States urged to back controversial NDIS reforms

NDIS Minister Linda Reynolds will use a meeting with her state on territory counterparts on Friday to seek an "in-principle agreement" to the federal government's highly contentious scheme shakeup, which includes the introduction of mandatory independent assessments for participants.

ACT Minister for Disability Emma Davidson has been just one of a number of state ministers to join advocates, medical experts, participant families and academics in objecting to the proposed new regime.

While the states and territories co-fund the NDIS with the Commonwealth, they can't block the federal government's plan. However, a united show of opposition at Friday's meeting would be a major blow for Senator Reynolds as she tries to win public and political support before introducing legislation to parliament.

Ahead of Friday's meeting, the agency in charge of the NDIS has published an 84-page "interim update" of its secret annual financial sustainability report to push the case that change was needed to keep the scheme affordable.

The yearly report is presented to the agency's board, but only a brief summary is ever made public. Experts have long called for the report's full release to inform public debate about the scheme's financial state.

The report shows the scheme's cost across the next four years could be $22.6 billion higher than the amount allocated in May's federal budget, on the back of a projected surge in participant numbers.

The agency now forecasts the number of people joining the scheme could grow from 450,000 this year to 870,000 in 2030 - almost 300,000 more than was predicted in the Productivity Commission's 2017 report.

Disability advocates, Labor and the Greens have repeatedly dismissed the government's alarm over NDIS budget blowouts as a scare campaign designed to help them generate public support for the unpopular changes.

After announcing a "pause" on the planned overhaul after she was handed the NDIS portfolio in late March, Senator Reynolds is now pushing full-steam ahead with the biggest - and most controversial - set of changes to the scheme since its inception nine years ago.

The Canberra Times has been briefed on the agenda for Friday's meeting, which will include discussion on the scheme's costs, the results of the second pilot of independent assessments and proposed legislative amendments which would make them compulsory for participants.

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The exact model of independent assessments will be subject to further consultation, with Senator Reynolds having already ruled out adopting the option used in the trial.

The government will also consult on other amendments to the National Disability Insurance Act before they are introduced to parliament.

Under the proposed new regime, participants would have more freedom over how they spend their funds after the results of their independent assessment was used to formulate their budget.

However, The Canberra Times understands the bill would create a number of new rules, including a list of items and supports which participants would be banned for purchasing using their NDIS budget.

The federal government would consult with the states and territories before the new rules are introduced.

Ahead of Friday's meeting, a coalition of Canberra community sector organisations called on state and territory disability ministers to reject Senator Reynolds' plan.

"Proposed reforms to the NDIS have the potential to completely alter the intent of the NDIS and remove choice and control from people with disability," Advocacy for Inclusion chief executive Nicolas Lawler said in a joint statement with the other organisations.

"The continued push for these reforms to go ahead without adequately addressing widespread concerns and opposition, or engaging in true co-design with people with disabilities has resulted in mistrust towards the National Disability Insurance Agency and has caused significant distress to many people with disability, their families and supporters."

The Canberra Times understands that as of Friday state and territory ministers hadn't been provided with a copy of Senator Reynolds' proposed bill.

Senator Reynolds refused to confirm the items on the agenda for Friday's meeting when contacted by The Canberra Times, saying only that there would be "many important issues to discuss and seek agreement on".

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