DisabilityCare Australia Fund Allocations for 2016-2017

Brian O'Hart made this Freedom of Information request to Department of Social Services

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Dear Department of Social Services,
Using the data from the Commonwealth Budget and population stats( 15 Feb.2016 ) from the ABS I calculated the per capita allocation for each State and Territory for the 2016 -2017 period. Stats as below:
Population Fund Allocation Per. Capita.

NSW 7,618,200 $56.9m. $7.46
VIC. 5,938,100 $44.0m. $7.40
Qld. 4,779,400 $35.6m. $7.44
SA. 1,698,600 $13.1m $7.71
WA 2,591,600 $18.4m. $7.09
TAS. 516,600 $4.1m. $7.93
NT. 244,600 $1.7m. $6.95
ACT. 390,800 $14.7m $37.61
It was my understanding on documentation provided by a former Treasurer that DCA funds would be allocated on a per.capita basis. Please advise why the ACT will receive the stated amount of $37.61 while the other States and Territories will only receive funds in the range of $6.95 -$7.93 ?

A second query: Why will NSW receive $161,800,000. in 2017-2018 while the next largest amount is only $45.5m. to be allocated to Victoria ?
Thanking you,

Yours faithfully,
Brian O'Hart

FOI, Department of Social Services

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FOI, Department of Social Services

Dear Mr O'Hart,

 

As it is currently framed, your request does not meet the requirements of
a valid request under section 15 of the Freedom of Information Act 1982
(Cth) (FOI Act). It does not specify that your request is for the purposes
of the Commonwealth FOI Act, and you have not provided information as is
reasonably necessary for the Department to identify relevant documents.
The FOI Act provides a right to seek access to documents, but not to
information generally.

 

Your request will therefore be treated as an informal request outside of
the FOI Act. The Department will endeavour to provide you with relevant
information which addresses your questions in due course.

 

Additionally, I note that you refer to ‘Disability Care Australia’ which
was re-named the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) in 2013. The
NDIA is an independent statutory agency, which comes within the Social
Services portfolio. Its role is to implement the National Disability
Insurance Scheme (NDIS), and for further information about the trial and
roll-out of the NDIS, you may wish to go to [1]www.ndis.gov.au.

 

Kind regards,

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Information Team

Commercial, Disability, Housing and Information Law Branch

Legal Services Group

Department of Social Services
E: [2][Department of Social Services request email]

 

The Department of Social Services acknowledges the traditional owners of
country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land, sea
and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to the
elders both past and present.

 

 

show quoted sections

FOI, Department of Social Services

Dear Mr O’Hart,

 

Thank you for your emails dated 31 March 2016 and 10 April 2016. The
Department provides the following response to the questions you have asked
about funding arrangements for the National Disability Insurance Scheme
(NDIS), particularly in respect of allocations to States and Territories.

 

The DisabilityCare Australia Fund Act 2013 includes a maximum amount that
can be credited to the States and Territories in each financial year
between 2014-15 and 2023-24.  It begins at $825 million in 2014-15 and
increases by 3.5 per cent each year. 

 

This maximum amount in each financial year has been divided among (or
allocated to) each State and Territory based on population shares in the
2011 Census.

 

The amount, and the method for working out the amount, of their allocation
that each State and Territory will receive in a given year is currently
under negotiation, but has yet to be agreed between the States and
Territories and the Commonwealth.  Estimates of the amounts each State and
Territory would receive were published in the 2015-16 Budget (specifically
on page 44 of the Federal Financial Relations Budget Paper No.3 2015-16). 
This was not an estimate of the full allocation for each State and
Territory in each financial year.

 

I hope this information is of assistance to you.

 

Yours sincerely,

Clare McLean

Principal Legal Officer and FOI Coordinator

Commercial, Disability, Housing and Information Law Branch

Legal Services Group

Department of Social Services
[1][Department of Social Services request email]

 

DSS acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout Australia,
and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our
respects to them and their cultures, and to elders both past and
present.            

show quoted sections

FOI, Department of Social Services

Dear Mr O’Hart,

 

Thank you for your emails dated 31 March 2016 and 10 April 2016. The
Department provides the following response to the questions you have asked
about funding arrangements for the National Disability Insurance Scheme
(NDIS), particularly in respect of allocations to States and Territories.

 

The DisabilityCare Australia Fund Act 2013 includes a maximum amount that
can be credited to the States and Territories in each financial year
between 2014-15 and 2023-24.  It begins at $825 million in 2014-15 and
increases by 3.5 per cent each year. 

 

This maximum amount in each financial year has been divided among (or
allocated to) each State and Territory based on population shares in the
2011 Census.

 

The amount, and the method for working out the amount, of their allocation
that each State and Territory will receive in a given year is currently
under negotiation, but has yet to be agreed between the States and
Territories and the Commonwealth.  Estimates of the amounts each State and
Territory would receive were published in the 2015-16 Budget (specifically
on page 44 of the Federal Financial Relations Budget Paper No.3 2015-16). 
This was not an estimate of the full allocation for each State and
Territory in each financial year.

 

I hope this information is of assistance to you.

 

Yours sincerely,

Clare McLean

Principal Legal Officer and FOI Coordinator

Commercial, Disability, Housing and Information Law Branch

Legal Services Group

Department of Social Services
[1][Department of Social Services request email]

 

DSS acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout Australia,
and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our
respects to them and their cultures, and to elders both past and
present.            

show quoted sections