Robodebt shadow leaves fears NDIS will be next victim of disabling policy [Video]

While assurances have been made that NDIS reforms will not be ‘Robodebt 2.0’, many fear that the revisions will leave them worse off, writes Melissa Marsden.

GOVERNMENT MINISTER for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), Bill Shorten, said in a statement released last Monday that the Government has recommitted to reforms to repair the ‘Robodebt wreckage’.

Robodebts were collected under the Income Compliance Program between July 2015 and November 2019. They were raised using averaged Australian Taxation Office (ATO) income information.

Minister Shorten said:

“Moving on from the unlawful scheme was about improving transparency, accountability and engagement with customers, staff and advocates.”

The Robodebt Royal Commission found a distinct problem with language and conduct that reinforced feelings of stigma and shame associated with receiving government support.

People with disabilities are no strangers to this stigma and the Robodebt scheme is just one example of how the stigma placed on disability has manifested in disabling government …