Canberra
The Australian and Northern Territory Governments have reached an historic in-principle agreement today to launch the National Disability Insurance Scheme, DisabilityCare Australia, in the Barkly region of the Northern Territory from July 2014.
The launch of DisabilityCare Australia in the Barkly region of the Northern Territory will offer people with disability the care and support they need over their lifetimes.
The NT launch will also provide valuable experience in delivering DisabilityCare Australia in remote areas, and inform our future roll out across the country.
One of the core aims of DisabilityCare Australia is to ensure that all Australians have access to the care and support they need if they or a loved one have a significant and permanent disability - regardless of where they live.
Over the course of the three year launch in the Northern Territory people with significant and profound disabilities will have their needs assessed and will start to receive individual care and support packages under the DisabilityCare Australia model.
Around 6,500 Territorians in the Barkly region will benefit from the new way of working, through the launch of DisabilityCare Australia in the Northern Territory from July next year.
This will include people with severe and profound disability as well as others who will be able to access information and referral to mainstream services.
Today's agreement builds on the agreements to launch DisabilityCare Australia in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania from July 2013 and the Australian Capital Territory from July 2014.
Under the agreement reached today, the Northern Territory and Australian Governments will share the cost of the launch on the same basis as the agreements reached with other jurisdictions.
The Australian Government will continue to work closely with remaining state and territory governments to reach agreement to roll out DisabilityCare Australia, so that all Australians can have peace of mind that if they have, or acquire, a disability they will have their needs met in a way that supports them to live with choice and dignity.