United for the Best NDIS
ASU Disability Services Conference 2023

23 August 2023

Today, 70 delegates from disability services across NSW and the ACT came together to discuss how to improve the sector.

Secretary Angus McFarland spoke about our campaigns to make the NDIS the best it can be. We have come along way since the NDIS started, but there is more work to do. Angus spoke to the delegates about our fight to end unfair wage theft, to create genuine career pathways and improve training in the sector, and repeated our calls for portable entitlements for all disability workers.

Delegates heard from Lisa Paul, one of the Co-Chairs of the independent NDIS Review. Lisa came to the conference to hear directly from frontline disability workers. You can watch Lisa's speech on the NDIS Review website here.

As Co-Chair of the NDIS Review Lisa stated that the Review agreed with ASU members that we need portable entitlements in our sector. This is a huge breakthrough for disability workers.

Lisa said:

"We want disability work to be a sustainable career choice. We want people to be secure in their jobs and safe in their work and rewarded for their excellence. The NDIS cannot work without support workers Not only that, the NDIS cannot improve without disability workers."

Delegates then had the chance to provide feedback on the reality of working on the frontline of the NDIS. As ASU members, we have the answers to help make the NDIS the best it can be.

Our delegates also heard from Industrial Relations Minister Sophie Cotsis MP - who said, "We are absolutely committed to improving conditions in the community sector. Your sector faces challenges due to short term funding arrangements that fail to provide long term employment security. 

Delegates participated in workshops, planning on how we can improve our sector. We planned to fight wage theft. We planned to fix our Award - fixing unfair conditions like the sleepover allowance.

We had delegates from across the disability sector and across NSW and the ACT. Together, we are united and we will do all we can to make the NDIS the best it can be.

Delegates will return to a second day tomorrow.