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
20 July 2022
MO Clearance Date:
To be completed by MO
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QB22-000036
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
Women's Safety Election Commitments
HEADLINE RESPONSE
• The Albanese Government is providing the national leadership
needed to end violence against women and children in Australia.
• Already as Minister I have taken action to release the National Plan
Stakeholder Consultation Report, which delivers a strong evidence
base for the next National Plan to End Violence Against Women
and Children 2022-2032.
• The Government has committed to a $1.3 bil ion budget to support
the implementation of the National Plan, as well as $157.8 mil ion
over four years for an additional 500 frontline and community
sector workers.
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KEY POINTS
• The Government has committed:
−
$157.8 million to generate 500 new jobs for community
organisations, by providing funding for new frontline and
community sector workers who can provide support to women
and children experiencing violence with a specific focus on
meeting service gaps for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
women in rural and regional communities.
−
$100 million for crisis and transitional housing options for
women and children experiencing family and domestic violence,
and older women on low incomes who are at risk of
homelessness.
− To legislate
10 days paid family and domestic violence leave
per year to ensure that no individual should have to choose
between a job and leaving an abusive relationship.
−
$22.4 million to establish the Domestic, Family and Sexual
Violence Commission to act as an advocate for victim survivors
and oversee implementation of the National Plan, including
monitoring and evaluation (see QB22-000026).
−
$77.6 million for respectful relationships to be taught in
schools. The Government wil partner with participating states,
territories and school systems to support the rollout of
consent-based respectful relationships and protective
behaviours programs.
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• To address the unacceptable high rates of family violence
experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women,
families and communities the Government has committed:
− A
standalone Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander National
Plan to end family violence.
− An
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women’s Summit,
chaired by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social
Justice Commissioner, June Oscar AO, in responding to the
Wiyi Yani U Thangani (Women’s Voices) report.
− An immediate boost of
$100 million for housing and essential
services on Northern Territory homelands and $
200 million
from the Housing Australia Futures Fund for maintenance
and upgrades to remote housing across Western Australia,
South Australia, Queensland and the Northern Territory.
− Support for
justice reinvestment in Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander communities with a
$79 million investment to reduce
incarceration rates, including early intervention to stop family
violence.
−
$3 million to fund the National Family Violence Prevention
Legal Services Forum to improve access to justice for
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples experiencing family
violence.
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If ASKED - How and when wil the standalone National Plan for
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander family safety be developed?
• The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Council on
family, domestic and sexual violence is leading work on the
development of a dedicated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Action Plan under the National Plan.
• This means we wil have actions in place in the short-term
to address the service needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander peoples and support the achievement of Target 13 of the
National Agreement on Closing the Gap.
• I am working closely with my state and territory counterparts as
well as my ministerial colleagues the Minister for Indigenous
Australians, the Hon Linda Burney MP, and the Assistant Minister
for Indigenous Australians and Indigenous Health,
Senator the Hon Malarndirri McCarthy, to make sure policies and
initiatives to address violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander women and children are aligned with the broader national
approach.
If ASKED – When/how will the Government’s commitment of
500 frontline community workers be implemented?
• Implementation planning for this commitment is underway.
• Further details of this commitment wil be outlined in the
Government’s 2022-23 Budget.
CONTACT NAME: Rhiannon Box
POSITION: A/g Branch Manager,
PHONE:
Women’s Safety Policy
s 47F
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BACKGROUND / KEY FACTS
Background and Key Facts
• Government committed to generating 500 new jobs for community organisations, by
providing funding for new frontline and community sector workers to support women and
children experiencing violence.
• This is to address the significant number of women who are turned away when they reach
out for help, due to funding and staffing shortages in shelters and crisis support services.
Locational / place considerations:
• Government announcements about the 500 community and frontline workers have
specified numbers of new community sector workers to provide support for women
in geographical locations and for priority groups experiencing violence. This includes
the below selection of announcements (not a comprehensive list):
o Half (250) of the new workers are to be located in rural, regional and regional
communities. This includes meeting service gaps for Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander women in rural and regional communities.
o five new workers in Canberra
o five new workers in Orange
o seven new workers in the Cairns region
o seven new workers in Geelong
o nine new workers in Macquarie
o 10 new workers in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie
o 10 new workers in the Gold Coast
o 17 new workers in the Northern Territory
o 15 new workers in LGBTIQA+ community organisations
o 60 new workers in community organisations that support people from culturally
diverse communities.
Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Rhiannon Box, A/g Branch Manager,
Women’s Safety Policy
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
DSS Input Cleared By (include
Amber Shuhyta, A/g Group Manager,
position):
Women’s Safety
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
20 July 2022
MO Clearance Date:
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QB22-000038
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032
HEADLINE RESPONSE
• Al Australian governments have committed to the National Plan
to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032
(National Plan).
• Finalising the National Plan is a high-order priority for me. The
former Government ran down the clock on its expiration on 30 June
2022.
• Commonwealth, state and territory ministers with responsibility for
women and women’s safety met on Friday, 22 July 2022 and
agreed a pathway to finalising the National Plan by October 2022.
• Al ministers agreed the current rates of violence are unacceptable
and we particularly acknowledged recent tragic events in the
Northern Territory.
• We agreed to work collaboratively towards ending violence against
women and children in Australia.
• Already as Minister I have taken action to release the National Plan
Stakeholder Consultation Report, which delivers a strong evidence
base for the next National Plan. This is something the former
government had refused to do.
• The Albanese Government has committed to a standalone National
Plan for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander family safety.
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KEY POINTS
• Women’s safety is a national priority and the Australian
Government will provide the focus and national leadership needed
to deliver change.
• To support the goal of ending violence against women and
children, the Government has committed to the $1.3 bil ion already
budgeted for initiatives to support the National Plan, as well as
$157.8 mil ion over four years for an additional 500 frontline and
community service workers (see QB22-000036).
• The current draft of the National Plan has been informed by broad
consultation that commenced in 2020 and continues throughout
2022.
• However, I have taken the opportunity to strengthen the draft
National Plan to better address the consultation feedback received
and embed the Government’s priorities and commitments to
women’s safety.
• I am committed to delivering a strong and evidence-based National
Plan that wil meet the needs of everyone in Australia experiencing
gender-based violence.
• This means taking an inclusive and intersectional approach to the
National Plan.
• The experiences, recovery and safety needs of groups such
as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families, LGBTIQA+
people, women with disability, children and young people, older
women, migrant and refugee women and women on temporary
visas must be addressed in the National Plan.
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• Actions to implement the National Plan wil be outlined in two
supporting five-year Action Plans, providing a roadmap for the
investment and efforts required across Commonwealth, and state
and territory governments to implement actions within each focus
area of the National Plan.
• The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Council on
family, domestic and sexual violence (Advisory Council) is leading
the development of a dedicated Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Action Plan under the National Plan while the design and
pathway for the development of a standalone National Plan for
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Family Safety is considered.
• I am working closely with my state and territory counterparts
to make sure we wil have the National Plan in place by
October 2022.
• On 22 July 2022, the Minister for Women, Minister for Finance and
Minister for the Public Service, Senator the Hon Katy Gallagher
and I met with our state and territory ministerial counterparts to
discuss a number of key policy priorities for women.
• State and territory ministers agreed a pathway to finalising the
National Plan by October 2022.
• The National Plan includes a focus on:
o Addressing structural issues that contribute to violence
against women including housing and financial insecurity.
o Building the frontline sector workforce and ensuring women
and children can access support no matter where they live.
o Making sure tailored and culturally-safe support is available
and accessible to all women, including Aboriginal and Torres
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Strait Islander women in remote and very remote
communities.
o The need for person-centred services and better coordination
and integration across systems.
o Eliminating systems abuse and other barriers to women and
children accessing support and leaving violence.
IF ASKED – Why was the draft National Plan not finalised prior to
the first National Plan ending?
• The first National Plan, the
National Plan to Reduce Violence
against Women and their Children 2010-2022 came to an end
on 30 June 2022.
o While the next National Plan was not in place before the first
National Plan ended, there were no reductions in funding or
cessation of services caused by this.
• We need to get the National Plan right. This means taking the time
to make sure we deliver a strong National Plan with strong national
leadership and clear actions on ending violence against women
and children.
IF ASKED – How much funding wil be provided under the
National Plan?
• The Government has committed to the $1.3 bil ion already
budgeted for initiatives to support the implementation of the
National Plan.
• In addition, our Government is showing national leadership by
addressing the structural issues that contribute to violence against
women, for example housing, women’s economic security, access
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to childcare, paid family and domestic violence leave and respectful
relationships and consent education in schools.
• We have also committed:
o
$157.8 million to generate 500 new jobs for community
organisations, by providing funding for new frontline and
community sector workers.
o
$100 million for crisis and transitional housing options for
women and children experiencing family and domestic
violence, and older women on low incomes who are at risk of
homelessness.
o
$77.6 million for respectful relationships to be taught in
schools.
o To legislate
10 days paid family and domestic violence
leave per year to ensure that no individual should have to
choose between a job and leaving an abusive relationship.
o To address the unacceptable high rates of family violence
experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women,
families and communities (see QB22-000036).
IF ASKED - How does the government's social security system
support people leaving a violent relationship?
• There are arrangements in the social security system to assist
people who have experienced family or domestic violence,
including:
o A one-off Crisis Payment equal to one week of a person’s
maximum basic rate of income support.
o A temporary exemption of up to 13 weeks from mutual
obligation requirements.
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o The waiver of a Newly Arrived Residents Waiting Period for
Special Benefit, if one applies.
o People who have experienced family or domestic violence
within eight weeks of claiming a social security payment, may
be taken to have lodged a claim on the day they contacted
Services Australia about the payment provided they lodge an
actual claim within 14 days of the contact day.
o Exemption from the Maintenance Action Test, so a person is
not required to collect child support from a perpetrator to
receive more than the minimum rate of Family Tax Benefit
(subject to meeting other eligibility criteria).
o Any cash or electronic transfer a person receives as part of
the Escaping Violence Payment is not treated as income for
the purposes of social security income testing.
o Services Australia has social workers available who can assist
people experiencing family or domestic violence and make
referrals to other community organisations. An appointment
with a social worker can be arranged by contacting a
Customer Services Officer.
• Where a person experiencing family or domestic violence has a
social security debt they may be also eligible for a special
circumstances waiver to remove their debt.
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IF ASKED – Will the National Plan include targets?
• The Commonwealth supports the inclusion of targets in the
National Plan.
• My department is working closely with the sector and states and
territories to set meaningful and measurable targets in the National
Plan and underpinning Action Plans.
• The National Plan incorporates Target 13 of the National
Agreement on Closing the Gap, which aims to reduce all forms
of family violence and abuse against Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander women and girls by at least 50 per cent by 2031,
as progress towards zero.
IF ASKED – How have you consulted with victim-survivors?
• Monash University was engaged to undertake a dedicated
consultation activity with victim-survivors and victim-survivor
advocates in October-November 2021.
• This consultation engaged 80 victim-survivor advocates from
across Australia and provided important insights into how the
voices and experiences of victim-survivors can inform our forward
program of work under the National Plan.
• The National Plan Advisory Group includes a victim-survivor
advocate as a member.
• We are working on additional strategies to amplify the voices of
victim-survivors.
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IF ASKED – How are the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander people informing the development of the National Plan?
• The Advisory Council was established to provide advice to
Government on the development of the National Plan.
• The Advisory Council is continuing work on the dedicated Action
Plan under the National Plan while the design and pathway for the
development of a standalone National Plan for Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander family safety is considered.
CONTACT NAME: Rhiannon Box
POSITION: A/g Branch Manager, Women’s Safety
Policy
PHONE: s 47F
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BACKGROUND / KEY FACTS
Consultation on the draft National Plan:
• The draft National Plan has been informed by broad consultation processes including:
- The House Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Af airs Inquiry into family,
domestic and sexual violence (298 submissions were received and the committee’s
report delivered 88 recommendations).
- 3 online public consultation surveys through my department’s Engage platform (a
combined total of over 2,000 responses were received through surveys and over 300
written submissions).
- 30 targeted thematic virtual workshops with subject matter experts and sector
representatives.
- jurisdictional workshops in each state and territory facilitated by Monash University
- 26 one-on-one interviews and small focus groups with key stakeholders and other
subject matter experts.
- The 2021 National Summit on Women’s Safety including the Statement of Summit
Delegates.
- Dedicated consultation with 80 victim-survivor advocates.
- The establishment of the National Plan Advisory Group and the Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander Advisory Council on family, domestic and sexual violence.
Standalone National Plan for Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander family safety:
• The development of the standalone Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander
National Plan is
expected to take some time to allow for a comprehensive consultative process that
supports genuine partnership and shared decision making as articulated in the National
Agreement on Closing the Gap.
Recent media/media releases
• On 11 July 2022, the Minister for Social Services, the Hon Minister Rishworth MP,
published a media release regarding an upcoming meeting between Commonwealth,
state and territory ministers responsible for women and women’s safety.
• On 22 July 2022, the Minister for Women, Minister for Finance and Minister for the Public
Service, Senator the Hon Katy Gallagher, and Minister Rishworth published a joint media
release regarding the meeting between Commonwealth, state and territory ministers to
discuss finalising the draft National Plan.
Locational / place considerations: Nil
Contact Officer’s Name and Position:
Rhiannon Box, A/g Branch Manager,
Women’s Safety Policy
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
DSS Input Cleared By (include position): Greta Doherty, A/g Group Manager, Women’s
Safety
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
1 August 2022
MO Clearance Date:
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QB22-000040
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
Escaping Violence Payment
HEADLINE RESPONSE
• The Albanese Government knows women experiencing family and
domestic violence can face significant barriers when attempting to
leave a violent situation.
• The Government is committed to improving the Escaping Violence
Payment (the Payment) trial’s timeliness in delivering support to
victim-survivors.
• Over $18 mil ion has already been provided to victim-survivors
based on their individualised financial assistance package.
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KEY POINTS
• The Payment supports eligible individuals with financial assistance
packages of up to $5,000 to establish a home free from violence.
• The program aims to reduce the financial barrier some victim-
survivors face after leaving a violent relationship.
• The Payment trial provides victim-survivors with another financial
support option when changing living circumstances after
experiencing intimate partner violence.
• It is currently taking too long for victim-survivors to access the
payment and I am committed to addressing this challenge.
• There is overwhelming demand and the Payment is reaching a new
cohort of victim-survivors who haven’t accessed formal support
before.
• Around 80 per cent of victim-survivors are self-referring into the
trial. This has resulted in UnitingCare Network needing to provide
more intensive service delivery to ensure the safety and needs of
victim-survivors are met.
• I am committed to ensuring the Escaping Violence Payment is
responsive to the needs of victim-survivors accessing this support
• I wil continue to work with the UnitingCare Network to resolve the
challenges to meet the needs of those accessing the Payment.
• The Payment is a 2-year trial and is subject to an ongoing and
independent evaluation. I am looking forward to seeing how the
trial is meeting the needs of victim-survivors.
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If ASKED – What is the Government doing to improve the
timeliness of the payment?
• I am working closely with UnitingCare Network to revise the
delivery model for the Payment to focus on timeliness and ensure
assistance is tailored to what each victim-survivor needs.
• The revised model wil aim to increase choice and autonomy for the
victim-survivor by providing choice as to how much support they
need to develop their individualised financial support plan.
• I wil also continue to work with stakeholders and listen to concerns
or opportunities for improvements in the program.
If ASKED – What is the data and uptake of the trial to date?
• The trial was originally expected to support 12,000 victim-survivors
per year. The UnitingCare Network has received over 21,000
individual applications as at 30 June 2022, eight months since
commencing.
• It is anticipated the UnitingCare Network wil support 29,600 victim-
survivors nationally during the trial period to access financial
assistance and wrap-around support to establish a home that is
free from violence and abuse.
CONTACT NAME: Amber Shuhyta
POSITION: Branch Manager, Women’s Safety
PHONE: s 47F
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BACKGROUND / KEY FACTS
Background and Key Facts
• 19 October 2021 – Escaping Violence Payment trial commenced.
• The financial assistance is an individualised package of up to $5,000 based on victim-
survivors needs and generally consists of $1,500 in cash and the remaining funds
provided in goods, services and supports.
• To be eligible for the Escaping Violence Payment, individuals must be an Australian
Citizen or permanent resident, aged 18 years or older, experiencing financial stress
and be the victim of intimate partner violence that has resulted in a changed living
arrangement.
• The Escaping Violence Payment forms part of a suite of options available to those
experiencing violence and complements other family and domestic violence supports
by providing referrals and connections to other appropriate services based on the
needs of the client.
• Of the individualised case plans approved through the Escaping Violence Payment:
o 32.9 per cent of individuals accessing the payment identify as Aboriginal and/or
Torres Strait Islander, which suggests the trial is already performing well
regarding cultural accessibility.
o 13.8 per cent of victim-survivors identify as male.
• The grant agreement with Uniting (Vic Tas) Limited, lead of the UnitingCare Network is
for $178 mil ion (GST exclusive) for the two year trial.
• The trial has received widespread feedback from the broader sector, with the sector in
New South Wales particularly vocal about the trial and advocating for changes.
Engagement by both UnitingCare Network and the department have occurred to
understand and resolve issues raised.
• The department has engaged WhereTo Research Consulting Limited to undertake an
ongoing and independent evaluation of the EVP trial. As part of this evaluation,
engagement activities are occurring with sector representatives as well as Escaping
Violence Payment clients.
Locational / place considerations
• A place-based trial for the Escaping Violence Payment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islanders wil be established in the Cairns region. The department has undertaken a
number of engagements with service providers in the Cairns region, including
Indigenous-led and non-Indigenous organisations, to inform the place-based trial,
including the selection and grant process.
Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Amber Shuhyta, Branch Manager
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
DSS Input Cleared By (include
Greta Doherty, A/g Group Manager, Women’s
position):
Safety
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
21 July 2022
MO Clearance Date:
To be completed by MO
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QB22-000077
QUESTION TIME BRIEF
Domestic Violence in the Northern Territory
HEADLINE RESPONSE
• I would like to acknowledge the tragic deaths recently in the
Northern Territory related to domestic violence.
• My most sincere thoughts and condolences are with the families,
the communities and all Northern Territorians.
• This violence needs to stop and the Albanese Government is fully
committed to working with states and territories to take real action
to prevent incidents like these from happening.
• I acknowledge that the Northern Territory has higher rates of
family, domestic and sexual violence including homicide rates six
times the national average.
• I have had conversations with the Northern Territory Minister,
Minister Worden, in relation to needs in the Northern Territory and
to discuss progressing the additional $10.7m committed to the NT
in the 2022-23 Budget.
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• We have also made finalising the National Plan to End Violence
Against Women and Children 2022-2032 a high-order priority and
are working with our state and territory government colleagues to
finalise the Plan by October 2022.We are working in partnership
with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Council on
family, domestic and sexual violence to develop and deliver a
dedicated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Action Plan under
the National Plan to address immediate family safety needs in First
Nations communities.
o On 28 July 2022, Minister Burney, Assistant Minister
McCarthy and I met with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Advisory Council on family, domestic and sexual
violence to discuss the government’s commitment to
addressing the unacceptable rates of violence against
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.
• We are also progressing our election commitment of providing
$157.8 mil ion to generate 500 new jobs for frontline and
community sector workers to support to women and children
experiencing violence.
o Half of the new workers wil be located in remote, rural and
regional communities and wil have a focus on meeting
services gaps for Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islander
women and children.
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KEY POINTS
• The Government is committed to making sure investment in
women’s safety goes towards areas of greatest need.
• The Government is providing $260 mil ion under a
two-year National Partnership on Family, Domestic and Sexual
Violence Responses with state and territory governments.
• This funding from the Commonwealth is to boost frontline family,
domestic and sexual violence services and to trial new initiatives to
support women and children experiencing violence.
• Payments under the National Partnership include a loading in
recognition of the complexity of delivering services in remote and
very remote locations, including in the Northern Territory.
• The Northern Territory has a total funding allocation of $4.78 million
under the FDSV National Partnership from 2021-22 to 2022-23.
• This includes a specific focus on meeting service gaps for
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in rural and regional
communities.
• The national Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commissioner
wil support the coordination of action across the country so that
people experiencing violence can access the support and services
they need no matter where they live.
• We have all signed up to reducing family violence against First
Nations women and children by 50 per cent by 2031, as progress
towards zero under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.
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• Reducing violence in the Northern Territory wil be crucial to
achieving this aim.
IF ASKED: About new ABS figures showing a significant
increase in violence in the NT.
• Recent statistics from the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ Victims of
Crime show the Northern Territory continues to have the
highest rates of family, domestic and sexual violence nationally.
• I am deeply saddened by these figures and am committed to
addressing the high rates of violence in the Northern Territory.
IF ASKED: What is the Government doing to address family and
domestic violence in the Northern Territory?
The Government is progressing our election commitments to:
o provide $157.8 mil ion for 500 new frontline workers to support
women in crisis, with a specific focus on meeting service gaps
for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in rural and
regional communities.
o support justice reinvestment in Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander communities with a $79 mil ion investment to reduce
incarceration rates, including early intervention to stop family
violence.
o invest $3 mil ion to fund the National Family Violence
Prevention Legal Services Forum, which works to improve
access to justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
people experiencing family violence.
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o improve the Housing in Remote Communities and Homelands
initiative with an immediate boost of $100 mil ion for housing
and essential services on Northern Territory homelands as
well as investing $200 mil ion from the Housing Australia
Futures Fund for maintenance and upgrades to remote
housing across Western Australia, South Australia,
Queensland and the Northern Territory.
• The Government has also committed to delivering a standalone
National Plan for Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander family safety.
IF ASKED: How are payments to jurisdictions calculated under
the National Partnership Agreement?
• The Commonwealth is distributing up to $260 mil ion to states, split
evenly over 2021-22 and 2022-23, on a per capita basis with
loading for remote and very remote communities.
• Funding was allocated on a per capita basis with additional loading
for remote and very remote populations.
• This is the same allocation that was applied to the second and third
payments under the National Partnership on COVID-19 Domestic
and Family Violence Responses from 2019-20 to 2020-21.
IF ASKED: Wil the Government match the previous
Government’s commitment of an additional $10.7 million in
funding for the NT under the National Partnership?
• I am committed to making sure investment in women’s safety goes
towards areas of greatest need.
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• Al governments have signed up to reducing family violence against
First Nations women and children by 50 per cent by 2031, as
progress towards zero under the National Agreement on Closing
the Gap.
• Reducing violence in the Northern Territory wil be crucial to
achieving this aim.
• I wil continue to support the National Partnership on Family,
Domestic and Sexual Violence Responses.
• Payments under the National Partnership include a loading in
recognition of the complexity of delivering services in remote and
very remote locations, including in the Northern Territory.
• I am aware that the former Government made a commitment to the
Northern Territory of an additional $10.7 mil ion in 2022-23 in
recognition of the higher rates of family, domestic and sexual
violence and the increased complexity of service delivery in remote
and very remote areas.
• Government wil consider this commitment through the October
Budget process.
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If ASKED - Will the FDSV National Partnership be extended with
a longer timeframe when the current National Partnership ends
on 30 June 2023?
• The Government wil be considering its commitment to support
women and children experiencing violence as part of the 2022-23
Budget.
IF ASKED: About the alcohol ban ending in some Northern
Territory communities on 17 July 2022
• The
Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory Act (2012) (‘the
Stronger Futures Act’) sunset on 17 July 2022, consistent with its
legislative provisions.
• This means the Stronger Futures Act is no longer in effect.
• The Stronger Futures Act Restricted alcohol in certain areas of the
Northern Territory (NT).
• The approach to the sunsetting of the Stronger Futures Act is
consistent with the Government’s commitment to self-determination
for First Nations peoples.
• The Australian Government recognises the Northern Territory
Government is well placed to administer its jurisdictional
responsibilities, including the responsibility to regulate alcohol
access through the
Liquor Act 2019 (NT).
• The Government has had discussions with relevant Peak
organisations on all aspects of the sunsetting legislation.
CONTACT NAME: Rhiannon Box
POSITION: Branch Manager, Women’s Safety Policy a/g
PHONE: s 47F
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• Established a remote stores licensing scheme.
On 17 May 2022, the NT Government passed legislation which allows communities to ‘opt-in’
to continue alcohol restrictions.
For communities who do not opt in, the NT Chief Minister has the ability to restrict alcohol, if
required. Baseline data is being monitored to inform this decision.
The NT Government can also place restrictions on individuals through the banned drinkers
register, either by the person being referred or self-referring, where the person is prohibited
from buying alcohol.
The NT Government can also place alcohol restrictions on public housing, where the tenant
is able to declare the house and yard as an alcohol-free zone.
Not all areas of the NT are affected by the change in alcohol restrictions. Of the 73 remote
communities in the NT, 67 are classed as ‘General Restricted Areas’ under the NT’s Liquor
Act 2019 and wil continue to have alcohol restrictions in place.
As at 26 July 2022, seven areas (2 communities, 4 town camps and 1 homeland) have
formally opted in to alcohol restrictions
New ABS figures
On Thursday, 28 July 2022, the ABS released the
Recorded Crime - Victims, 2021
publication.
This publication provides national statistics about victims of a range of personal, household
and family and domestic violence offences as recorded by police.
The release showed:
• There were 105 victims of family and domestic violence (FDV) related homicide
nationally in 2021, a decrease of 28% (40 victims) from the previous year.
o This was the lowest recorded number in the eight-year time series.
• FDV related assault victims increased in all states and territories in 2021 compared
with 2020, ranging from 1% in Tasmania and South Australia to 12% in the Northern
Territory.
The data shows there were 5733 victims (women and men) of physical assault in the
Northern territory in 2021, as reported in the ABC news article:
28 July 2022 – ABC News,
New figures show problem of family and domestic violence growing in Northern Territory. The victims of family domestic and sexual violence in the Northern Territory are
predominantly women. Of the 5733 victims of physical assault, 4473 were women or around
80 per cent. The table below shows that the number of FDSV victims in the NT has generally
increased over time between years 2014 to 2021:
Recorded Crime – Victims, 2021
Released at 11.30am (Canberra time) Thurs 28
July 2022
Table 30 Victims of family and domestic violence related offences by sex,
States and territories, 2014–2021
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Number
Sex and offence
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
Northern Territory(l)
Females
Homicide and related offences(e)
3
9
0
3
0
3
3
7
Assault
3,483
3,370
3,311
3,632
3,542
3,239
4,070
4,473
Sexual assault
101
112
102
135
92
70
96
90
Kidnapping/abduction
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Persons(g)
Homicide and related offences(e)
4
14
4
7
3
3
3
7
Assault
4,282
4,096
4,009
4,478
4,359
4,030
5,131
5,733
Sexual assault
111
120
106
140
98
79
111
90
Kidnapping/abduction
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
na = not applicable
np = not published
Cells in this table have been randomly adjusted to avoid the release of confidential data. Discrepancies may occur between
sums of the component items and totals.
Victims of selected offences have been determined to be FDV related where the relationship of offender to victim, as stored on police
recording systems, fal s within a specified family or domestic relationship, or where an FDV flag has been recorded, following a police
investigation.
(e) Homicide and related offences includes murder, attempted
murder and manslaughter. Excludes driving causing death.
(g) Includes victims for whom sex was not specified.
Recent Media
• 28 July 2022 – ABC News, New figures show problem of family and domestic violence
growing in Northern Territory
• 27 July 2022 – Northern Territory News, ‘NT DV Anger’
• 27 July 2022 – The Australian, Multiple articles including ‘NT warned lifting grog
• bans would cause grief’
• 26 July 2022 – SBS News, ‘Nation urged to take notice in wake of horrific NT domestic
violence deaths’
• 25 July 2022 - NT Minister Worden appeared on ABC Radio Darwin seeking
confirmation the Government wil match the $10.7 mil ion announced by the former
government, and identifying a need for ‘at least $15 mil ion per year’ in funding from
the Commonwealth.
• 17 July 2022 – national coverage of a domestic violence incident where the bodies of
a man, woman and baby were discovered on Sunday at an outstation, 25 kilometres
north of Alice Springs.
Locational / place considerations
• Nil
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Contact Officer’s Name and Position: Rhiannon Box, A/g Branch Manager,
Women’s Safety Policy
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
DSS Input Cleared By (include
Greta Doherty, A/g Group Manager,
position):
Women’s Safety
Phone/Mobile:
s 47F
Clearance Date:
3 August 2022
MO Clearance Date:
To be completed by MO
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