August 20, 2025 • 28 mins
Lizzie Eastham and Sam Rickard present Studio 1 - Vision Australia Radio’s weekly look at life from a low vision and blind point of view.
On this week’s show
“What has the NDIS ever done for us”
Our choir of angels give their thoughts on the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
While everyone agrees that it has been, at the very least, useful – many have issues with the bureaucratic hoops that many have to go through, and some of the limitations.
Meanwhile some also have found work within the framework of the NDIS
Studio 1 welcomes any input from our listeners. If you have any experience or thoughts about issues covered in this episode or believe there is something we should be talking about.
EMAIL: studio1@visionaustralia.org or leave comment on the station’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/VARadioNetwork
A special thank you to: Simon; Anthony; Maddy; Alex; Tim; Sarnya; Josh and Tory
Sky’s the Limit Disability Services: https://www.stlds.com.au/ (facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skysthelimit.disabilityservices/
This program was made possible with support from the Community Broadcasting Foundation. Find out more at https://cbf.org.au/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
S1 (00:13):
The NDIS is a very necessary evil I guess. Before
the NDIS, I really didn't have much in the way
of personal support, so I guess I found NDIS very helpful.
Extremely helpful. Although it's made some services become much more
bureaucratic and paper orientated. But overall I think it's been
(00:37):
a positive.
S2 (00:38):
This is studio one with Sam Rickard and Lizzie Eastham
on Vision Australia radio.
S3 (00:50):
Hello, I'm Sam and I'm Lizzie and this is Studio One,
your weekly look at life from a low vision and
blind point of view here on Vision Australia Radio.
S4 (00:57):
This week, what has the NDIS ever done for us?
S3 (01:01):
Yes, we dive back into our relationship with a scheme
that gives us so much to talk about.
S4 (01:07):
As we always say at this point, please get in
touch with the show whether you have any experience of
the issues covered on this week's episode of Studio One.
Or if you think there's something we should be talking about.
You never know. Your story and insight may help someone
who's dealing with something similar.
S3 (01:22):
You can contact us via Email Studio one at org.
That's studio one.
S4 (01:28):
Org or of course, you can drop us a note
on the station's Facebook page by going to facebook.com. Well, Sam,
we are discussing something that a lot of people find
controversial and have a lot to say about. And that
is the NDIS. So, you know, to keep things relatively
positive early on, I wanted to ask you, what are
(01:51):
some things or experiences that you've had on the NDIS
that you wouldn't have had otherwise?
S3 (01:57):
Uh, the support worker is the main thing really. Um,
it's nice to have someone who can drive me around.
And yes, I've got to find myself a new one
at some stage because. Megan, my last support worker, has
gone off and found a life, which is, um, most unfortunate. Well,
for me anyway. How very, very fortunate for her. However,
but I understand that you've got a bit of news
(02:20):
that is sort of related to what we're talking about today.
S4 (02:23):
Well, it's very related to what we're talking about today,
because it hinged upon having the NDIS funding to make
it possible. Last Wednesday, I received the very exciting news
that there will be another puppy joining the Eastham household.
I've been matched with a new seeing Eye dog, so
I'm really excited about that. But um, of course, with
(02:45):
all the excitement comes all the planning and the, uh,
lifestyle change as well. But yeah, we're looking forward to
being joined by little McKenzie, another black lab, female black lab.
S3 (02:57):
And you've already picked out a nickname.
S4 (02:59):
Yes. So I've come up with maca, but my father
reckons she should be called mac and cheese. So we'll
see what ends up happening.
S3 (03:07):
We've started on positive notes. Let's see what everybody else
has to say.
S5 (03:13):
Well, I guess I'd have to say it's not a
bad thing because I'm doing a write out of it.
But at the same time, um, for me personally, I
didn't I didn't really need it because I was getting
all the services I needed with the old system. But
when I look upon it from a bigger point of view,
(03:33):
it's probably a good thing. It's still got a long
way to go to get all the bugs ironed out
of it. It's a little bit bureaucracy filled. I don't
like having to tell them all the things I do.
You know, as far as my personal life, social life,
you know, where do I go? Why do I need transport?
You know, you're telling them everything. Well, I never really
had to before. I really don't like that. And then, um,
(03:56):
a couple of times I've had some issues with, uh,
getting transport subsidies and they've. They've changed subsidy without telling
me when they knew my plan, while at the same
time they're telling me there was no changes to my plan.
And there was and, um, That, um, gave me less subsidy.
So one accrued about him. All the paperwork and administrative
(04:20):
procedures was based on on the one at fault. Wow.
And that, you know, like, everything structural. What changes have
you made to cause us to, um, uh, cut your
transport problem? And because I didn't make any changes at all,
you made the changes. You haven't explained anything to me.
So there's that sort of bureaucracy is sort of a
(04:43):
little bit structured. So there's a problem. In this case,
it was assumed I was the one at fault or
I was the one that made the change or it
wasn't me at all. It was them that decided. For
without even informing me, the changes be made, and then
telling me that changes haven't been made when they have.
So that was a little bit frustrating. But other than
(05:03):
I guess there's bureaucratic hiccups are fairly happy with it overall.
In fact, it's some areas Mary's. It's too good. Another
is it's not good enough. So it's good. You know,
you look at Centrelink and things like that. They've been
going for you know I don't know when the welfare
(05:23):
system came into Australia 50 or 60 years. So many
times to refine it and it's constantly refined. And this
is going to be the same here with the NDIS.
It's going to be constantly refined forever really. But um,
get all the bugs out, but, you know, get out
the bugs, people abusing it. Service providers is particularly one
of the things they don't like is, um, I feel
(05:45):
like I'm a commodity now. Like so.
S6 (05:48):
Yeah, I get that.
S5 (05:50):
Yeah. We're people making money out of you. And, um,
and I'm getting sort of a minimum service. And then
it also changes the nature of charities, really charities nowadays.
Because really, you quite often won't get a service from
a charity unless you've got an NDIS provider, you fund
it through your lawyers. So then they're not really a
(06:13):
charity at all. told their business and they're getting money
off of me. If I didn't have any NDIS issues, um,
they're not going to provide the service. And I've seen
this happen to a few of my friends there. So, um,
it's changed the whole structure of the disability world. And um,
and unfortunately, um, the negative side effect is, uh, people
(06:34):
are making money out of this, and we're a commodity,
you know, but on the positive side, it's we'd be
able to get products that we would not normally afford
or don't have to go through lengthy processes in grants
and that to get them. So it's it's a two
way situation. But I think overall it's a good thing.
And as long as the government doesn't cut back too
(06:56):
much as they've started already, uh, I think things will
level out and hopefully, um, it will still remain a
good positive system.
S7 (07:07):
It's great because it kind of just gives you so
much more freedom and independence to just live how you
want to live. So for me, using it for transport
for Ubers has been a huge thing. It just lets
me go about my day more independently. When public transport
isn't an option I can, I'm not reliant on others.
(07:28):
It's also been great for support workers because it allows
me to, like, connect with people who can help me
with different things. So I'm not reliant on my family.
And yeah, it's it's been really helpful.
S4 (07:41):
So what are some of the night like the most
positive experiences that you've had with NDIS?
S7 (07:45):
I think finding support workers who have kind of become
good friends like that's been a positive.
S8 (07:56):
Now the NDIS has opened up a can of worms,
which is hard to believe considering we are giving people
more money and they are more unhappy, so they are
more critical about what they are getting as opposed to
years ago. They weren't getting, uh, I guess I won't
(08:19):
say cash in hand, but they weren't getting an allowance
to spend on their needs, and they were probably happier,
which is a little unfortunate. However, I do feel the
organizations and service providers has decreased due to NDIS.
S3 (08:38):
From your you personally, how has it benefited you?
S8 (08:41):
Me personally? It has enabled me to keep my house
clean and tidy and up to a standard that a
sighted person would be able to clean. And it's enabled
me to get a driver to dark places, like to appointments,
so I can now be totally independent with organising doctors, dentists,
(09:03):
whatever appointments I need to so that it's not around
my husband's shifts. I can do them in my own
time and be done. Not have to bother him on
his on his days off. Also, um, just that driver
of helping me get to, uh, things for my children.
So I have through the social and community, it's helped
(09:26):
me be a member of a school community that I
can actually be independent in getting to.
S3 (09:37):
So the common thing that comes out of that is, well,
the bureaucracy really gets up everybody's nose.
S4 (09:42):
Yeah, I think I agree with Anthony in that in
order to get the support you need, you have to
justify it by over explaining the day to day minutiae
of your life. In fact, somebody told me once that
the worse you make it sound, the more likely you
are to get the support that you need. And that
is not an indication of a good scheme, because if
(10:05):
you have to, if you have to basically point out
your worst day, but also make that worse, and that's
just to get the support that you need, surely that's
not a good look.
S3 (10:14):
Well, this is something that disability organizations like, um, and, uh,
various other groups are actually trying to fix now, because
recently the NDIS has merged with the Department of Health
as far as its responsibilities go. And yes, there was
a lot to say about the difference between the health
(10:36):
model of disability and the social model of disability. Disability
organisations and well, people like us in general, I think
would be more keen to say, how about we don't
look at us as needing to be fixed and understand
that maybe society to some degree needs to be fixed
as well, and then we may not necessarily need as
(10:57):
many services from the NDIS.
S4 (10:59):
Yeah, I mean I agree with that, but where do
you even start? Um, society needing fixing.
S3 (11:05):
That's well, society is to blame. Uh, as, uh, a
TV presenter used to say. Anyway, uh, we move on to.
S4 (11:14):
Josh, Tory and Alex.
S3 (11:16):
Indeed.
S9 (11:22):
Yes. No. Um, I have had some pretty shocking support workers.
I've had a shocking support coordinator, uh, that just really
didn't fight for enough funding for me. And last year,
I was left with no funding for a few months.
I now have a new coordinator, and he's pretty good. Yeah,
I mean, I do okay, I suppose.
S4 (11:44):
What about in terms of, like, helping you to find
work or volunteering or just doing something meaningful or productive?
Has it helped you or supported you in that way?
S9 (11:54):
So up until recently, I've never really bothered finding like
bothered to find work. I just thought, oh, what's the point?
You know, no one's going to hire me. I recently
got on to seek and, um, I, you know, my
support worker will take me to my, um, job agency appointments, and, um,
I'll email in all like that in the employment agency.
(12:16):
Some jobs and she'll follow up with them.
S4 (12:18):
So so just tell me a little bit about when
you went those few months without funding. How did that
impact you?
S9 (12:26):
Oh, it was a bit annoyed because I couldn't really
go out properly and do things. Pretty much sat around
the house drinking beer. Um, yeah. I had a friend
that would drive me around if I needed to. And, um,
I had a taxi driver that I used regularly. Um,
there's other things I needed to do, and I managed, um,
(12:47):
my supplier could come and do, like, a clean of
the house. Um, not charge me anyway.
S4 (12:53):
Toru, what are your thoughts on the NDIS? And do
you think that it's supported your goals and needs effectively?
S8 (12:59):
Yes, I, I.
S10 (13:00):
Do think so. I have had some support workers that
aren't that great. Um, as, as as Josh has, um,
as I think we all probably have at some point.
But I do think And it's probably going to sound
really horrible to say this, but I do think that
the NDIS can make people dependent upon others if their
(13:25):
goals are met. I guess it doesn't seem like a
an extreme requirement that the NDIS that you meet your
goals on the NDIS. Like you know you can have
the same or similar goal over the period of a
certain amount of years and I sometimes feel like, you know,
I don't know, maybe some support workers encourage this dependence.
(13:46):
I guess you could say.
S11 (13:51):
There's so much going on with it at the moment
that really needs stopping and looking at. Like recently I
had a review on my of my own, and they
have denied so much because they don't even know what
it is. They don't understand the function of what we've
actually requested for the support and why. And because I
work in the field, I've had to fight for so
many clients just to get the basic level of funding
(14:14):
that they need. That doesn't even again match the reports
and everything that we've submitted. It's a shame because it
could be so good. But the trouble is, the planners
that are going through these reports, reading reports, doing up
these plans, they're not trained to understand these reports. They're
reading words on a page without fully comprehending the impact
(14:36):
on the life of the person that they're making these
decisions on. In my opinion, planners should have a minimum
level of qualification in a relevant disability field to actually
be able to even understand the reports that are coming in.
One of the big fights we're having at the moment
is recognizing the roles and skills of developmental educators. Now,
(14:58):
that degree is only specifically taught at Flinders University here
in Adelaide, but it's taught nationally online. So it's still
a national degree. It's an allied health degree recognised by
the NDIS, but so many of the planners go, oh,
they're just behavior support. No they're not. That is one
(15:19):
of their functions. They do so much more than that.
And being denied a developmental educator on the grounds or
the OT and the psychologist can do what they do.
No they can't. OTS and psychologists cannot do what they do,
otherwise the degree wouldn't exist. Lived experience is excruciatingly important,
especially in the upper echelon of the NDIS. Just having
(15:42):
having people with degrees up there that don't know what
they're doing doesn't work. That's half the issue we've got
now is it's just not working because of that. And
unfortunately there's very little we can do about it except
keep complaining. And even that only gets you so far.
It could be so good. But the groundwork wasn't correctly done.
They did all these massive plans for people you know,
(16:03):
that have figured out how to wriggle the system that
don't need it. And those of us that are actually
active and working and out in the community that need
the support. Can't get it. They're cutting back on funding
in circumstances where it shouldn't be cut back. I was
down to the utter dregs of my plan before they
(16:23):
finally approved my new one. I was to the point
of social isolation because I couldn't get out, and then
they finally decided to push it through. After I had
emailed both ministers, I emailed Minister Rishworth before the cabinet changed,
and then I emailed Minister Butler after the cabinet change.
And even then you sit there and you go, well,
(16:43):
nothing's actually being done. You're not fixing the problem, you're
just perpetuating it. There's a lot going around that we
reckon we maybe only got another 5 to 10 years
before it all falls in a heap, because it's cost
too much.
S4 (16:58):
Well, I really want to emphasize a point that Tory
made and that I happen to agree with in the
sense that you can have the same goals listed on
your plan year after year, and there is no enforcement
there to make sure that you are actually achieving those goals.
I don't know if you're aware, Sam, but recently with
(17:19):
the NDIS, they've actually brought in three monthly spending periods.
So you have quarterly funding periods. And if you go
over that amount, you have to wait until your three
months is up until you get your next lot of funding.
So I guess in the sense they are sort of
trying to stop overspending, but there's nothing there to enforce
(17:43):
the achievement of our goals, and therefore it can create
dependency on other people.
S3 (17:47):
Not just that. I mean, there are some of us
that rely on it more than others. And I'm talking
from my own standpoint here. I mean, I probably am
lucky to use four hours of NDIS support in the
space of a fortnight, whereas, I mean, I don't know
about you. I mean, I'm guessing you'd be more reliant
on it.
S4 (18:07):
I am definitely reliant on it. I mean, I think
it comes down to the fact that my vision impairment
is greater than yours. Therefore, there are just some activities
that I can't do on my own, and going to
gym is one of them and I should not have to.
And I don't have to. Generally, I'm pretty good compromise
going to gym three times a week because of a
(18:28):
lack of support. I also find it really hard to
navigate crowds. Even when I had Lacey and she was,
you know, in working condition. Crowds are something really hard
to navigate. So I do need that bit of extra support,
you know, to make it to music practice and different things.
And so yeah, I go through about 14 hours a week,
(18:49):
which is, you know, what I've been allotted. But yeah,
I think there's a spectrum of need there that isn't
being addressed. And I remember, you know, you and I
have had this conversation off air of where they should
have just foundational support programs in place for those that
only need the minimum.
S3 (19:07):
Exactly. And I wouldn't be too upset about that, because
I do know that, um, there are people that have
a greater need than me. The services I use, I
actually do need. It's not exactly as if the need
to take a whole lot of bottles and cans to
the recycling will just go away, because I can't drive.
(19:27):
Surprisingly enough. And I mean, if there was someone who
could come and pick this stuff up for me, then great.
But it can't. Now we're going to cross to a
slightly different point of view, because Tim actually has his
own business that is reliant on the NDIS. And, well,
it started more or less by accident.
S12 (19:47):
I think about when I didn't have it. And so
when my son Shay was a teenager, he played footy
at a place called Ironbank, which is, I know it's
a club in the middle of nowhere, the only footy
club with no town attached to it in the world.
I had to get him to footy and watch his
footy games every Saturday morning, right? My mum helped me
(20:11):
and Shay's mum helped me and we managed to do it.
But if I had had NDIS then it would have
been a simple get a support worker, take us out
and do that. And so the situations that we come
up with in our lives now that require us to
do things like, for example, if you're going to get
an Uber or a taxi somewhere to an event where
(20:32):
you had to meet people and it was very busy
and you didn't know you get there, and then you
kind of feel a bit awkward when you're trying to
find people, but you get a support worker and take
you there. They go. They they either know or they
can help you find the person that you want. So
it takes all of that stress and inconvenience out of
a situation. I'm not a regular user of support workers.
(20:54):
I'm really patchy with it. I only use them when
I need them, but I do if I've got a
day when I've got like a whole lot of stuff
to do and I try to put it all on
one day I get a support worker on and take
me around to all the things I need to do.
And rather than doing it in Ubers or public transport
or whatever. So for me, It's just made my life
a lot better.
S3 (21:14):
Um, but the other side of things, though, you run
your own business and your clientele are NDIS. Um. Um. Participants.
I take.
S12 (21:23):
It well. Well, they are. So I've got a company
called Sky's the Limit Disability Services, and I started it
in 2020 quite by accident. I got a phone call
one day from a friend of mine who said, because
I'd just gotten my NDIS about, I don't know, maybe
eight months earlier. And when I got it, I didn't
know what to do. Like I got given this plan
(21:45):
and then no instructions. Like it was just. Here it is. Okay.
So I went on to the Ndia website and I
looked at everything. I read through everything, and I worked
out the difference between plan management, self management and Ndia management.
And I looked at what things you could use the
money for and all that. I started working with Mabel,
(22:07):
getting support workers and things like that. And um, one
day I got a phone call from a friend of mine.
He said, I got two people that have just got
their NDIS plans and don't know what to do. So
I rang each of them and said, well, what do
you want to do with that? And um, one of
them said, oh, I love sport. I want to ride
a bike, you know what I mean? And I said, well,
you need to get someone on the front of that thing,
so why don't you get a support worker? And he says, well,
(22:30):
a friend of mine wants to do it with me, right?
And so, because I'd been employing people and doing other things,
I said, okay, well, I'll get this person started and
we'll do it right. So I got these two people started,
and then another person came and said, oh no, you've
been working with such and such. And I go, yeah,
(22:50):
it's uh, I mean, I want you to help me. Right?
And this is how it snowballed. And, um, I probably,
I would say I've got 70 clients now, and I
would say I knew 30 of them before. So the
people I've known not well, maybe, but just, um, people
that know me and people have come to me and
(23:13):
and I've helped them with stuff, and then nothing's happened
from there. Or people have come to me and I've
talked to them about it. And then they said, well,
can you help me go the rest of the way?
And it just kind of worked out. I wasn't even
planning it. It was weird. And in about the beginning
of 2022, I'm going, I've got a little business here.
I didn't even realize. I got like ten people, and
(23:34):
I was doing a few hours a week and working
out how to employ people. And I thought, well, I
might as well, you know, see what happens next and
keep going. And but things in the NDIS are changing
all the time. And so that you've got to stay
on top of that. That's hard for people because I'm
legally blind and I want to help legally blind people.
So I basically offer anyone can call me any time,
(23:59):
talk to me about anything they want to know. There's
no obligation or anything like that. But I'll tell you
what I know for free. And if they want to
come and, you know, sort of access supports and different things,
then they're more than welcome to do it. But I'm
in a position now where I've got a nice, stable
weekly thing that is enough to, you know, it's it's
(24:19):
good for me. I don't want to work too hard. I'm.
I don't want life to be too complicated. But yeah,
it's worked out really well.
S3 (24:25):
So describing what you and your business do, can you
do that in, say, um, a short sentence?
S12 (24:32):
Uh, well, I'll say I have had a long sentence. Okay.
We provide daily activities, uh, which include cleaning, gardening, domestic support,
home maintenance, uh, anything like that. Anything around the house
you call daily activities, social community participation in terms of
getting support to access your community and get out in
(24:55):
the community. It could be anything from support workers taking
you to events to going for a coffee. That's the
main area that we do. I personally do a vision
loss support thing, so I've had a few people come
to me with sight loss issues, or they're losing their
sight gradually and I help them to access different services
and things like that. I think that's probably the main
(25:16):
part of it now. There used to be a lot of, um,
recreational stuff that we can't do anymore. So that's kind
of gone off a bit, but mainly all that basic
support that people need and advice on how to do it.
S3 (25:28):
How do you find actually running the business day to
day when, um, accessing the funds from the Ndia, for example?
S12 (25:35):
Well, that's actually not the hardest part of all, but
that so what happens is people do a service, you
send an invoice to a plan manager or a person
and they then can claim. So if you're self-managed, uh,
there's an app, the Ndia app, which, uh, is very
easy to access. I teach people how to use it
all the time, and you just put your claims in
(25:57):
through there. They they come down in a day or so,
probably two days now I think. And or plan managers
do it for you. That's even easier. Uh, the hard
part is keeping up with what you can and can't
do and making sure that when you advise someone about
something that they want to do, that you're advising them correctly.
I mean, if you gave someone some advice or activated
(26:18):
a service and it was outside the realms of the NDIS,
you know, people can be asked to pay that money back.
So you don't want to be in that position to
do that. We keep it pretty simple and we know
what we can and we can't do. But the hardest
part of running the business is keeping up to date
with all the legislation and the changes and things like that.
S4 (26:35):
That's a wrap for this week. A big thank you
to Simon, Anthony, Madi, Sonia, Alex, Tim, Josh and Tori.
S3 (26:45):
That's a big mouthful. And thank you for getting out
of your sick bed. No, no one noticed it, but, um. Yes. Uh,
Lizzie is, uh, suffering in silence over there. And of course,
thank you for listening, including our listeners on the Reading
Radio Network. You can find the podcast of this program,
including some extra content on Apple, Spotify, Google or your
(27:07):
favorite podcast platform.
S4 (27:09):
Next week we catch up with Lily piccolo, an old
friend of the show who chats about her many adventures,
including her experience as a coach at camp abilities in
the US.
S3 (27:20):
I'm looking forward to that. But between now and then,
please do get in touch with the show. Whether you
have experience of any of the issues covered on this
week's episode of Studio One. You never know. Your story
and insight may help someone who's dealing with something similar.
S4 (27:33):
Please reach out to us via email at studio One
at org. That's studio number one at Vision Australia. Org
or of course, you can contact us via all the
usual social media platforms, whether that be Facebook or Instagram,
by searching for VA Radio Network.
S3 (27:52):
Bye for now.
S4 (27:53):
Bye. See you later.
S2 (27:55):
Studio one was produced in the Adelaide studios of Vision
Australia Radio. This show was made possible with the help
of the Community Broadcasting Foundation. Find out more at.
The NDIS is a very necessary evil I guess. Before
the NDIS, I really didn't have much in the way
of personal support, so I guess I found NDIS very helpful.
Extremely helpful. Although it's made some services become much more
bureaucratic and paper orientated. But overall I think it's been
(00:37):
a positive.
S2 (00:38):
This is studio one with Sam Rickard and Lizzie Eastham
on Vision Australia radio.
S3 (00:50):
Hello, I'm Sam and I'm Lizzie and this is Studio One,
your weekly look at life from a low vision and
blind point of view here on Vision Australia Radio.
S4 (00:57):
This week, what has the NDIS ever done for us?
S3 (01:01):
Yes, we dive back into our relationship with a scheme
that gives us so much to talk about.
S4 (01:07):
As we always say at this point, please get in
touch with the show whether you have any experience of
the issues covered on this week's episode of Studio One.
Or if you think there's something we should be talking about.
You never know. Your story and insight may help someone
who's dealing with something similar.
S3 (01:22):
You can contact us via Email Studio one at org.
That's studio one.
S4 (01:28):
Org or of course, you can drop us a note
on the station's Facebook page by going to facebook.com. Well, Sam,
we are discussing something that a lot of people find
controversial and have a lot to say about. And that
is the NDIS. So, you know, to keep things relatively
positive early on, I wanted to ask you, what are
(01:51):
some things or experiences that you've had on the NDIS
that you wouldn't have had otherwise?
S3 (01:57):
Uh, the support worker is the main thing really. Um,
it's nice to have someone who can drive me around.
And yes, I've got to find myself a new one
at some stage because. Megan, my last support worker, has
gone off and found a life, which is, um, most unfortunate. Well,
for me anyway. How very, very fortunate for her. However,
but I understand that you've got a bit of news
(02:20):
that is sort of related to what we're talking about today.
S4 (02:23):
Well, it's very related to what we're talking about today,
because it hinged upon having the NDIS funding to make
it possible. Last Wednesday, I received the very exciting news
that there will be another puppy joining the Eastham household.
I've been matched with a new seeing Eye dog, so
I'm really excited about that. But um, of course, with
(02:45):
all the excitement comes all the planning and the, uh,
lifestyle change as well. But yeah, we're looking forward to
being joined by little McKenzie, another black lab, female black lab.
S3 (02:57):
And you've already picked out a nickname.
S4 (02:59):
Yes. So I've come up with maca, but my father
reckons she should be called mac and cheese. So we'll
see what ends up happening.
S3 (03:07):
We've started on positive notes. Let's see what everybody else
has to say.
S5 (03:13):
Well, I guess I'd have to say it's not a
bad thing because I'm doing a write out of it.
But at the same time, um, for me personally, I
didn't I didn't really need it because I was getting
all the services I needed with the old system. But
when I look upon it from a bigger point of view,
(03:33):
it's probably a good thing. It's still got a long
way to go to get all the bugs ironed out
of it. It's a little bit bureaucracy filled. I don't
like having to tell them all the things I do.
You know, as far as my personal life, social life,
you know, where do I go? Why do I need transport?
You know, you're telling them everything. Well, I never really
had to before. I really don't like that. And then, um,
(03:56):
a couple of times I've had some issues with, uh,
getting transport subsidies and they've. They've changed subsidy without telling
me when they knew my plan, while at the same
time they're telling me there was no changes to my plan.
And there was and, um, That, um, gave me less subsidy.
So one accrued about him. All the paperwork and administrative
(04:20):
procedures was based on on the one at fault. Wow.
And that, you know, like, everything structural. What changes have
you made to cause us to, um, uh, cut your
transport problem? And because I didn't make any changes at all,
you made the changes. You haven't explained anything to me.
So there's that sort of bureaucracy is sort of a
(04:43):
little bit structured. So there's a problem. In this case,
it was assumed I was the one at fault or
I was the one that made the change or it
wasn't me at all. It was them that decided. For
without even informing me, the changes be made, and then
telling me that changes haven't been made when they have.
So that was a little bit frustrating. But other than
(05:03):
I guess there's bureaucratic hiccups are fairly happy with it overall.
In fact, it's some areas Mary's. It's too good. Another
is it's not good enough. So it's good. You know,
you look at Centrelink and things like that. They've been
going for you know I don't know when the welfare
(05:23):
system came into Australia 50 or 60 years. So many
times to refine it and it's constantly refined. And this
is going to be the same here with the NDIS.
It's going to be constantly refined forever really. But um,
get all the bugs out, but, you know, get out
the bugs, people abusing it. Service providers is particularly one
of the things they don't like is, um, I feel
(05:45):
like I'm a commodity now. Like so.
S6 (05:48):
Yeah, I get that.
S5 (05:50):
Yeah. We're people making money out of you. And, um,
and I'm getting sort of a minimum service. And then
it also changes the nature of charities, really charities nowadays.
Because really, you quite often won't get a service from
a charity unless you've got an NDIS provider, you fund
it through your lawyers. So then they're not really a
(06:13):
charity at all. told their business and they're getting money
off of me. If I didn't have any NDIS issues, um,
they're not going to provide the service. And I've seen
this happen to a few of my friends there. So, um,
it's changed the whole structure of the disability world. And um,
and unfortunately, um, the negative side effect is, uh, people
(06:34):
are making money out of this, and we're a commodity,
you know, but on the positive side, it's we'd be
able to get products that we would not normally afford
or don't have to go through lengthy processes in grants
and that to get them. So it's it's a two
way situation. But I think overall it's a good thing.
And as long as the government doesn't cut back too
(06:56):
much as they've started already, uh, I think things will
level out and hopefully, um, it will still remain a
good positive system.
S7 (07:07):
It's great because it kind of just gives you so
much more freedom and independence to just live how you
want to live. So for me, using it for transport
for Ubers has been a huge thing. It just lets
me go about my day more independently. When public transport
isn't an option I can, I'm not reliant on others.
(07:28):
It's also been great for support workers because it allows
me to, like, connect with people who can help me
with different things. So I'm not reliant on my family.
And yeah, it's it's been really helpful.
S4 (07:41):
So what are some of the night like the most
positive experiences that you've had with NDIS?
S7 (07:45):
I think finding support workers who have kind of become
good friends like that's been a positive.
S8 (07:56):
Now the NDIS has opened up a can of worms,
which is hard to believe considering we are giving people
more money and they are more unhappy, so they are
more critical about what they are getting as opposed to
years ago. They weren't getting, uh, I guess I won't
(08:19):
say cash in hand, but they weren't getting an allowance
to spend on their needs, and they were probably happier,
which is a little unfortunate. However, I do feel the
organizations and service providers has decreased due to NDIS.
S3 (08:38):
From your you personally, how has it benefited you?
S8 (08:41):
Me personally? It has enabled me to keep my house
clean and tidy and up to a standard that a
sighted person would be able to clean. And it's enabled
me to get a driver to dark places, like to appointments,
so I can now be totally independent with organising doctors, dentists,
(09:03):
whatever appointments I need to so that it's not around
my husband's shifts. I can do them in my own
time and be done. Not have to bother him on
his on his days off. Also, um, just that driver
of helping me get to, uh, things for my children.
So I have through the social and community, it's helped
(09:26):
me be a member of a school community that I
can actually be independent in getting to.
S3 (09:37):
So the common thing that comes out of that is, well,
the bureaucracy really gets up everybody's nose.
S4 (09:42):
Yeah, I think I agree with Anthony in that in
order to get the support you need, you have to
justify it by over explaining the day to day minutiae
of your life. In fact, somebody told me once that
the worse you make it sound, the more likely you
are to get the support that you need. And that
is not an indication of a good scheme, because if
(10:05):
you have to, if you have to basically point out
your worst day, but also make that worse, and that's
just to get the support that you need, surely that's
not a good look.
S3 (10:14):
Well, this is something that disability organizations like, um, and, uh,
various other groups are actually trying to fix now, because
recently the NDIS has merged with the Department of Health
as far as its responsibilities go. And yes, there was
a lot to say about the difference between the health
(10:36):
model of disability and the social model of disability. Disability
organisations and well, people like us in general, I think
would be more keen to say, how about we don't
look at us as needing to be fixed and understand
that maybe society to some degree needs to be fixed
as well, and then we may not necessarily need as
(10:57):
many services from the NDIS.
S4 (10:59):
Yeah, I mean I agree with that, but where do
you even start? Um, society needing fixing.
S3 (11:05):
That's well, society is to blame. Uh, as, uh, a
TV presenter used to say. Anyway, uh, we move on to.
S4 (11:14):
Josh, Tory and Alex.
S3 (11:16):
Indeed.
S9 (11:22):
Yes. No. Um, I have had some pretty shocking support workers.
I've had a shocking support coordinator, uh, that just really
didn't fight for enough funding for me. And last year,
I was left with no funding for a few months.
I now have a new coordinator, and he's pretty good. Yeah,
I mean, I do okay, I suppose.
S4 (11:44):
What about in terms of, like, helping you to find
work or volunteering or just doing something meaningful or productive?
Has it helped you or supported you in that way?
S9 (11:54):
So up until recently, I've never really bothered finding like
bothered to find work. I just thought, oh, what's the point?
You know, no one's going to hire me. I recently
got on to seek and, um, I, you know, my
support worker will take me to my, um, job agency appointments, and, um,
I'll email in all like that in the employment agency.
(12:16):
Some jobs and she'll follow up with them.
S4 (12:18):
So so just tell me a little bit about when
you went those few months without funding. How did that
impact you?
S9 (12:26):
Oh, it was a bit annoyed because I couldn't really
go out properly and do things. Pretty much sat around
the house drinking beer. Um, yeah. I had a friend
that would drive me around if I needed to. And, um,
I had a taxi driver that I used regularly. Um,
there's other things I needed to do, and I managed, um,
(12:47):
my supplier could come and do, like, a clean of
the house. Um, not charge me anyway.
S4 (12:53):
Toru, what are your thoughts on the NDIS? And do
you think that it's supported your goals and needs effectively?
S8 (12:59):
Yes, I, I.
S10 (13:00):
Do think so. I have had some support workers that
aren't that great. Um, as, as as Josh has, um,
as I think we all probably have at some point.
But I do think And it's probably going to sound
really horrible to say this, but I do think that
the NDIS can make people dependent upon others if their
(13:25):
goals are met. I guess it doesn't seem like a
an extreme requirement that the NDIS that you meet your
goals on the NDIS. Like you know you can have
the same or similar goal over the period of a
certain amount of years and I sometimes feel like, you know,
I don't know, maybe some support workers encourage this dependence.
(13:46):
I guess you could say.
S11 (13:51):
There's so much going on with it at the moment
that really needs stopping and looking at. Like recently I
had a review on my of my own, and they
have denied so much because they don't even know what
it is. They don't understand the function of what we've
actually requested for the support and why. And because I
work in the field, I've had to fight for so
many clients just to get the basic level of funding
(14:14):
that they need. That doesn't even again match the reports
and everything that we've submitted. It's a shame because it
could be so good. But the trouble is, the planners
that are going through these reports, reading reports, doing up
these plans, they're not trained to understand these reports. They're
reading words on a page without fully comprehending the impact
(14:36):
on the life of the person that they're making these
decisions on. In my opinion, planners should have a minimum
level of qualification in a relevant disability field to actually
be able to even understand the reports that are coming in.
One of the big fights we're having at the moment
is recognizing the roles and skills of developmental educators. Now,
(14:58):
that degree is only specifically taught at Flinders University here
in Adelaide, but it's taught nationally online. So it's still
a national degree. It's an allied health degree recognised by
the NDIS, but so many of the planners go, oh,
they're just behavior support. No they're not. That is one
(15:19):
of their functions. They do so much more than that.
And being denied a developmental educator on the grounds or
the OT and the psychologist can do what they do.
No they can't. OTS and psychologists cannot do what they do,
otherwise the degree wouldn't exist. Lived experience is excruciatingly important,
especially in the upper echelon of the NDIS. Just having
(15:42):
having people with degrees up there that don't know what
they're doing doesn't work. That's half the issue we've got
now is it's just not working because of that. And
unfortunately there's very little we can do about it except
keep complaining. And even that only gets you so far.
It could be so good. But the groundwork wasn't correctly done.
They did all these massive plans for people you know,
(16:03):
that have figured out how to wriggle the system that
don't need it. And those of us that are actually
active and working and out in the community that need
the support. Can't get it. They're cutting back on funding
in circumstances where it shouldn't be cut back. I was
down to the utter dregs of my plan before they
(16:23):
finally approved my new one. I was to the point
of social isolation because I couldn't get out, and then
they finally decided to push it through. After I had
emailed both ministers, I emailed Minister Rishworth before the cabinet changed,
and then I emailed Minister Butler after the cabinet change.
And even then you sit there and you go, well,
(16:43):
nothing's actually being done. You're not fixing the problem, you're
just perpetuating it. There's a lot going around that we
reckon we maybe only got another 5 to 10 years
before it all falls in a heap, because it's cost
too much.
S4 (16:58):
Well, I really want to emphasize a point that Tory
made and that I happen to agree with in the
sense that you can have the same goals listed on
your plan year after year, and there is no enforcement
there to make sure that you are actually achieving those goals.
I don't know if you're aware, Sam, but recently with
(17:19):
the NDIS, they've actually brought in three monthly spending periods.
So you have quarterly funding periods. And if you go
over that amount, you have to wait until your three
months is up until you get your next lot of funding.
So I guess in the sense they are sort of
trying to stop overspending, but there's nothing there to enforce
(17:43):
the achievement of our goals, and therefore it can create
dependency on other people.
S3 (17:47):
Not just that. I mean, there are some of us
that rely on it more than others. And I'm talking
from my own standpoint here. I mean, I probably am
lucky to use four hours of NDIS support in the
space of a fortnight, whereas, I mean, I don't know
about you. I mean, I'm guessing you'd be more reliant
on it.
S4 (18:07):
I am definitely reliant on it. I mean, I think
it comes down to the fact that my vision impairment
is greater than yours. Therefore, there are just some activities
that I can't do on my own, and going to
gym is one of them and I should not have to.
And I don't have to. Generally, I'm pretty good compromise
going to gym three times a week because of a
(18:28):
lack of support. I also find it really hard to
navigate crowds. Even when I had Lacey and she was,
you know, in working condition. Crowds are something really hard
to navigate. So I do need that bit of extra support,
you know, to make it to music practice and different things.
And so yeah, I go through about 14 hours a week,
(18:49):
which is, you know, what I've been allotted. But yeah,
I think there's a spectrum of need there that isn't
being addressed. And I remember, you know, you and I
have had this conversation off air of where they should
have just foundational support programs in place for those that
only need the minimum.
S3 (19:07):
Exactly. And I wouldn't be too upset about that, because
I do know that, um, there are people that have
a greater need than me. The services I use, I
actually do need. It's not exactly as if the need
to take a whole lot of bottles and cans to
the recycling will just go away, because I can't drive.
(19:27):
Surprisingly enough. And I mean, if there was someone who
could come and pick this stuff up for me, then great.
But it can't. Now we're going to cross to a
slightly different point of view, because Tim actually has his
own business that is reliant on the NDIS. And, well,
it started more or less by accident.
S12 (19:47):
I think about when I didn't have it. And so
when my son Shay was a teenager, he played footy
at a place called Ironbank, which is, I know it's
a club in the middle of nowhere, the only footy
club with no town attached to it in the world.
I had to get him to footy and watch his
footy games every Saturday morning, right? My mum helped me
(20:11):
and Shay's mum helped me and we managed to do it.
But if I had had NDIS then it would have
been a simple get a support worker, take us out
and do that. And so the situations that we come
up with in our lives now that require us to
do things like, for example, if you're going to get
an Uber or a taxi somewhere to an event where
(20:32):
you had to meet people and it was very busy
and you didn't know you get there, and then you
kind of feel a bit awkward when you're trying to
find people, but you get a support worker and take
you there. They go. They they either know or they
can help you find the person that you want. So
it takes all of that stress and inconvenience out of
a situation. I'm not a regular user of support workers.
(20:54):
I'm really patchy with it. I only use them when
I need them, but I do if I've got a
day when I've got like a whole lot of stuff
to do and I try to put it all on
one day I get a support worker on and take
me around to all the things I need to do.
And rather than doing it in Ubers or public transport
or whatever. So for me, It's just made my life
a lot better.
S3 (21:14):
Um, but the other side of things, though, you run
your own business and your clientele are NDIS. Um. Um. Participants.
I take.
S12 (21:23):
It well. Well, they are. So I've got a company
called Sky's the Limit Disability Services, and I started it
in 2020 quite by accident. I got a phone call
one day from a friend of mine who said, because
I'd just gotten my NDIS about, I don't know, maybe
eight months earlier. And when I got it, I didn't
know what to do. Like I got given this plan
(21:45):
and then no instructions. Like it was just. Here it is. Okay.
So I went on to the Ndia website and I
looked at everything. I read through everything, and I worked
out the difference between plan management, self management and Ndia management.
And I looked at what things you could use the
money for and all that. I started working with Mabel,
(22:07):
getting support workers and things like that. And um, one
day I got a phone call from a friend of mine.
He said, I got two people that have just got
their NDIS plans and don't know what to do. So
I rang each of them and said, well, what do
you want to do with that? And um, one of
them said, oh, I love sport. I want to ride
a bike, you know what I mean? And I said, well,
you need to get someone on the front of that thing,
so why don't you get a support worker? And he says, well,
(22:30):
a friend of mine wants to do it with me, right?
And so, because I'd been employing people and doing other things,
I said, okay, well, I'll get this person started and
we'll do it right. So I got these two people started,
and then another person came and said, oh no, you've
been working with such and such. And I go, yeah,
(22:50):
it's uh, I mean, I want you to help me. Right?
And this is how it snowballed. And, um, I probably,
I would say I've got 70 clients now, and I
would say I knew 30 of them before. So the
people I've known not well, maybe, but just, um, people
that know me and people have come to me and
(23:13):
and I've helped them with stuff, and then nothing's happened
from there. Or people have come to me and I've
talked to them about it. And then they said, well,
can you help me go the rest of the way?
And it just kind of worked out. I wasn't even
planning it. It was weird. And in about the beginning
of 2022, I'm going, I've got a little business here.
I didn't even realize. I got like ten people, and
(23:34):
I was doing a few hours a week and working
out how to employ people. And I thought, well, I
might as well, you know, see what happens next and
keep going. And but things in the NDIS are changing
all the time. And so that you've got to stay
on top of that. That's hard for people because I'm
legally blind and I want to help legally blind people.
So I basically offer anyone can call me any time,
(23:59):
talk to me about anything they want to know. There's
no obligation or anything like that. But I'll tell you
what I know for free. And if they want to
come and, you know, sort of access supports and different things,
then they're more than welcome to do it. But I'm
in a position now where I've got a nice, stable
weekly thing that is enough to, you know, it's it's
(24:19):
good for me. I don't want to work too hard. I'm.
I don't want life to be too complicated. But yeah,
it's worked out really well.
S3 (24:25):
So describing what you and your business do, can you
do that in, say, um, a short sentence?
S12 (24:32):
Uh, well, I'll say I have had a long sentence. Okay.
We provide daily activities, uh, which include cleaning, gardening, domestic support,
home maintenance, uh, anything like that. Anything around the house
you call daily activities, social community participation in terms of
getting support to access your community and get out in
(24:55):
the community. It could be anything from support workers taking
you to events to going for a coffee. That's the
main area that we do. I personally do a vision
loss support thing, so I've had a few people come
to me with sight loss issues, or they're losing their
sight gradually and I help them to access different services
and things like that. I think that's probably the main
(25:16):
part of it now. There used to be a lot of, um,
recreational stuff that we can't do anymore. So that's kind
of gone off a bit, but mainly all that basic
support that people need and advice on how to do it.
S3 (25:28):
How do you find actually running the business day to
day when, um, accessing the funds from the Ndia, for example?
S12 (25:35):
Well, that's actually not the hardest part of all, but
that so what happens is people do a service, you
send an invoice to a plan manager or a person
and they then can claim. So if you're self-managed, uh,
there's an app, the Ndia app, which, uh, is very
easy to access. I teach people how to use it
all the time, and you just put your claims in
(25:57):
through there. They they come down in a day or so,
probably two days now I think. And or plan managers
do it for you. That's even easier. Uh, the hard
part is keeping up with what you can and can't
do and making sure that when you advise someone about
something that they want to do, that you're advising them correctly.
I mean, if you gave someone some advice or activated
(26:18):
a service and it was outside the realms of the NDIS,
you know, people can be asked to pay that money back.
So you don't want to be in that position to
do that. We keep it pretty simple and we know
what we can and we can't do. But the hardest
part of running the business is keeping up to date
with all the legislation and the changes and things like that.
S4 (26:35):
That's a wrap for this week. A big thank you
to Simon, Anthony, Madi, Sonia, Alex, Tim, Josh and Tori.
S3 (26:45):
That's a big mouthful. And thank you for getting out
of your sick bed. No, no one noticed it, but, um. Yes. Uh,
Lizzie is, uh, suffering in silence over there. And of course,
thank you for listening, including our listeners on the Reading
Radio Network. You can find the podcast of this program,
including some extra content on Apple, Spotify, Google or your
(27:07):
favorite podcast platform.
S4 (27:09):
Next week we catch up with Lily piccolo, an old
friend of the show who chats about her many adventures,
including her experience as a coach at camp abilities in
the US.
S3 (27:20):
I'm looking forward to that. But between now and then,
please do get in touch with the show. Whether you
have experience of any of the issues covered on this
week's episode of Studio One. You never know. Your story
and insight may help someone who's dealing with something similar.
S4 (27:33):
Please reach out to us via email at studio One
at org. That's studio number one at Vision Australia. Org
or of course, you can contact us via all the
usual social media platforms, whether that be Facebook or Instagram,
by searching for VA Radio Network.
S3 (27:52):
Bye for now.
S4 (27:53):
Bye. See you later.
S2 (27:55):
Studio one was produced in the Adelaide studios of Vision
Australia Radio. This show was made possible with the help
of the Community Broadcasting Foundation. Find out more at.
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Dateline NBC
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New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce
Football’s funniest family duo — Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs — team up to provide next-level access to life in the league as it unfolds. The two brothers and Super Bowl champions drop weekly insights about the weekly slate of games and share their INSIDE perspectives on trending NFL news and sports headlines. They also endlessly rag on each other as brothers do, chat the latest in pop culture and welcome some very popular and well-known friends to chat with them. Check out new episodes every Wednesday. Follow New Heights on the Wondery App, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new episodes early and ad-free, and get exclusive content on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And join our new membership for a unique fan experience by going to the New Heights YouTube channel now!