South Australia’s Minister for Disabilities, Nat Cook, reaffirmed her state’s commitment to long-term disability reform following the latest Disability Reform Ministerial Council (DRMC) meeting. The meeting, chaired by federal Ministers Mark Butler and Jenny McAllister, publicly confirms state backing for controversial changes moving children under nine with autism out of the NDIS and onto foundational supports.

But a new report in the AFR suggests Queensland will hold out on reforms unless the federal government agrees to reform the way GST revenue is split between the states.

South Australian Minister for Disabilities Nat Cook has become the first state minister to publicly confirm that governments have agreed to transition children under nine with autism out of the NDIS and into alternative foundational supports.

In an interview with abilityNEWS, Cook acknowledges the significance of the June 13 Disability Reform Ministerial Council meeting, noting that “we have agreed with the national agenda to ensure children under nine are targeted to put those supports in place.”

The shift is part of a major component of the broader reform agenda being driven by Federal Health and NDIS Minister Mark Butler and Senator Jenny McAllister. Cook has welcomed their appointment, describing Butler as “in a unique position to implement those policies” and saying McAllister “is very on top of her brief, she is well informed and experienced.”

Minister Cook framed the broader national reform effort as essential but challenging. “The recommendations and Royal Commission were hard listening to, and it must have been hard for people with disabilities,” she said. “While we haven’t gotten all the recommendations completed, we are making progress.”

Cook confirmed that “approximately 48% of participants who undergo reassessment, primarily children in the early intervention stream, are being removed from the NDIS.”

In response, South Australia is aligning with the federal National Autism Strategy and preparing to deliver foundational supports for these people.

“It is a priority cohort,” she said. “We’ve been working hard listening to the narrative from the federal government on the rule changes and what might happen. We have agreed with the national agenda to ensure children under nine are targeted to put those supports in place.”

[continued from newsletter]

On federal language characterising the NDIS as “the only lifeboat in the ocean,” Cook offered a pointed response: “I’m not going to borrow the only lifeboat in the ocean thing.”

Cook also addressed concerns that integrating the health and NDIS portfolios could diminish focus on disability. “I don’t think there is a person at the table who has a sole focus on disability,” she said. “That’s not how government works.”

Housing emerged as another area of federal-state collaboration. Cook said South Australia had reversed the erosion of public housing by previous governments.

“We worked to change that. It includes different measures to buy your own home, built to rent.” She credited the National Housing Future Fund for enabling progress: “Nothing would happen if that hadn’t happened to secure a pipeline through the Housing Future Fund.

“That policy is bringing money for us to deliver measures because one size does not fit all.”

Cook concluded by emphasising the need to shift public thinking. “If we build knowledge and awareness, that is power for the community,” she said.