What will a National Disability Insurance Scheme do for primary carers?

This week the media took flight with the news of the Productivity Commission's firm stand on the need for a revolution in the way disability support is funded, delivered and managed throughout Australia.

Outlined in the Commission's Draft Report of their years long inquiry are several major reforms that would see disability become a 'core responsibility 'of the Commonwealth Government. The reforms include a shift from welfare to a nation-wide two-tiered insurance structure with a focus on assessments, entitlements and self -directed funding.

Families carrying the burden of lifelong accommodation and care for over 93% of people with a dependent disability across our nation were given a glimmer of hope when they read the Commissioners emphatic opening statement that "the disability support system is inequitable, underfunded, fragmented and inefficient and gives people with a disability little choice."

We read about the plan to shift funding responsibility away from the states and territories and place it where it clearly belongs; in the hands of our national government. We read the recommendation that funding should come from general tax revenue and not from another add-on levy as is now widely mooted by many sectors, and we applauded the commission for hearing the calls we have uttered again and again now for decades.

Reading through this two volume report with its heady plans and firm commitment to national reform, we also have a feeling that the overwhelming reliance hitherto placed upon caring families will remain the mainstay of the bold new system. We read that family will be expected to continue to provide personal care and support albeit with a promise of a joint assessment with the person with a disability and the family carer.

The bold new funding system will inject some $6.3billion of new funding into the insurance scheme along with the current state, territory, federal budget spending of $6.2billion - bringing the total start-up coffers to around $12.5billion.

Before we get too excited about these budget figures, we should take a cold hard look at the oft repeated estimates of the contributions of unpaid family carers and note that their current worth is estimated at $42.5billion per annum.

Certainly these values on the worth of carers include the carers of the frail aged, but carers know that these stats are based upon a paid person working a 38 hour week. We chuckle at the notion of such luxury, as so many carers are on-duty 24 hours a day, 365 days a year often for decades simply because adequate support does not exist today.

Then, there is the plan to introduce the insurance scheme in 2012-13. With a roll-out not expected to cover the nation until 2018, we ask the fundamental question about how anyone plans to deal with the current crisis in service delivery - where people with disabilities are given support only when a crisis has occurred, the primary carer dies or refuses to care any longer due to ill health, stress, poverty and old age.

The wondering then turns to the political reality of such radical reform and the possibility of multi- party and multi-jurisdictional agreement, endeavor, support and action in bringing this long overdue plan to fruition.

Paul Kelly, Editor-at-large for 'The Australian' newspaper, claimed in his report (March 2) that Community Services Minister, Jenny Macklin backed a major rethink but warned that change "does not come easily or quickly", and that Prime Minister Gillard's recent comments in Parliament were highly cautious, recognising "there is more the nation needs to do". Kelly's response was "frankly Gillard should have been more supportive."

A press release from the Coalition states: "The Coalition has strongly supported the Productivity Commission's work. The Draft Report is an important step towards providing a better deal for Australians with disability and their carers. The current system of support for people with disability is broken. The status quo is not an option. " "The Coalition recognises that people with disability, theircarersand families deserve a better deal than they get and we need reform. Providing better support for people with disability should be core government business, and we note the Productivity Commission's view that these services should be funded from core government revenue. "And; "We are committed to working in good faith with the Government to deliver a better deal for the provision of disability services in Australia."

Are these 'words of hope' for people with disabilities? We are yet to hear from any of the states and territories about how they will deal with the proposal that they will hand-over all their disability funding cash to the Gillard Government. The savvy 'Business Spectator' clearly has a view about the states reaction in their article 'Gillard mulls $5billion disability levy' (16 Feb, 2011). They remark that "The disability proposal does, however, have backing. Premiers from NSW, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania - along with many union leaders, have all come out in favour of the idea so long as it comes with a viable business plan for sustainable funding, according to the AFR."

Recognition by the Prime Minister that "there is more the nation needs to do" is hardly hopeful to long suffering carers across Australia. If the Prime Minister of our government, whose referral to the inquiry has led to the Productivity Commissions forthright and unequivocal statements for reform cannot be more committed than this, what hope is there to be held and for how long!

It leads me to ask just how will the Australian population react to this new impost upon their tax dollar. Some of the responses to the Business Spectator article alluded above are illuminating:

"Another tax/levy proposal from Labor? Quelle surprise! (See Gillard mulls $5 billion disability levy: report, February 16.) I'm shocked, shocked that tax increases are happening here!" and; "Will those holding private (insurance) cover be able to claim an exemption or rebate for this proposed levy? If not, they will simply be paying extra to provide cover to those too indolent to seek private cover. Sure, there may be scope for a safety net for those unable to qualify for private cover. As for the rest, I think they should choose to buy private cover or deal with the consequences.

It's clear that many unthinking Australian's fail to grasp the enormity of the need for this proposed new disability funding system. The notion of a 'new' levy follows hot on the heels of a flood levy and a carbon tax. Hope begins to waver when I read such comments from Australians who clearly do not have to face the day to day struggle of caring full time without pay and without help.

I have cared for my profoundly disabled deaf, blind and totally dependent daughter for more than 42 years in my own home! I save taxpayers some $200,000 a year on funded around the clock out of home care. More than 2.6 million of us collectively save over $42 billion annually via our free service.

Carers are exhausted, stressed and ill from lack of funded support. If we all give up, the taxpayer bill will be horrendous. Is it fair that health is protected by a levy that everyone pays for - but disability care and support is not?

My daughter was affected by the Rubella Virus; there but for the grace of God goes any one of you. Accident at birth, life or illness may visit upon any one of you. A national insurance scheme is the only fair just and reasonable solution to a problem affected one in every five Australians.

Over 75% of current family carers are women, but they are no longer a free resource because of the uptake of women in the paid workforce. Who will care for younger generations if we don't all pay with current taxes or an insurance levy?

This crisis has been building for decades with year long wait lists for even the smallest level of support. No politician or clear thinking person would be foolish enough to again say no to this plan. The dire consequence of families abandoning their current support for more than 90% of our dependently disabled persons is too horrendous to contemplate.

There is nothing surer than death and taxes. How Australians support and care of our most vulnerable children and adult citizens is a measure of our collective social awareness. Australians are a caring people, please make sure you care about the least of our Australian citizens and give real hope back to families carrying the burden of care almost alone today!