Recommendation 1 The Committee recommends that NDIA staff have comprehensive training in disability awareness and anti-discrimination, and that the Government support planners and other NDIA staff, including contact centre staff, develop specialised skills in specific areas of disability and participants’ needs, so the Scheme can serve the diversity of NDIS participants. | Noted | The Government is committed to improving the training and development for NDIA staff so that the NDIS works for all participants, including those from diverse backgrounds. There are a number of initiatives underway including mandatory annual training on contemporary disability rights, disability awareness and diversity for all people working at the NDIA, access to a Disability Navigator and Disability Snapshots, a Disability Inclusion Plan, deep dives led by the NDIA’s Disability Champion focused on improving accessibility and inclusion, and co-designing a new Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) strategy and First Nations strategy. The NDIA is also transforming the National Contact Centre (NCC) by redeveloping and expanding the NCC induction training, doubling the amount of training provided to staff, creating and training specialist teams with a new additional advanced skills program, and a skills-based routing model design, which will direct calls to specialised teams based on menu selections. The Government’s investment in the NDIA’s capability, culture and systems will build on these initiatives and allow the NDIA to invest in a workforce capacity and capability package to improve training, tools, and system improvements for planners and partners. It will also improve the consistency, cultural inclusivity, and experience of the planning process for both the frontline workforce and participants. The Government notes this recommendation overlaps with Recommendation 22 of the NDIS Review to embed a highly skilled, person-centred, disability aware culture across all disability agencies and governments. The Government is considering these issues further in response to the release of the final report of the NDIS Review in late 2023. |
Recommendation 2 The Committee recommends that the Government lift staffing caps and improve workplace culture to reduce staff turnover and improve the experience of participants through continuity of relationships. | Noted | The Government is committed to increasing permanent staffing at the NDIA, by reducing insecure labour hire arrangements, investing in leadership capability development and career pathways, and improving Agency culture. The proportion of permanent Australian Public Service (APS) roles has increased from 69.59 per cent as of 30 June 2023 to 75.95 per cent as of 31 December 2023. Between 30 June 2023 and 31 December 2023, the number of permanent APS roles has increased by 1,279 (5,328 to 6,607). The number of temporary roles decreased, with APS non-ongoing roles decreasing by 112 (324 to 212) and Labour Hire roles decreasing by 122 (2,004 to 1,882). 292 Labour Hire workers also transitioned to APS employment with the Agency over this period. Service Delivery roles continue to be the priority area of Agency workforce growth. Between 30 June 2023 and 31 December 2023, the number of Agency Planners has increased by 895 (2,303 to 3,198). The implementation of the APS Strategic Commissioning Framework, released by the Australian Public Service Commission in October 2023, will result in additional increases to Agency ASL in financial years’ 23-24 and 24-25. The framework sets a clear expectation that most roles and functions in Government Agencies will be delivered by APS employees and outlines the limited circumstances in which external workforces such as labour hire can be engaged. The Agency is currently developing an implementation plan to support to support role transition and ensure adherence to the framework for new recruitment requests in the Agency. The Agency is making good progress in reducing rates of employee turnover. Over the 12 months to 31 December 2023, the Agency staff turnover rate for ongoing APS employees has decreased from 11.20 per cent to 7.86 per cent; a reduction of 3.34 per cent. The Government notes this recommendation overlaps with Recommendation 22 of the NDIS Review to embed a highly skilled, person-centred, disability aware culture across all disability agencies and governments. The Government is considering these issues further in response to the release of the final report of the NDIS Review in late 2023. |
Recommendation 3 The Committee recommends that the Government invest in training of staff and updating systems to improve the quality and transparency of decision-making, and to ensure that decisions consistently meet the requirements of the NDIS Act, so participants do not have to tell their stories again and again to multiple people. | Noted | The Government is committed to ensuring the NDIS planning process is simpler and more transparent for NDIS participants. The NDIA’s Participants, Platforms and Processes (3P) Project will improve the consistent application of NDIA’s processes, and better support participants through a new fit-for-purpose business system called PACE, to eventually replace the NDIA’s current Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system and portals. The PACE system was successfully tested in Tasmania and commenced national implementation on 31 October 2023. The NDIA has been working directly with staff, participants, and providers in designing the change program required to support implementation of PACE. The NDIA is building PACE in a way that futureproofs the system, recognising it will need to be flexible to implement future legislative changes and outcomes of ongoing codesign, as required, including changes arising from the NDIS Review and the Disability Royal Commission. The Participant Service Improvement Plan (PSIP) is published on the NDIS website and outlines 51 commitments to ensure NDIS transparency. These commitments have a strong focus on a more consistent experience for NDIS participants when they are interacting with the Agency, which is clearer and more easily understood. The Government notes this recommendation overlaps with Recommendation 3 of the NDIS Review to provide a fairer and more consistent participant pathway and Recommendation 22 to embed a highly skilled, person-centred, disability aware culture across all disability agencies and governments. The Government is considering these issues further in response to the release of the final report of the NDIS Review in late 2023. |
Recommendation 4 The Committee recommends that the NDIA adopt a participant led, user-centred design approach to improve the participant experience, including better supporting participants at life-changing events. | Noted | The Government notes this recommendation overlaps with Recommendation 3 of the NDIS Review to provide a fairer and more consistent participant pathway. The Government is considering these issues further in response to the release of the final report of the NDIS Review in late 2023. |
Recommendation 5 The Committee recommends that the Government address the concerns of participants that a plan underspend might lead to reduced funding in their next plan.
| Noted | The Government notes this recommendation overlaps with Recommendation 3 of the NDIS Review to provide a fairer and more consistent participant pathway. The Government is considering these issues further in response to the release of the final report of the NDIS Review in late 2023. |