Locals in the disability sector are being asked to share their experiences with a new review aimed at cutting wait times under the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
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The federal government has this week announced it will renew the scheme's legislation and rules, with a view to streamline processes.
Warrnambool's Lorraine de Kok wears a number of hats in the disability sector. She is a disability educator, worker and full-time carer for her 30-year-old son Nathan de Kok, who has cerebral palsy.
She has fought for her son's rights ever since he was a child and knows the struggle of navigating a complex system.
She welcomed the review into the NDIS, and encouraged people to contribute.
This is a rare opportunity to voice your opinion.
- Lorraine de Kok
"The system needs a review, people should take this opportunity because this is a rare opportunity to voice your opinion," she said.
"No-one will think less of you, in fact, they will think higher of you for it.
"We're all more or less saying the same thing. The more voices we can get the better, let's band together.
"It's not complaining, it's just stating the facts."
Last year she battled for months to get a $10,000 shower chair for Nathan, discovering along the way that there were issues recruiting qualified disability professionals to the south-west.
READ more: NDIS posing problems for local participants
"You have to query everybody, and I'm afraid that having a son with a disability has made me very suspicious and not trusting of people," she said.
"It's made me learn to ask questions, and you might not ask the right questions at the start, but you will start to ask the right ones. It is tiring, it's upsetting, but otherwise you won't get anywhere."
Executive officer of the South West Advocacy Association, Adele Markwell, is somewhat sceptical about the review.
"I think the government had to do a review, there was just so much in the media and it certainly wasn't going in their favour," she said.
"I was rapt when I heard this was happening, but in saying that lots of reviews happen and not much comes out of it.
"It's outrageous the amount of time people are waiting to get what they need."
She said as the only disability advocacy organisation in the region, she sees an imbalance between the treatment of rural and metropolitan NDIS participants.
They have no idea what goes on in the country and people are falling through the gaps.
- Adele Markwell
"The government is very citycentric, they have no idea what goes on in the country and people are falling through the gaps."
Latrobe Community Health Service provide planning and community connection services as a partner with the NDIS in the south-west.
North west regional manager Leeanne Thomson said LCHS would contribute to the review if asked.
"We welcome the federal government's review of the NDIS," she said.
"Anything that aims to improve the lives of people with disability, their family and carers, is worthwhile.
"Latrobe Community Health Service will contribute if asked to do so."
NDIS Minister Stuart Robert said the inquiry will help the federal government deliver on its promise to address issues with timeframes around setting up or altering plans for NDIS participants.
The coalition has vowed to introduce the new standards by mid-2020.
'We are listening, and will be consulting with people with disability and their families, the disability services sector, ministers and officials from Commonwealth and state governments and the National Disability Insurance Agency as part of this review," Mr Roberts said on Monday.
Consultations will begin later this month with an online survey, discussion paper and face-to-face workshops across the country.
The NDIS will support up to 500,000 people over the next five years.
Mr Roberts has already said he wants wait times for children accessing support to be cut in half by October, using a new waiting 'cap' of 50 days.
The average wait time for children to receive NDIS plans at the moment is 127 days.
The NDIS is expected to support up to 500,000 people over the next five years.
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