Voice-over [Kurt Fearnley]: On May 15th, 2013, Prime Minister Julia Gillard introduced legislation to fund the National Disability Insurance Scheme - the NDIS.
Julia Gillard [archive]: In March we gave it a place in our nation’s laws. Today we inscribe it in our nation’s finances.
Voice-over [Kurt Fearnley]: This was the result of years of research, advocacy and pleas from the community. The system supporting people with disability in this country was failing. The moment was one that would change the nation.
Julia Gillard [archive]: The people who have gathered here today from around the country, to witness this debate, know what this means.
Voice-over [Kurt Fearnley]: In this podcast, we deep dive into one of the greatest social reforms in Australia’s history - the NDIS. We’ll learn where this scheme came from and why it was needed...
Kathy Herbert: Pre-NDIS, it was the big service providers that had all the control and and very little control for the families. You had no choice.
Voice-over [Kurt Fearnley]: The fight to change the system…
Katrina Clark: You had to battle to get seen or heard by politicians, by media... So we were really trying to build this up.
Voice-over [Kurt Fearnley]: We’ll hear from the people personally affected by the scheme...
Scott Taylor: I have got those goals and more. The NDIS has transformed my life completely.
Voice-over [Kurt Fearnley]: ...and from those it’s failing.
Trish Jackson: The stress it caused me was just unbelievable. I can honestly say that NDIS has broken my spirit.
Voice-over [Kurt Fearnley]: As I try to find out - is the NDIS living up to its principles?
Stuart Robert: Yeah. I reject it again, completely and utterly disagree with you on that.
Jordon Steele-John: Um, I'm speechless. Wow. God, I gotta take a second as a disabled person to absorb that.
Nas Campanella: This is my community. This is our community!
Julia Gillard: This was always a very emotional journey.
Voice-over [Kurt Fearnley]: I’m Kurt Fearnley and this is A Nation Changed.
The full series drops in December 2020.
You can subscribe to A Nation Changed wherever you get your podcasts.
