“Hello from Julia Gillard.” Elly Desmarchelier shares insight from her inbox

A congratulatory email sent from one fierce, political redhead to another sees Elly Desmarchelier reflecting on the past, present and future of the NDIS.

The subject line simply read: “Hello from Julia Gillard.” The sender was: “Gillard, Julia (Former PM)” as if the information in the brackets was necessary to tell me who she is. 

Sitting unopened in my inbox between my phone bill and physio appointment reminder surely cannot be an email from THE Julia Gillard.

But as I read every sentence, each exuding more warmth, support and deep understanding for my work than the last, I knew it really was from Australia’s 27th - and our country’s first and only female - Prime Minister.

How did this email end up in my inbox? Well, it was partly thanks to a new friend, Rowan, and partly a result of my ADHD inability to stay still when nervous.

I was at Parliament House in Canberra a few weeks earlier to launch the ‘Defend Our NDIS’ campaign.

When I spotted Julia Gillard’s portrait in the Labor Caucus room, I made a beeline for it.

My support worker took a few posed photos of me smiling in front of the portrait and then, in a moment of cheeky spontaneity, I excitedly pointed over my shoulder with a fan-girl face. A few minutes later our meeting had started and I didn’t give those photos another thought.  

But Rowan, a member of our delegation, got a hold of my goofy shot - two fierce redheads, who had found themselves in the nation’s Parliament - and sent it to Julia’s office. He told me later that he’d sent it because in that moment, I’d reminded him of Julia. She was professional, warm and fun - and he could see me following in her footsteps.

Rowan sent Julia that photo and, as a result, I found myself lying in a state of shock reading this most unexpected of emails.  

"I wish you the best of health and every success in your advocacy work on behalf of every Australian relying on the NDIS for a better quality of life. You are an inspiration.”

An inspiration? Julia Gillard thinks I’m an inspiration? I can retire, nothing I ever do in the future will beat this.

With the email now hanging proudly in my office, I find myself re-reading it often. Recently, I’ve come to realise its content tells you less about me and more about where pride for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) lies. 

While Gillard clearly feels a strong connection and investment in the future of the scheme she started a decade ago, by comparison, the complete silence of PMs who managed it more recently speaks loudly.

Let’s not forget the vote to establish the NDIS was bipartisan - with all political parties voting in support of the NDIS.

Many also forget that it was only four months after that bill passed the Parliament that Tony Abbott became PM, taking over management of the scheme. When he launched the NDIA Headquarters in Geelong just a few months after getting the top job, Abbott declared that the NDIS was “a great revolution” ensuring: “The person with a disability has the power and the opportunity to deliver and get the services they want and need.”

Next came Malcolm Turnbull who, as PM and on the NDIS’ 5th birthday, highlighted how the NDIS was "supporting every Australian to live their best life is a noble ambition and… is also delivering huge economic benefits.”

Finally, our most recent former PM, Scott Morrison, reminded voters he was “a supporter of this initiative from the outset,” right up until the final weeks before this year’s election

But as the national spokesperson of the ‘Defend our NDIS’ campaign, it wasn’t the lack of an email from these men that shocked me. It was their complete silence and lack of public advocacy when the scheme they had spoken so highly of was clearly under threat.

For nine years, Liberal Party leaders assured the public they loved the NDIS, but when they were given opportunities to talk up their support, they suddenly went silent. Why? My personal view is during the election, party strategists understood that when it came to the NDIS, voters had figured out that their words didn’t match their actions.

At ribbon cutting ceremonies they celebrated a scheme that “puts the person with a disability in charge” while also trying to ram through independent assessments, forcing people with disabilities into standardised boxes, taking away choice.

While the public were reassured the budget would show “a Government which is fully committed to the NDIS”, people with disability and their families were living the reality of cuts to their individual NDIS plans, which meant less support or not getting the vital new aid that would increase independence or reduce pain.

We had these guys sussed out - their words didn’t mean much. There was no point sending a supportive email.

But that was before. Now in Opposition, the Liberal Party has a choice to make. Are they going to hand the Labor Party the NDIS - with its huge public support - on a silver platter, or is it going to start the hard work of rebuilding trust with people with disability? Finally matching their words with their actions.

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