NDIS Minister Bill Shorten says regulations that allow participants to access government-funded sex workers will be scrapped, saying it “doesn’t pass the test” for a service that is reasonable or necessary.
Appearing on Sky Sunday Agenda, Mr Shorten said while most NDIS participants were “doing the right thing,” he conceded the “rules have been a bit loose at the margins”.
In turn, this has led to service providers rorting the system, allowing people to claim services such as international group trips to Japan, steam rooms and cryptocurrency.
“The way the scheme works is you get a personal budget. We want to make sure that you get your personal budgets done with a good needs assessment,” he said.
“Then what we want to do is make sure that you’ve got the ability to get things that are reasonable and necessary.
“Part of me is sort of groans whenever I’ve got to go through some of the rubbish that some people have claimed, but that’s not what most people are doing.”
NDIS and Government Services Minister Bill Shorten said rules which dictate personal budgets on the NDIS have become ‘a bit loose at the margins’. Picture: NewsWire/ Martin Ollman
Asked specifically about whether participants could continue to claim the use of sex workers under the proposed new reforms, Mr Shorten ruled it out.
“It’s just not a sustainable proposition. It just doesn’t pass the test,” he said.
However, he added the government was only aware of “one or two” examples of it happening.
“It’s not what’s happening in most of the scheme,” Mr Shorten said.
“While people with disabilities are currently able to access government-funded sexual support services, strict eligibility requirements apply.”
