NDIS Commission Provider Newsletter - December 2024

Message from the Commissioner

Hello and welcome to the NDIS Commission’s final Provider Newsletter for 2024.

As we approach the festive season and the New Year, we reflect on a busy year across the NDIS sector.

This month, we celebrated International Day of People with Disability, with the theme ‘Amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities for an inclusive and sustainable future’.

Associate Commissioner Wade and I are deeply committed to ensuring the NDIS Commission continues to be led by the voice and experience of people with disability.

A key opportunity throughout 2024 has been the Federal Government's reforms of the NDIS. Just over 12 months ago, the Independent NDIS Review panel released its groundbreaking report which included multiple recommendations and actions to make sure people with disability are at the centre of the NDIS and to restore trust, confidence and pride in the Scheme. That report set off a reform process that is currently underway and includes changing the way the NDIS Commission regulates.

As the regulator, the NDIS Commission’s role is to enable participants to know their rights, and to support providers to deliver high quality and safe services and supports, through resources and education.

A key priority for 2025 is to progress these reforms to improve the quality and safety of support being delivered to NDIS participants. The reforms on the agenda for 2025 include:

The proposed changes to the NDIS Act (Bill No.2), which will strengthen the deterrence and compliance powers of the NDIS Commission.
Mandatory registration for platform providers, support coordinators and Supported Independent Living (SIL).
A new regulatory model for self-directed supports.

You can find more information on how you can participate in these reforms below.

The NDIS Commission continues to support you and your workers through our education and information resources, and registration and screening services.

Your role within the sector is important, and we will continue to partner with all providers to ensure we can deliver impact for NDIS participants.

We will remain vigilant about providers failing to support participants and we will take the necessary and appropriate action where it’s required.

I wish you a happy and safe festive season and New Year.

Thank you to those working across the holiday period; your commitment and efforts are vital in delivering and maintaining services and supports to participants over this time.

Commissioner Louise Glanville

International Day of People with Disability 2024

Our Associate Commissioner Natalie Wade shared a message on International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD), Tuesday 3 December 2024.

The theme of the day was: Amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities for an inclusive and sustainable future.

Watch Natalie’s message on YouTube.

Find out more about IDPwD 2024.

Update on the reform process

We are currently undertaking a range of consultations on reforms to strengthen our powers and deliver greater oversight in the sector.

We are consulting with platform providers, SIL services and support coordinators on how we manage mandatory registration, and on new legislation that will give us stronger compliance powers and increased penalties.

Last month, 1100 people from across the sector joined us for an online consultation session on the proposed quality and safeguarding reforms to the NDIS Act, known as Bill No 2.

We also have three surveys underway consulting on registration and the legislation.

View the recording of the online consultation or read the updated FAQs, and to have your say in the surveys visit the Reform Hub on our website.

Registration reform for self-directed participants

Consultations are also underway to determine what registration might will look like for self-directed NDIS participants.

Self-directed NDIS participants are participants who employ their own supports.

Visit Consultation on Self Directed Supports Registration for more information about these consultations.

New video explaining your obligations under NDIS Code of Conduct

The NDIS Code of Conduct is a set of guidelines that help providers and workers respect and uphold the rights of people with disability to access quality, safe and ethical supports and services.

Earlier this month we launched a new animated explainer video about the Code of Conduct which is designed to help providers and workers understand these important rules.

The video explains the Code of Conduct in clear and simple language, and is provided in English as well as 10 other languages, including Auslan.

You can find the video on the Code of Conduct page of our website.

Please share this video with your workers to make sure they understand their obligations under the Code of Conduct.

Taking action against unscrupulous providers

Together with our partners across government, we are taking action against providers that are fraudulent and taking advantage of participants and the NDIS.

We are part of the Fraud Fusion Taskforce (FFT) which was established to tackle criminals stealing money from the NDIS.

Since it was set up two years ago, the FFT has launched more than 500 investigations, referred 50 people to court, and stopped more than $60 million in estimated fraud.

Read more about the FFT in Minister Shorten's media release: Protecting the NDIS: Fraud fusion taskforce marks two year milestone.

Meanwhile, we are also working across government on a taskforce to identify and take action against providers that charge participants and the NDIS too much for goods and services.

See the results of this work over the past 12 months here: NDIS Taskforce exposes providers ripping off NDIS participants.

Raid on banned Queensland provider

Compliance and enforcement are important to our work as a regulator. We are increasingly enacting these powers against those doing the wrong thing.

Last month, NDIS Commission investigators raided a business that was allegedly operating as an NDIS provider despite being banned by the regulator in 2022.

The business was located in the Bundaberg region in Queensland, and the owner faces penalties in excess of $300,000 if the allegations are proven.

We are actively monitoring NDIS providers, ensuring that they are meeting their obligations under the NDIS Code of Conduct and Practice Standards.

Read the details in the media release on our website.

An illustration of a row group of people all wearing purple or green. One is holding up a megaphone

New compliance register

We've launched a digital, searchable compliance register on our website that details all compliance action we have taken against NDIS providers and workers.

You can search by business or individual name, ABN number, state, and by the type of compliance action imposed.

Go to the Compliance Register on our website to start searching.

Provider Alerts

Protecting participants from fire risks – your responsibilities

Did you know that people with disability are at higher risk from home fires and other emergencies than the general population? In fact, 62% of people who die in preventable residential fires have a disability.

We've published a new provider alert on Fire Safety Measures to help providers and workers understand their responsibilities when it comes to fire safety risks.

Under the NDIS Code of Conduct, providers and workers have an obligation to act on any reasonable or obvious fire risks they observe.

Find out more about being 'fire safe' in the Provider Alert and download the Quick Reference Guide to print and display from the Provider Alerts page of our website.

Guide to managing emergencies

As a provider, it is critical that you have plans in place to protect participants and ensure continuity of your service in the case of an emergency.

We've published our updated Emergency Managment Provider Alert to support you in preparing for emergencies such as natural disasters like bushfires, cyclones and floods.

We urge you to download and use this provider alert to prepare for emergencies.

You can access it on the Provider Alerts page of our website.

The Resources for NDIS Emergency and Disaster Management (R4NED) website is also a valuable resource for preparing for emergencies.

Illustrations of four people using mobile devices

Website update

We have refreshed our website to make it more user friendly and to give you access to information you need more easily.

Our Easy Read resources, which many providers and workers use to understand their responsibilities, can be found on the website in one handy location at: Easy Read resources.

Holiday period operating hours

Our contact centre will continue to operate over the Christmas and New Year period, excluding public holidays.

You can call us on 1800 035 544 from 9am to 5pm AEDT, Monday to Friday or email us at ContactCentre@ndiscommission.gov.au.

You can also submit a complaint via the Complaint Form on our website at any time.

If you have an emergency, please call 000.

Registered NDIS providers can continue to notify us of reportable incidents on public holidays using the NDIS Commission Portal.

Our offices will re-open from 9am AEDT, 2 January 2025. We wish everyone a happy and safe holiday season.

Key resources to help you

Our website has a range of key resources to support you in delivering safe and quality services and complying with your registration.

Find the links here:

Resources for Behaviour Support Practitioners

Connect with us

Stay in touch with the NDIS Commission on social media:

General Enquiries

1800 035 544 (free call from landlines)

Our contact centre is open 9am to 4.30pm in the NT, 9am to 5pm in ACT, NSW, QLD, SA, TAS and VIC. Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays.

To provide feedback, contact the NDIS Commission by emailing
contactcentre@ndiscommission.gov.au.

Thanks for reading!

You can find past issues of the NDIS Commission provider newsletter on our website.