The Board overseeing the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) will draw on an expanded Independent Advisory Council (IAC) from July this year, ensuring broader representation for people with disability during this critical period for the NDIS.
For the first time, the Council will include representatives with intellectual disability and deaf blindness, working alongside other new and long-time members as well as a new panel of five expert advisors. The expanded Council, moving from 10 to 13 members plus the expert panel, will start work on 1 July 2017.
Minister for Social Services, Christian Porter, said the new model had been developed under the guidance of the IAC’s Principal Member, Professor Rhonda Galbally, to ensure a broad range of experience and advice to the NDIS Board.
“Since its establishment in 2013, the Independent Advisory Council has provided important advice to the Board overseeing the NDIS, bringing the views of participants, carers and sector experts together to the heart of the scheme,” Porter said.
“I thank all States and Territories for their unanimous support for these appointments and Professor Galbally for her work to expand the IAC and broaden the representation, especially people with lived experience of disability. I am pleased to announce her reappointment as Principal Member of the Council.
“Professor Galbally is also a member of the NDIA Board and has made a significant contribution to Australian and international social development, particularly for people with disability.”
Assistant Minister for Disability Services, Jane Prentice, thanked the outgoing Council members for their service and welcomed the new members.
“The Council comprises a majority of people with disability and I have confidence that the IAC will continue to provide valuable and timely advice to the Board,” Prentice said.
Professor Galbally will be supported by four continuing members and eight new members.
The new Council members from 1 July 2017 are:
The current Council members being reappointed from 1 July 2017 are:
Board Chairman, Dr Helen Nugent , said the voices on the IAC will provide important input to decision making, as the Board guides the NDIS through its transition to full scheme and works to improve the experience of participants and providers.
“The expanded Council will play a key role as we work to improve the planning process, to ensure the NDIS experience is the best that it can be, and respond with rigor and agility to any implementation issues that arise during the transition to full scheme,” Nugent said.
“To supplement the individual Members during this unique period of transition, the Board is also engaging five Expert Advisers to provide advice to the IAC from the perspective of the key national disability and carer peak bodies and the Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Commissioner.”
The Expert Advisers will be invited to participate in IAC meetings as representatives of their office, with the positions also commencing from 1 July 2017 as follows:
Appointments to the IAC are for three years, beginning 1 July 2017. The Expert Advisers will also be appointed for three years from 1 July 2017.