By CHERIE DONNELLAN
BARWON residents enlisting the help of the newly-developed national disability insurance scheme could fall victim to the scheme’s “teething problems”, according to a lawyer’s association president.
Australian Lawyers Alliance National President Geraldine Collins said that while the introduction of DisabilityCare Australia was a “watershed moment” for the country, the framework for application and review processes were “unclear”.
The Federal Government scheme, launched Monday, would provide individualised support to people with significant and permanent disabilities.
Geelong would house DisabilityCare’s head office and would serve Barwon residents as one of four national launch sites.
Ms Collins said people with disabilities would regard the scheme as their “great white saviour” but “there are still unanswered questions about the fineprint governing the scheme”.
“It’s not clear whether people have the right to review if a decision made by an organisation that’s adverse to the [applicant] – are they able to challenge it and how?” Ms Collins said.
She also identified the “state-based system” as a cause for concern.
“Somebody might have assistance in one state but might not get [their treatment] covered in another state.
“Some states are more generous than others.”
Ms Collins believed the Government should install “adequate reporting mechanisms to ensure any difficulties, within its operation, can be brought to light and quickly resolved.”
Geelong Mayor Keith Fagg celebrated DisabilityCare’s Geelong headquarters launch at City Hall on Monday.
“What a huge achievement not only that Geelong is one of the five national launch sites, but that we will be home to the head office of DisabilityCare Australia.
“DisabilityCare Australia is about more than jobs for Geelong. It’s about being at the forefront of transformational change at a national level.”
The Geelong DisabilityCare office was unable to be contacted for comment.
