Geelong celebrates NDIS turning 5

THE National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) has turned five, and some of its users celebrated the occasion in Geelong earlier this month.

The Barwon region was one of the first four trial sites chosen for the scheme in July 2013, and the NDIS now supports about 6,500 people with a disability locally and about 160,000 people with a disability across Australia, including 45,000 people who are receiving support for the first time.

The event at the Geelong Library and Heritage Centre attracted a crowd of NDIS users and advocates, as well as federal Shadow Social Services Minister Jenny Macklin.

Corangamite federal member Sarah Henderson said the NDIS was transforming the lives of people with disability across the country, including her electorate.

“Supporting every Australian to live their best life is a noble ambition and it is why working together to implement the NDIS is so important.

“The NDIS is also delivering huge economic benefits, by creating new markets and new business and employment opportunities.

“In this year’s budget, the government provided $64.3 million to establish the Jobs and Market Fund to support the growth of disability service providers and the disability care workforce to meet the needs of the NDIS.”

She said about 14,271 service providers have registered with the NDIS to take advantage of the business opportunities it was creating.

For more information on the NDIS, head to ndis.gov.au.