The National Disability Agreement, introduced by the Council of Australian Governments in 2009, is a high level agreement between the Australian and state and territory governments for the provision of disability services for people with disability. It features clear roles and responsibilities for each level of government and joins these efforts together though nationally agreed objectives and outcomes for people with disability, their families and carers.
In the Agreement, governments strive towards the following objective: People with disability and their carers have an enhanced quality of life and participate as valued members of the community.
The Agreement sets out the responsibility of the Australian Government to provide income support and employment services for people with disability. It is the role of the states and territories to deliver specialist disability services such as disability supported accommodation, respite and community support services such as therapy, early childhood interventions, life skills and case management. These responsibilities remain in place prior to the full rollout of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
A copy of the full National Disability Agreement, and other National Agreements, can be found on the Ministerial Council for Federal Financial Relations website. The Council of Australian Governments’ Disability Reform Council is responsible for implementation of the National Disability Agreement.
All governments are committed to strategies that focus on improving outcomes for carers, including the Commonwealth National Carer Strategy and relevant jurisdictional strategies. This encompasses carers of people with disability.
Pursue individual and/or self-directed funding arrangements for disability services that emphasise choice and control by the person with disability.
This may include options for younger people in, or at risk of entry into, residential aged care, people at risk of interaction with the criminal justice system (including those on forensic orders), and those who require support due to challenging behaviours, including those who are subject to restrictive practices.
Through models for enhancing independence and work readiness at different life transition points.