Submission to the Joint Standing Committee on the NDIS: Inquiry into participant experience in rural, regional and remote Australia

This submission was prepared in response to the Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme’s (NDIS) inquiry into into participant experience in rural, regional and remote Australia.

The submission highlights findings from Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre’s major report, Employment and disability in Australia: Improving employment outcomes for people with disability, which focuses on Australia’s track record in terms of labour market inclusion for people with disability and their carers.

Analysis from the report suggests that increasing the number of people with disability who are employed by 10 per cent would raise national economic output by $16 billion per year.

This is a conservative measure based on additional wages but does not take account of cost savings in welfare payments and the mitigation of other supports.

Key areas explored in the report include:

• the wellbeing of people with disability, with the opportunity for meaningful employment with fair pay for people with disability  as being integral to full participation in society
• inclusiveness of Australian workplaces, highlighting satisfaction/dissatisfaction levels with pay and job security
• employment probabilities for carers of people with a disability
• current policy settings and recommended amendments, including a work-first approach and addressing adverse employment incentives for hiring people with disability
• education to work pathways.