Labor Minister Bill Shorten has admitted dishonest criminals have infiltrated the National Disability Insurance Scheme, with some reportedly offering drugs and strippers under the scheme.
While some Australian families with special needs wait months to be approved for NDIS treatment, one service provider is said to be offering to take clients to ‘strip clubs’ and cannabis festivals in promotional material.
Radio host Ben Fordham first made these claims in his 2GB Breakfast Show last December, when the minister’s office said NDIS investigators would investigate the supplier.
Three months later, Fordham said the provider is not only still operating, but is now also offering clubbing, pub crawls and a weekend getaway to Nimbin in northern New South Wales for the upcoming Mardi Grass festival.
All activities are allegedly funded by the NDIS, according to Fordham, who demanded answers from the minister in a heated confrontation on Wednesday’s show.
NDIS Minister Bill Shorten vowed to crack down on dodgy service providers in a fiery radio interview on Wednesday.
“I warned you about this mob in December,” Fordham told the minister.
The minister appeared unaware of the new claims about the service provider and vowed to pursue the matter, admitting that “one rogue is one too many.”
“I have referred it to our investigators, but I don’t know if they have closed them or not, but I have certainly acted,” he told Fordham.
Shorten also insisted he had never heard of Mardis Grass in Nimbin until Wednesday, prompting a fierce response from Fordham.
‘Bill! “This is the same service provider who took clients to strip joints last year,” she fumed.
Shorten hit back at claims he is sitting around “doing everything he can”, as Fordham demanded more be done about how NDIS funds are spent.
“There are all these people going on NDIS cruises and people going to the marijuana festival in Nimbin,” the broadcaster said.
‘At some point, as a minister, you have to make a difficult decision and say ‘you know what? “We can only pay a limited amount and just put a line through a lot of things.”
Shorten was due to address the issue of dodgy suppliers in parliament later on Wednesday morning.
“That’s why I’m finally introducing a bill in parliament that adjusts what people can spend (NDIS) money on,” the minister said.
‘Do I think it should have happened 10 years ago? Probably.’
Broadcaster Ben Fordham said the NDIS service provider plans to take customers to the Mardi Grass Festival in Nimbin. Pictured are previous festival revelers.
Ben Fordham (pictured) first raised concerns about the service provider three months ago.
Fordham questioned whether reform should have happened two years ago, after Shorten became NDIS minister when Labor was elected to power.
He added there would be funding for legitimate beneficiaries still waiting to be approved into the scheme after a review was carried out a year ago.
“You have to talk to people before you do anything,” Mr Shorten responded.
“People with disabilities are tired of everyone being the expert in their lives and I have to talk to them first.”
Shorten admitted there were “dodgy providers who were borrowing” from the NDIS and implored Fordham to read out the abuse he receives from them.
He also agreed the NDIS needed a clean-up, despite state premiers opposing major changes and industry backlash.
‘If you want to read my social media, the trolls and the people who say I only have bad things to say about service providers, I want to be very clear: most of the people in the plan are trying to do the right thing, but there are “A group of dodgy people trying to take advantage of the scheme,” Mr Shorten said.
The minister promised to investigate the service provider who offers clients activities such as strip clubs and a weekend to attend Mardi Grass in Nimbin.
‘There will be people in the disability services sector who will scare everyone about how unfair it will be.
‘On the other hand, since that’s politics, you (Fordham) will flog us because it’s not being done fast enough.
“What I’m going to do is make sure the money from the plan gets to the people it’s designed for.”
Earlier this week, Shorten announced the establishment of a new taskforce to investigate overcharging.
“If you are ripping off NDIS participants, you will get caught and face the consequences,” he warned.