NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission

The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, also referred to as the NDIS Commission, is an independent commission that was established to improve the quality and safety of services funded by the National Disability Insurance Scheme. The NDIS Commission regulates NDIS providers, provides national consistency, promotes safety and quality services, resolves problems and identifies areas for improvement. The NDIS Commission commenced operations in New South Wales and South Australia on 1 July 2018, before expanding progressively across the nation where it now acts in all states and territories.

This article is about the agency overseeing the quality and safety of services provided under the NDIS. For the scheme itself, see National Disability Insurance Scheme.

NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission
Agency overview
Formed
  • 13 December 2017 (2017-12-13) (legislation assented)[1]
  • 1 July 2018 (2018-07-01) (began operation)[2]
JurisdictionAll States and territories of Australia[2]
Annual budgetA$28.6 million (2020–21)[3]
Agency executive
  • Tracy Mackey, NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commissioner
Parent departmentDepartment of Social Services, as part of the NDIS portfolio[1]
Websitendiscommission.gov.au

Purpose

The NDIS Commission was created by an amendment to the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act (NDIS Act), passed by parliament in 2017. It was created in December 2017 to "improve the quality and safety of NDIS supports and services."[4] The Commission exists as part of a federal agreement between the Australian Government and states and territory governments. This agreement is called the NDIS Quality and Safeguarding Framework and aligns the various quality and safeguard functions performed by each state and territory government during the initial rollout of the NDIS and includes additional investigative and regulatory powers.[5] The NDIS Commission’s role is to manage complaints about NDIS providers, improve the quality and safety of NDIS supports and services, regulate NDIS service providers and workers, and lead education, capacity building and development for people with disability, NDIS providers and workers.[6] The commission does not regulate the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), which operates the NDIS scheme.[7]

Rollout

The NDIS Commission began operations across Australia in a staggered rollout that began in New South Wales and South Australia on 1 July 2018, followed by Queensland, the Australian Capital Territory, the Northern Territory, Victoria and Tasmania on 1 July 2019 and was completed in Western Australia on 1 December 2020.[8]  The Commission was originally planned to roll out to Western Australia on 1 July 2020; however, it was postponed by the state government until 1 December to create capacity for providers to focus on clinical care during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia.[9]

Structure

The NDIS Commission is led by the NDIS Commissioner, Registrar and Chief Operating Officer. These three roles are supported by the Senior Practitioner, the Complaints Commissioner, Deputy Registrar, and General Counsel.[10] The NDIS Commission falls under the portfolio of the Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme, although the Commission is largely independent from government.

Commissioners

The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commissioner has overarching control over the NDIS Commission and is the legislated executor of powers given under the NDIS Act.

The inaugural NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commissioner was Graeme Head, who served as Commissioner from December 2017 until June 2021. Samantha Taylor served as the Acting Commissioner from July 2021 to January 2022. Tracy Mackey was appointed as the new NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commissioner in November 2021, and commenced her three-year term in January 2022.[11]

References
  1. "National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Quality and Safeguards Commission and Other Measures) Act 2017". Federal Register of Legislation. 14 December 2017. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  2. "NDIS Commission state dates". NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  3. Frydenberg, Josh (6 October 2020). "Budget Paper No. 2: Budget Measures" (PDF). Budget 2020–21. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  4. "NDIS Commission start dates | NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission". www.ndiscommission.gov.au. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  5. "NDIS Quality and Safeguarding Framework | Department of Social Services, Australian Government". www.dss.gov.au. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  6. "Why we exist | NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission". www.ndiscommission.gov.au. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  7. "What we do | NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission". www.ndiscommission.gov.au. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  8. "NDIS Commission start dates | NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission". www.ndiscommission.gov.au. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  9. "More time for transition to Quality and Safeguards Commission". Government of Western Australia. 11 January 2022. Archived from the original on 3 August 2020. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  10. "Who we are". NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  11. "Our Commissioner | NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission". www.ndiscommission.gov.au. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
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