1.1
The Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme (the committee) was established by resolution of the House of Representatives on 4 July 2019 and the Senate on 22 July 2019. The committee is composed of
five Members and five Senators, and is tasked with reviewing:
(a)
the implementation, performance and governance of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS);
(b)
the administration and expenditure of the NDIS; and
(c)
such other matters in relation to the NDIS as may be referred to it by either House of the Parliament.
1.2
The committee is required to present an annual report to the Parliament on the activities of the committee during the year, in addition to reporting on any other matters it considers relevant.
1.3
The committee is also able to inquire into specific aspects of the Scheme.
On 6 February 2020, the committee decided to undertake an inquiry into the NDIS Workforce, with particular reference to:
(a)
the current size and composition of the NDIS workforce and projections at full scheme;
(b)
challenges in attracting and retaining the NDIS workforce, particularly in regional and remote communities;
(c)
the role of Commonwealth Government policy in influencing the remuneration, conditions, working environment (including Workplace Health and Safety), career mobility and training needs of the NDIS workforce;
(d)
the role of State, Territory, and Commonwealth Governments in providing and implementing a coordinated strategic workforce development plan for the NDIS workforce;
(e)
the interaction of NDIS workforce needs with employment in adjacent sectors including health and aged care;
(f)
the opportunities available to, and challenges experienced by, people with disability currently employed, or wanting to be employed, within the NDIS workforce; and
Conduct of the inquiry
1.4
In accordance with usual practice, the committee advertised the inquiry on its website, and wrote to relevant persons and organisations seeking submissions by 16 April 2020. The committee also granted extensions of time to submit in response to requests from a number of persons and organisations.
1.5
The committee received 52 submissions, which are listed in Appendix 1 and are available on the committee's website.
1.6
The committee conducted six public hearings following the establishment of the inquiry:
1.7
Hearings were conducted via teleconference in accordance with arrangements for physical distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Transcripts for the hearings, together with answers to questions on notice, are available on the committee's website. Witnesses who appeared at the hearings are listed in Appendix 2.
The need for an interim report
1.8
This is an interim report, with a final report for the committee's inquiry into the NDIS Workforce to be tabled in 2021. On the basis of the evidence before it, the committee considers it important to draw attention to the issues facing the NDIS workforce, and to make some preliminary recommendations to address them. However, evidence before the committee indicates that more time is needed to present a fully considered report on the NDIS workforce, noting the scope of the relevant issues and the need to consider matters affecting multiple jurisdictions and service sectors.
1.9
The committee also understands that the Australian Government proposes to release a national workforce plan for the NDIS by the end of 2020. The committee will assess the extent to which the plan addresses issues raised during this inquiry as part of the final report.
1.10
In addition, the committee considers it vitally important to engage with NDIS participants, workers and representative organisations on the issues raised in this report, and on the national workforce plan for the NDIS. The committee therefore proposes to hold further hearings in 2021, with a particular focus on regional, rural and remote communities, before delivering its final report.
Structure of the report
1.11
The report is divided into nine chapters:
Chapter 1 (this chapter) provides general information about the inquiry.
Chapter 2 provides background to the NDIS, and highlights issues related to the NDIS workforce raised in previous inquiries and review processes.
Chapter 3 provides background to the NDIS workforce, including its size, composition, employment profile and future growth needs. It also provides an overview of some initiatives to support workforce development.
Chapter 4 considers the current conditions facing the NDIS workforce, to foreground discussion of drivers and solutions in subsequent chapters.
Chapter 5 considers the impacts of NDIS price settings, and the funding model for the scheme, on workforce development. Some preliminary recommendations are made to address identified concerns.
Chapter 6 considers training and qualifications for the NDIS workforce. Some preliminary recommendations are also made to enhance and—as appropriate—harmonise training and qualifications for the sector.
Chapter 7 considers the employment of people with disability—particularly participants—in the NDIS workforce. Some preliminary recommendations are made to enhance employment outcomes.
Chapter 8 examines issues for the NDIS workforce associated with thin markets. Some preliminary recommendations are made to address identified concerns.
Chapter 9 considers general issues associated with workforce planning, and provides an overview of the matters that should be considered in a national workforce plan for the NDIS.
Note on terminology and references
1.12
References to submissions in this report are to individual submissions received by the committee and published on its website. References to Committee Hansard are to proof transcripts, unless otherwise indicated.
1.13
The committee acknowledges that there are variety of terms used to reflect the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and identities. In this report, the term 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' is used, with respect.
1.14
The committee also notes that some submitters and witnesses refer to NDIS participants and other people with disability as 'clients' of particular services. This report uses the term 'client' when quoting from a submission or a hearing transcript. Otherwise, the report uses the terms 'participant' and 'people with disability', with respect.
National survey of workers in the National Disability Insurance Scheme
1.15
In early 2020, the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Social Policy Research Centre conducted an online survey of the workers delivering services and supports under the NDIS. The survey was commissioned and co-designed the unions representing disability workers: the Health Services Union (HSU), Australian Services Union (ASU) and United Workers Union (UWU).
1.16
A total of 2,341 disability workers took part in the survey during March 2020. Survey respondents were from each Australian jurisdiction. Ninety six per cent of respondents were in roles involving direct work with people with disability, and 65 per cent worked with people with higher needs. Sixty three per cent reported that their job was in the not-for-profit sector. Findings from the survey were reported in the report, Working in new disability markets: A survey of Australia's disability workforce.
1.17
As the survey was co-designed by and distributed to members of the HSU, ASU and UWU, 97 per cent of respondents were union members. According to the UNSW Report, while recruiting workers via representative organisations has its drawbacks, it is a common means of engaging workers as research participants and has been used in multiple studies to gather insight into the ways social care work is performed and experienced.
1.18
This report draws extensively on the UNSW Report—particularly to illustrate the conditions facing the NDIS workforce outlined in Chapter 4 of this report. However, the committee emphasises that the findings outlined in the UNSW Report should be interpreted as representing the experiences of unionised workers and workplaces. The committee does not propose to draw conclusions about the experiences of non-unionised workers from the UNSW Report.
Acknowledgements
1.19
The committee thanks all those who contributed to the inquiry by lodging submissions, providing additional information or expressing their views through correspondence. The committee would also like to thank the people and organisations who attended the committee's public hearings.