Submission to the Productivity Commission's National Disability Agreement review

Mental Health Australia has provided a submission to the Productivity Commission’s review of the National Disability Agreement (NDA).

The focus of the review was to examine progress of the NDA (established in 2009 and revised in 2012) against the performance framework in the Agreement and the extent to which it has achieved the aim of supporting improved outcomes for people with disability, their families, and carers. This was the first of the Commission’s reviews of nationally significant sector-wide agreements between the Commonwealth and the States and Territories.

Mental Health Australia’s submission argues that an NDA is required to ensure all governments in Australia commit to, and are held accountable to the Australian people for, addressing the support needs of people with psychosocial disability.

The submission points out that there are a large number of people who will need psychosocial services outside of the National Disability Insurance Scheme and that a revised national agreement should provide clarity around the roles and responsibilities of governments to provide services.