Bronwyn Lines shares her message.
Camera IconBronwyn Lines shares her message. Credit: Supplied/Jon Hewson        www.communitypix.com.au d463256

Halls Head mother worried by State Government’s NDIS rejection

Vanessa SchmittMandurah Coastal Times

Halls Head mother Bronwyn Lines has found it particularly tough fighting the system to provide the best care for her daughter Lauren (14). Lauren has Nemaline Myopathy and uses a wheelchair.

Mrs Lines has been rallying for five years for transparency, certainty and accountability with the National Disabilities Insurance Scheme.

She is the convener of the NDIS in WA Peer Support Group, which has more than 1000 members on Facebook.

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Mrs Lines is concerned Lauren will lose Federal funding after Disability Services Minister Donna Faragher announced the Federal and WA State Governments had agreed in principle for WA to develop its own disability scheme.

MORE: Whopping $3067 gas bill shocks Halls Head mother

WA is the only Australian state to reject the federal model of the NDIS.

“People are scared,” Mrs Lines said.

“I’ve had people crying because they don’t know where they are at.

“Once again, providers and government are making decisions for us.

“We need to know the full details of their ‘plan’, we need to be consulted and we need to have confidence that our government is doing what is right for our people.”

Mrs Lines fears under the WA NDIS carers would be paid less on weekends and it would be harder to switch providers.

She said the State Government planned to roll out the WA NDIS in July.

Mandurah locals attended a fiery public meeting in Swan View on December 6.

Convenor Samantha Connor said they were demanding answers about the details, including appeals, person-centred contractual arrangements, self management and other key differences between the schemes.

Disability Services Commission director general Ron Chalmers said The WA NDIS was the NDIS – it was just delivered locally.

“It has the same eligibility criteria, the same approach to reasonable and necessary supports and is fully portable,” he said.

“West Australians with disability will gain access to all the benefits of the national scheme with the added benefit of personalised local support. People in WA will have the same access to funding and supports as everyone else across Australia.”