- Bill Shorten calls coalition ‘silly and demoralising’
- I was furious about the delays in the NDIS reforms
Bill Shorten has launched an extraordinary attack on the Coalition over delays to laws reforming the NDIS, a day after reaching a deal with Pauline Hanson to ensure the disability insurance agency is used only by people in need.
During Question Time on Thursday, Mr Shorten raged about tarot cards and NDIS-funded cuddle therapy, and criticised the opposition as “foolish and oxygen-stealing” for dragging its feet on legal reforms.
On Thursday, Mr Shorten, who is the NDIS Minister, was questioned in the House of Representatives about the risks of delaying Labor’s legislation to delay reforms to the scheme that would ultimately change the way beneficiaries receive their allowance.
The proposal would also curb a top-up payment scheme and reduce therapies available on the NDIS. Shorten said this would save taxpayers more than $1 billion.
The legislation has so far been blocked in the Senate by Coalition members who have taken three months to consider the changes and have now asked for a further eight weeks.
On Thursday, Shorten thanked the 400,000 disabled workers who received pay rises, tax cuts and energy relief during this financial year.
However, he later criticised the current plan as unsustainable.
Bill Shorten is pictured on Question Time on Thursday afternoon, before he blasted the NDIS.
She asked Coalition MPs if it would take them eight weeks to say whether anyone in the NDIS should be able to claim tarot cards and clairvoyants.
“You don’t need eight weeks to figure that out,” he shouted.
“Do you think it takes eight weeks to figure out whether people should be able to get hug therapy? Of course not, but for some reason, it’s taking you eight weeks and a billion dollars to figure out the answer to obvious questions.”
Then Stephen Jones, the deputy treasurer, shouted: “The hugging defender!”
Mr Shorten continued: ‘To be fair, I don’t think hug therapy should be on the NDIS, but I do think someone should give the Opposition Leader a hug after the week he’s had.
“The fact is – and I’ll say this just once – that billions of dollars are being wasted. The program participants, 60,000 children, could receive help for a year.
Bill Shorten formed an unlikely alliance with Pauline Hanson over the NDIS on Wednesday (pictured together)
Shorten with his daughter Georgette at the Mid-Winter Ball on Wednesday night
He then shouted to the entire House: “Why, why are you so stupid as to waste your time with a billion dollars? Shame on you all!”
On Wednesday, Shorten and One Nation leader Pauline Hanson formed an unusual alliance in which she pledged her support for the legislation.
“Australians support the NDIS, but not for things like holidays, court fines, drugs, sex toys and ridiculous and bogus treatments like crystals and ‘cuddle’ therapies,” she said.
“I’m pleased that Minister Shorten has recognised that this has spiralled out of control and is now acting to ensure that NDIS money is spent on the necessary supports for people with disabilities, rather than this all-you-can-claim buffet that the scheme has become. I’ve been demanding this for many years.”
Ms Hanson has previously described the scheme as a scam but, speaking to Sky News, said the NDIS was important for people who “are genuinely disabled, not those who are outing it and making money off of it”.
Mr Shorten has now launched a travelling billboard truck reading: ‘NDIS delays cost you $1.1 billion’.