Key Points
- The federal government will consider more resources for the NDIS.
- Bill Shorten says it is currently being exploited.
The federal government will consider more resources for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) to stop fraud within the service.
False invoices, organised crime syndicates and overcharging for services are behind exploitation of the scheme, NDIS Minister Bill Shorten says, but further resourcing will help address the problem.
"I'm not satisfied the existing level of resources is what it should be ... if we need more resources we're going have to find them because, frankly, it'll pay for itself," Mr Shorten told ABC Radio National on Monday.
"If we could stop the money being ripped off and we spend instead greater resources on fraud detection that means that we will have a better, more sustainable scheme."
Mr Shorten's comments come after Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission head Michael Phelan told the Nine Network as much as 15 to 20 per cent of the $30 billion a year scheme could be being misused.
Yet the minister insists the figure is in the "tens of millions" and not anywhere near the estimate Mr Phelan described.
"It's a mystery to me why different parts of government don't talk to each other better ... I'm not satisfied there is sufficient communication between the National Disability Insurance Agency, the tax office, policing," Mr Shorten said.
"I think everyday Australians will be surprised that there's not more due diligence done on the invoices of people claiming to have provided services."
Mr Shorten will on Monday address the national disability summit in Melbourne and meet with the agency which runs the NDIS.
