Disability scheme by 2018 under PC plan

While it is yet to commit to the PC’s timetable for a national disability insurance scheme, the government has defended the seven year lead-in period outlined.

While it is yet to commit to the PC’s timetable for a national disability insurance scheme, the government has defended the seven year lead-in period outlined.

Federal Assistant Treasurer Bill Shorten has defended a seven-year lead-in period for a national disability insurance scheme, saying it cannot be established overnight.

Under a timetable recommended by the Productivity Commission a trial of the scheme would begin in a few regions around mid-2014 before being rolled out progressively to full coverage by 2018-19.

The government has yet to commit to the commission's timetable, limiting its response to supporting "the vision" and providing $10 million for technical policy work.

A national scheme would come with an annual price tag of about $14 billion, effectively doubling the amount Australian governments now spend on disability support services.

"There is now some light at the end of tunnel," Shorten told ABC Television yesterday of ageng carers concerned about who would look after their disabled adult children.

"The government is committed to push ahead with this and they're putting in place the first steps to set up the machinery."

The issue will be discussed at a COAG meeting of government leaders later in August.

When asked why it would take six or seven years to have the scheme fully up and running, Shorten said: "If you're going to set up an insurance scheme which will provide lifetime care ... you can't create a national insurance commission to look after literally hundreds of thousands of people overnight.

"The harder question is to ask why it has taken 110 years for any government to actually get to the point we've got."

AAP

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