List of recommendations

Recommendation 1

6.5The committee recommends that the National Disability Insurance Agency develop and implement a plan to further simplify and streamline the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) application process and create and publish accessible guidance materials for rural, regional and remote communities, consistent with the recommendations of the NDIS Review and the evidence received by the committee.

Recommendation 2

6.8The committee recommends that the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing and the National Disability Insurance Agency, through co-design with disability communities in rural, regional and remote Australia, develop a training and cultural awareness program for National Disability Insurance Scheme staff and contractors operating in rural, regional and remote (RRR) communities, focusing on:

building knowledge and understanding of disability;

developing cultural awareness and competency;

understanding and responding to the challenges for people with disability in RRR communities;

greater flexibility in delivering services to meet the needs of people with disability; and

more access to interpreters in RRR communities.

Recommendation 3

6.11The committee recommends that the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, in consultation with the National Disability Insurance Agency, work with the medical profession and communities in rural, regional and remote areas to explore practices and initiatives to ensure that people with disability in rural, regional and remote communities obtain timely access to medical and allied health services.

Recommendation 4

6.17The committee recommends the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing work with the medical profession, the National Disability Insurance Agency and disability communities in rural, regional and remote (RRR) areas to explore initiatives that could help address shortages of medical professionals, allied health professionals and National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) workers in RRR areas of Australia, including:

incentives for NDIS service providers to attract and retain workers based in rural, regional and remote areas;

incentives for medical professionals, allied health professionals and NDIS workers to live and work in rural, regional and remote areas;

incentives and supports for people living in rural, regional and remote areas to undertake local education and training towards medical, allied health or NDIS worker qualifications;

initiatives to attract qualified workers in Australia and overseas to live and work in rural, regional and remote areas; and

working with state and territory skills departments to build capacity and encourage attainment of accreditation in First Nations language interpreting, which builds workforce capacity in rural, regional and remote communities.

Recommendation 5

6.21The committee recommends that the National Disability Insurance Agency incorporate greater flexibility to facilitate travel for National Disability Insurance Scheme participants who live in remote and very remote areas.

Recommendation 6

6.25The committee recommends that the National Disability Insurance Agency develop and publish plans to implement additional First Nations and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse cultural safety training for its staff and partners.

Recommendation 7

6.29The committee recommends that the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing and the National Disability Insurance Agency work with First Nations community‑controlled organisations to deliver culturally safe National Disability Insurance Scheme services to First Nations participants as preferred providers.

Recommendation 8

6.32The committee recommends that the National Disability Insurance Agency work in partnership with First Nations community-controlled organisations to develop communications strategies and materials to deliver information about the National Disability Insurance Scheme in First Nations languages, and work with First Nations community-controlled organisations to create opportunities for First Nations people to undertake interpreter training courses.

Recommendation 9

6.35The committee recommends that the National Disability Insurance Agency collaborate with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse peak organisations to:

improve communications strategies and materials to deliver information about the National Disability Insurance Scheme in community languages; and

improve accessibility and diversity of services from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse providers in rural, regional and remote Australia.

Recommendation 10

6.38The committee recommends that the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing and the National Disability Insurance Agency conduct a review of the current alternative commissioning trials, including drawing on the Maningrida and Katanning experience, with a view to understanding best practice before expanding these arrangements to other remote and First Nations communities, in partnership with First Nations representatives and communities.