The agency tasked with regulating the National Disability Insurance Scheme has received a $142.6 million funding boost over two years, after it was given notice to improve conditions by the workplace health and safety watchdog last week.
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The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission will receive $71.2 next financial year and in 2024-25 to support its work.
The commission responds to complaints made by NDIS participants about instances of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation.
The funds will go towards improving market quality and participant experience, as well as getting through outstanding casework and improving the commission's internal ICT capability.
The average staffing level at the agency will also rise by 252 places to 683 in the next financial year.
Average staffing levels give a rough figure of how many full-time equivalent employees agencies can hire. A measure introduced under the Coalition government in the 2015-16 federal budget tied this figure to 2007 levels, causing many agencies to spend more on labour hire.
'We have been concerned for some years': Public sector union
The main public sector union called on the government to urgently increase staffing at the agency last week, after it was issued a Comcare notice of improvement to rectify safety issues, understood to be caused by understaffing and intense workloads.
The commission has requested an internal review of the notice, which is still under way.
CPSU National Secretary Melissa Donnelly said the investment would make a difference, after years of concerning reports from staff.
"It's a significant increase in the staffing in that agency," she said. "It has an incredibly important role for the NDIS to function well, it needs a strong and effective regulator, and people need to have confidence in in the system.
"We have been concerned for some years about the staffing level and the resourcing in that agency.
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"So the increase that we saw last night in the budget is a really significant uptick in the staff and investment and we think it will make a real difference."
The National Disability Insurance Agency will also be allowed a significant increase in staff in the 2023-2024 financial year, up by 722 roles to 5698. NDIS Minister Bill Shorten announced the increase ahead of the budget, saying he wanted it to become "the agency of choice".
But Greens senator Jordon Steele-John, the party's disability rights spokesperson, said the funding would not be enough to solve the NDIS Commission's issues.
"The government has once again in the budget failed to fund the Quality and Safeguards Commission to the extent that is needed and this is really distressing in the context of a [disability] royal commission right now in this country into violence, abuse, exploitation and neglect."
A spokesperson for Mr Shorten said "the commission has acknowledged that workloads have increased over time, consistent with the growth of the NDIS".
"The government has provided additional funding of $142.6m to the NDIS Commission over two years, including approximately $120m over two years to carry out is role to protect participants," the spokesperson said.
"This takes into account forecast growth in workloads."
Miriam Webber
Miriam Webber is a federal politics and public sector reporter, with a keen interest in integrity, transparency and accountability in government. She has been a member of the federal political bureau since 2023, and previously worked as the city reporter. Reach her at miriam.webber@canberratimes.com.au
Miriam Webber is a federal politics and public sector reporter, with a keen interest in integrity, transparency and accountability in government. She has been a member of the federal political bureau since 2023, and previously worked as the city reporter. Reach her at miriam.webber@canberratimes.com.au
