Kendrick and Matthias
Content Warning: These stories are about violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation and may include references to suicide or self-harming behaviours. They may contain graphic descriptions and strong language and may be distressing. Some narratives may be about First Nations people who have passed away. If you need support, please see Contact & support.
Kendrick is in his early 40s and has an intellectual disability. He lives with his mum and dad and has received NDIS funding for several years.
Matthias, Kendrick’s father and his wife are in their 70s. Matthias told the Royal Commission they are looking for out-of-home accommodation, to set Kendrick up to ‘live an independent life’.
About a year ago, Matthias asked the NDIA to review Kendrick’s plan and include specialist disability accommodation (SDA) funding. He also requested a modest increase in funding to support Kendrick during the transition. He supplied four independent medical and behavioural specialist assessments as part of the application.
The NDIA not only refused to increase support funding, it reduced Kendrick’s core funding, telling Matthias they didn’t accept the medical evidence he provided.
‘Decisions on funding are made by someone in an office that has no contact or knowledge of the client’s needs,’ Matthias said. ‘[The NDIA] asks for these reports – which cost money and take no notice of them.’
Matthias asked for a review of the decision.
Meanwhile the NDIA approved SDA funding. They sent another plan, this time for two years. However ‘there was no amount of funding in the SDA component’ and the agency had further reduced Kendrick’s core funding by almost $60,000.
Matthias was shocked. ‘To have funding reduced, this puts further health and mental stress on the carer or parent when they have to try and maintain the level of support for [their son] to allow him to live a life [he is] entitled to.’
Matthias asked for a review of this decision but was told he would have to wait two to three months for a decision about whether he could have a review.
‘We think that [the NDIA] has lost its direction and has become more of a bureaucratic mess. It is more interested in the administration than the wellbeing of the disabled.’
He advised the NDIA he would take the matter to the administrative tribunal. He said the agency tried to ‘bully’ him into accepting the new plan, telling him that taking it to the tribunal ‘would cost a fortune’.
Matthias has since found out the administrative tribunal process is free. ‘We’ve been misinformed so much.’ Meanwhile his son doesn’t have a plan and his funding is running out. ‘We think this is a form of exploitation and abuse on the part of the NDIS.’
Matthias said he is frustrated by the delays, the waste of money and the confusing process.
‘We ended up having five reviews and it’s still not settled – we ended up losing a third of his funding.’
Disclaimer: This is the story of a person who shared their personal experience with the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability through a submission or private session. The names in this story are pseudonyms. The person who shared this experience was not a witness and their account is not evidence. They did not take an oath or affirmation before providing the story. Nothing in this story constitutes a finding of the Royal Commission. Any views expressed are those of the person who shared their experience, not of the Royal Commission.