NDIS: a new way or more of the same?

The issue I have with the NDIS services being provided by any of these types of large poverty fighting enterprises is that people with significant disabilities will be at risk of being devalued as a consequence: this is the risk of association principle.

If such entities are relied upon to provide services to these NDIS services, there is a significant risk that people with significant disabilities could face further devaluation as being seen as a client of a service who works with a range of other devalued, disempowered and stigmatised sectors of the community.

Should we be in a position where substantial government contracts have been finalised for these charities to provide these NDIS services, I would suggest that these fortunate entities should do all that is reasonably possible to distance this type of work from its main operations. This would mean branding its services in such away that does not draw attention to its other work and perhaps even establishing separate legal entities for these contracts.

One finally concern that I have is the religious bases for some of these charities. In an ever increasing secular culture such as Australia in which there are also a number of different faiths, a major contractor with one particular faith may unfairly influence people with disabilities’ choices to participate and to enjoy the lifestyles that they choose. And, this is a core principle of both the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.