Government levels work together for early NDIS

Wednesday, 8 July 2015

About 2,000 children and young people up to the age of 17 will have access to the National Disability Insurance Scheme a year earlier thanks to the cooperation between different levels of government.

Penrith Mayor Ross Fowler OAM said Council was proud of the role it had played in getting Australia's first NDIS shopfront to be opened in Penrith this month.

"The early rollout here means nearly 2000 children from Penrith, Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury and Lithgow will have access to early intervention services from September while the rollout to the rest of Australia occurs," Councillor Fowler said.

"The States and Federal Governments have collaborated closely and both provided funding to see the NDIS realised.

"As a Regional City, Penrith Council and its Strategic Alliance partners Blue Mountains and Hawkesbury Councils were keen to support the Federal and State Governments."

Penrith Council supported the early rollout in a number of ways including: 

• finding suitable temporary premises in Henry Street Penrith to meet the 1 July start date.
• providing meeting space and venues for information sessions about the NDIS
• organising, along with Hawkesbury and Blue Mountain Councils a forum for local service providers to assist them prepare for the introduction of the NDIS.
• supporting the organisers of the PossABLE IDEAS Expo at the Panthers Pavilion on 24 and 25 July which will provide information to families of children with a disability, carers and young people with a disability.

The Federal and State Governments established the NDIS to provide eligible people experiencing significant and permanent disability with the care and support they need in everyday life.

Information contained within this news release was correct as at Wednesday, 8 July 2015.