Submission to the PC Inquiry into Disability Care and Support (NDIS) 
from
Lifestyle in Supported Accommodation (LISA) Inc 
Dear Commissioner,

The initial NDIS concept was that it be funded from a percentage on the Medicare Levy.  Indeed, percentage figures were suggested at the time.  Whereas, we now see government intervention to have NDIS funded from general government revenue, as they see an increase in Medicare Levy (a Tax), hard to sell to the Australian public.

We were in total support of the NDIS being funded from a percentage on the Medicare Levy or similar - Indeed, we supported the call for such a funding base for disability services, many years ago.

The reason we support the Medicare Levy funding of NDIS, is that where people "directly pay" for a service, they are seen to have an entitlement.  No one questions our entitlement to medical services, to drive on the road, or to have our rubbish collected. As we are seen to "pay directly" for these services.

Whereas, most essential services for people with a disability are funded from general government revenue.  As a direct consequence of this, service providers, especially government direct care services, see people with a disability and their families as a nuisance, bludging-off the government and causing service provider staff a lot of trouble.  They do not see them as customers, the need to provide customer service and the customer has  a service entitlement!  

In captive market services (which most for people with a disability are), especially government direct care residential services, staff frequently dislike other staff, they frequently dislike residents, but most of all staff dislike families.  And service management dislike anyone who dares question service level and quality.  Government services rarely contact families who have service level and quality concerns.  Families always have to go to them, as captive market service providers, government direct service especially, have little or no need to retain customers. Therefore they have no need to provide customer service/satisfaction! 
 
We, and many other parents battle 24/7 for just reasonable basic care, let alone quality of life care!  Public servants (the DHS direct care staff) are fire proof!  No one can make them do anything they don't want to!  Heather worked in group homes for four (4) years - like police undercover.  Her report reads like a horror story of abuse and neglect - factors which came across loud and clear at the recent Brisbane Symposium on Abuse & Neglect - We were there!

NDIS funding will be great to get more people into services.  But we don't want them to have to battle bloody minded bureaucracy like many parents/families do now.  We don't want NDIS to provide just more of the same!

Market Place Customer Satisfaction is:  �Keep the customer happy, and you get to keep his business!"   "That means you remain in business - employed!"
 
Captive Market Complaints is:   Under the present DAS management structure, "Complainants can lose more than what they have lost as a result of that which they were complaining about!�

Yours sincerely,

Tony & Heather Tregale
Coordinators, LISA Inc.
Tel:  03-9434-3810.