Vision 2020 Australia and member organisations including Vision Australia have come together to provide a united voice to ensure the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is fair, equitable and meets the needs of people who are blind or who have functional vision loss.
Responding to the Senate inquiry into the draft NDIS Bill, Vision 2020 Australia notes the legislation in its current form means that people with real needs may miss out on support because of their age or level of vision loss and the challenges presented by an insufficient appeals process.
“Eighteen leading eye health and blindness organisations from across the nation support the Vision 2020 Australia submission that calls on parliamentarians to ensure people do not fall through cracks in the system,” Vision 2020 Australia CEO, Ms Jennifer Gersbeck said.
“Senior Australians have a right to services and support to cope with the impact of blindness on their lives – but right now neither the NDIS nor the aged care reforms cover them.
“Similarly, there remain concerns that people whose functional vision loss impacts on daily life, such as loss of driving licence or employment, the ability to get information in a usable form or even safely move in the home or community may not get the assistance they need.
“In terms of NDIS appeals and reviews, we want to ensure that consumers can have ease of access, the confidence to appeal decisions and have them dealt with by an expert, independent, disability specific body.
“We want parliamentarians to heed our considered recommendations. If implemented they will help ensure a fairer and more inclusive system of support to people with a disability including those who are blind or who have functional vision loss,” Ms Gersbeck said.
Vision 2020 Australia and its member organisations are strong supporters of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). The NDIS makes economic sense and delivers improvements to the lives of people with a disability. The Vision 2020 Australia submission applies the same logic, is responsible, cost effective and the right approach to helping Australians who have blindness and functional vision loss.
“It is our hope in coming together and responding with one voice, that our submission will assist the Senate Committee to understand that the needs of people who are blind or who have functional vision loss can and must be met,” Ms Gersbeck concluded.
Vision 2020 Australia submission
Responding to the Senate inquiry into the draft NDIS Bill, Vision 2020 Australia notes the legislation in its current form means that people with real needs may miss out on support because of their age or level of vision loss and the challenges presented by an insufficient appeals process.
“Eighteen leading eye health and blindness organisations from across the nation support the Vision 2020 Australia submission that calls on parliamentarians to ensure people do not fall through cracks in the system,” Vision 2020 Australia CEO, Ms Jennifer Gersbeck said.
“Senior Australians have a right to services and support to cope with the impact of blindness on their lives – but right now neither the NDIS nor the aged care reforms cover them.
“Similarly, there remain concerns that people whose functional vision loss impacts on daily life, such as loss of driving licence or employment, the ability to get information in a usable form or even safely move in the home or community may not get the assistance they need.
“In terms of NDIS appeals and reviews, we want to ensure that consumers can have ease of access, the confidence to appeal decisions and have them dealt with by an expert, independent, disability specific body.
“We want parliamentarians to heed our considered recommendations. If implemented they will help ensure a fairer and more inclusive system of support to people with a disability including those who are blind or who have functional vision loss,” Ms Gersbeck said.
Vision 2020 Australia and its member organisations are strong supporters of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). The NDIS makes economic sense and delivers improvements to the lives of people with a disability. The Vision 2020 Australia submission applies the same logic, is responsible, cost effective and the right approach to helping Australians who have blindness and functional vision loss.
“It is our hope in coming together and responding with one voice, that our submission will assist the Senate Committee to understand that the needs of people who are blind or who have functional vision loss can and must be met,” Ms Gersbeck concluded.
Vision 2020 Australia submission