NATIONAL DISABILITY INSURANCE SCHEME ACT 2013 (NO. 20, 2013) - NOTES
NATIONAL DISABILITY INSURANCE SCHEME ACT 2013 (NO. 20, 2013) - NOTES
No. 20, 2013
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Contents
Part 1--Preliminary 2
1............ Short title............................................................................................. 2
2............ Commencement................................................................................... 2
Part 2--Objects and principles 4
3............ Objects of Act..................................................................................... 4
4............ General principles guiding actions under this Act............................... 6
5............ General principles guiding actions of people who may do acts or things on behalf of others 8
6............ Agency may provide support and assistance....................................... 8
7............ Provision of notice, approved form or information under this Act etc. 9
Part 3--Simplified outline 10
8............ Simplified outline.............................................................................. 10
Part 4--Definitions 12
9............ Definitions........................................................................................ 12
10.......... Definition of host jurisdiction........................................................... 18
11.......... Definitions relating to compensation................................................. 18
Part 5--Ministerial Council 20
12.......... Ministerial Council functions etc....................................................... 20
Chapter 2--Assistance for people with disability and others 21
13.......... Agency may provide coordination, strategic and referral services etc. to people with disability 21
14.......... Agency may provide funding to persons or entities.......................... 21
15.......... Agency may provide information...................................................... 21
16.......... Agency may assist in relation to doing things under Chapter............ 22
17.......... National Disability Insurance Scheme rules...................................... 22
Chapter 3--Participants and their plans 23
Part 1A--Principles 23
17A....... Principles relating to the participation of people with disability......... 23
Part 1--Becoming a participant 24
18.......... Person may make a request to become a participant.......................... 24
19.......... Matters relating to access requests.................................................... 24
20.......... CEO must consider and decide access requests................................ 25
21.......... When a person meets the access criteria............................................ 25
22.......... Age requirements.............................................................................. 26
23.......... Residence requirements..................................................................... 27
24.......... Disability requirements..................................................................... 28
25.......... Early intervention requirements......................................................... 28
26.......... Requests that the CEO may make..................................................... 30
27.......... National Disability Insurance Scheme rules relating to disability requirements and early intervention requirements.......................................................................................................... 31
28.......... When a person becomes a participant................................................ 32
29.......... When a person ceases to be a participant........................................... 32
30.......... Revocation of participant status......................................................... 33
Part 2--Participants' plans 34
Division 1--Principles relating to plans 34
31.......... Principles relating to plans................................................................ 34
Division 2--Preparing participants' plans 35
32.......... CEO must facilitate preparation of participant's plan........................ 35
32A....... Rules about preparation of plans....................................................... 35
33.......... Matters that must be included in a participant's plan......................... 37
34.......... Reasonable and necessary supports.................................................. 39
35.......... National Disability Insurance Scheme rules for statement of participant supports 40
36.......... Information and reports for the purposes of preparing and approving a participant's plan 41
37.......... When plan is in effect........................................................................ 42
38.......... Copy of plan to be provided.............................................................. 42
39.......... Agency must comply with the statement of participant supports....... 42
40.......... Effect of temporary absence on plans................................................ 42
41.......... Suspension of plans.......................................................................... 43
Division 3--Managing the funding for supports under participants' plans 44
42.......... Meaning of managing the funding for supports under a participant's plan 44
43.......... Choice for the participant in relation to plan management................. 44
44.......... Circumstances in which participant must not manage plan to specified extent 46
45.......... Payment of NDIS amounts............................................................... 46
46.......... Acquittal of NDIS amounts.............................................................. 47
Division 4--Reviewing and changing participants' plans 48
47.......... Participant may change participant's statement of goals and aspirations at any time 48
48.......... Review of participant's plan.............................................................. 48
49.......... Outcome of review............................................................................ 49
50.......... Information and reports for the purposes of reviewing a participant's plan 49
Chapter 4--Administration 51
Part 1--General matters 51
Division 1--Participants and prospective participants 51
51.......... Requirement to notify change of circumstances................................ 51
52.......... Requirements relating to notices........................................................ 51
53.......... Power to obtain information from participants and prospective participants to ensure the integrity of the National Disability Insurance Scheme............................................................. 51
54.......... Written notice of requirement............................................................ 52
Division 2--Other persons 53
55.......... Power to obtain information from other persons to ensure the integrity of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.......................................................................................................... 53
56.......... Written notice of requirement............................................................ 54
57.......... Offence--refusal or failure to comply with requirement................... 54
Division 3--Interaction with other laws 56
58.......... Obligations not affected by State or Territory laws........................... 56
59.......... Interaction with Commonwealth laws............................................... 56
Part 2--Privacy 57
60.......... Protection of information held by the Agency etc............................. 57
61.......... Offence--unauthorised access to protected information................... 57
62.......... Offence--unauthorised use or disclosure of protected information.. 58
63.......... Offence--soliciting disclosure of protected information................... 58
64.......... Offence--offering to supply protected information.......................... 59
65.......... Protection of certain documents etc. from production to court etc..... 59
66.......... Disclosure of information by CEO................................................... 60
67.......... National Disability Insurance Scheme rules for exercise of CEO's disclosure powers 61
68.......... Part does not affect the operation of the Freedom of Information Act 1982 61
Part 3--Registered providers of supports 62
69.......... Application to be a registered provider of supports........................... 62
70.......... Registered providers of supports...................................................... 62
71.......... When a person or entity ceases to be a registered provider of supports 63
72.......... Revocation of approval as a registered provider of supports............. 63
73.......... National Disability Insurance Scheme rules for registered providers of supports 64
Part 4--Children 66
74.......... Children............................................................................................ 66
75.......... Definition of parental responsibility................................................. 67
76.......... Duty to children................................................................................ 68
77.......... Revocation of determinations under section 74................................. 69
Part 5--Nominees 70
Division 1--Functions and responsibilities of nominees 70
78.......... Actions of plan nominee on behalf of participant.............................. 70
79.......... Actions of correspondence nominee on behalf of participant............ 71
80.......... Duty of nominee to participant.......................................................... 71
81.......... Giving of notices to correspondence nominee................................... 72
82.......... Compliance by correspondence nominee.......................................... 73
83.......... Nominee to inform Agency of matters affecting ability to act as nominee 74
84.......... Statement by plan nominee regarding disposal of money.................. 75
85.......... Right of nominee to attend with participant....................................... 76
Division 2--Appointment and cancellation or suspension of appointment 77
86.......... Appointment of plan nominee........................................................... 77
87.......... Appointment of correspondence nominee......................................... 77
88.......... Provisions relating to appointments.................................................. 78
89.......... Circumstances in which the CEO must cancel appointment of nominees 78
90.......... General circumstances in which CEO may cancel or suspend appointment of nominees 79
91.......... Suspension etc. of appointment of nominees in cases of physical, mental or financial harm 80
92.......... Other matters relating to cancellation or suspension of appointment. 82
93.......... National Disability Insurance Scheme rules may prescribe requirements etc. 82
94.......... CEO's powers of revocation............................................................. 82
Division 3--Other matters relating to nominees 83
95.......... CEO's powers to give notices to participant..................................... 83
96.......... Notification of nominee where notice is given to participant............. 83
97.......... Protection of participant against liability for actions of nominee....... 83
98.......... Protection of nominee against criminal liability................................. 83
Part 6--Review of decisions 84
99.......... Reviewable decisions........................................................................ 84
100........ Review of reviewable decisions........................................................ 85
101........ Variation of reviewable decision before review completed............... 86
102........ Withdrawal of request for review...................................................... 87
103........ Applications to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal........................ 87
Chapter 5--Compensation payments 88
Part 1--Requirement to take action to obtain compensation 88
104........ CEO may require person to take action to obtain compensation........ 88
105........ Consequences of failure to comply with a requirement to take action to obtain compensation 89
105A..... Matters relating to claims etc. by CEO.............................................. 90
105B..... Recovery of amounts relating to claims etc. by CEO........................ 91
Part 2--Agency may recover compensation fixed after NDIS amounts have been paid 92
106........ Recovering past NDIS amounts from certain judgements................. 92
107........ Recovering past NDIS amounts from consent judgements and settlements 93
108........ Debts resulting from section 106 or 107........................................... 94
Part 3--Recovery from compensation payers and insurers 95
109........ CEO may send preliminary notice to potential compensation payer or insurer 95
110........ Offence--potential compensation payer or insurer........................... 96
111........ CEO may send recovery notice to compensation payer or insurer.... 96
112........ Preliminary notice or recovery notice suspends liability to pay compensation 98
113........ Compensation payer's or insurer's payment to Agency discharges liability to participant 98
114........ Offence--making compensation payment after receiving preliminary notice or recovery notice 99
115........ Liability to pay the Agency if there is a contravention of section 114 100
Part 4--CEO may disregard certain payments 101
116........ CEO may disregard certain payments............................................. 101
Chapter 6--National Disability Insurance Scheme Launch Transition Agency 102
Part 1--National Disability Insurance Scheme Launch Transition Agency 102
117........ Establishment.................................................................................. 102
118........ Functions of the Agency................................................................. 102
119........ Powers of the Agency..................................................................... 104
120........ Charging of fees.............................................................................. 104
121........ Minister may give directions to the Agency.................................... 104
122........ Agency does not have privileges and immunities of the Crown...... 105
Part 2--Board of the Agency 106
Division 1--Establishment and functions 106
123........ Establishment.................................................................................. 106
124........ Functions of the Board.................................................................... 106
125........ Minister may give the Board a statement setting out strategic guidance for the Agency 106
125A..... Functions to be performed having regard to actuarial analysis and advice 107
Division 2--Members of the Board 108
126........ Membership.................................................................................... 108
127........ Appointment of Board members..................................................... 108
128........ Term of appointment....................................................................... 109
129........ Acting appointments....................................................................... 109
130........ Remuneration and allowances......................................................... 111
131........ Leave of absence............................................................................. 111
132........ Outside employment....................................................................... 111
133........ Resignation of Board members....................................................... 112
134........ Termination of appointment of Board members.............................. 112
135........ Other terms and conditions of Board members............................... 113
Division 3--Meetings of the Board 114
136........ Convening meetings........................................................................ 114
137........ Presiding at meetings...................................................................... 114
138........ Quorum........................................................................................... 114
139........ Voting at meetings.......................................................................... 115
140........ Conduct of meetings....................................................................... 115
141........ Minutes........................................................................................... 115
142........ Decisions without meetings............................................................ 115
Part 3--Independent Advisory Council 117
Division 1--Establishment and function 117
143........ Establishment.................................................................................. 117
144........ Function of the Advisory Council................................................... 117
145........ Advice of the Advisory Council..................................................... 118
Division 2--Members of the Advisory Council 119
146........ Membership.................................................................................... 119
147........ Appointment of members of the Advisory Council........................ 119
148........ Term of appointment....................................................................... 120
149........ Acting appointments....................................................................... 121
150........ Remuneration and allowances......................................................... 121
151........ Leave of absence............................................................................. 122
152........ Disclosure of interests to the Minister............................................. 122
153........ Disclosure of interests to the Advisory Council.............................. 122
154........ Resignation of members of the Advisory Council.......................... 123
155........ Termination of appointment of members of the Advisory Council. 123
156........ Other terms and conditions of members of the Advisory Council.. 125
Division 3--Procedures of the Advisory Council 126
157........ Procedures of the Advisory Council............................................... 126
Part 4--Chief Executive Officer and staff etc. 127
Division 1--Chief Executive Officer 127
158........ Establishment.................................................................................. 127
159........ Functions of the CEO..................................................................... 127
160........ Appointment of the CEO................................................................ 127
161........ Acting appointments....................................................................... 128
162........ Remuneration and allowances......................................................... 128
163........ Leave of absence............................................................................. 129
164........ Outside employment....................................................................... 129
165........ Disclosure of interests..................................................................... 129
166........ Resignation of the CEO.................................................................. 129
167........ Termination of appointment of the CEO......................................... 129
168........ Other terms and conditions of the CEO.......................................... 130
Division 2--Staff etc. 131
169........ Staff................................................................................................ 131
170........ Services of other persons to be made available to the Agency........ 131
171........ Consultants..................................................................................... 131
171A..... Transitional provisions for staff of the Agency............................... 131
Part 5--Reporting and planning 132
Division 1--Reporting 132
Subdivision A--Reporting by Board members 132
172........ Annual report.................................................................................. 132
173........ Giving certain information to the Ministerial Council..................... 133
174........ Quarterly report to the Ministerial Council...................................... 133
Subdivision B--Reporting by the Agency 134
175........ Giving information requested by Commonwealth, State or Territory Ministers 134
Subdivision C--Reporting by the Minister 135
176........ Giving certain information to the Ministerial Council..................... 135
Division 2--Planning 137
177........ Corporate plan................................................................................. 137
Part 6--Finance 138
178........ Payments to the Agency by the Commonwealth............................. 138
179........ Payments to the Agency by the host jurisdictions........................... 138
180........ Application of money by the Agency.............................................. 138
Part 6A--Actuarial assessment of financial sustainability 140
Division 1--Scheme actuary and annual financial sustainability report 140
180A..... Nomination of scheme actuary........................................................ 140
180B..... Duties of scheme actuary................................................................ 140
180C..... Rules for performance of scheme actuary's duties.......................... 141
Division 2--Reviewing actuary 142
180D..... Nomination of reviewing actuary.................................................... 142
180E...... Duties of reviewing actuary............................................................ 143
Division 3--Assistance of scheme actuary and reviewing actuary 143
180F...... Agency to assist scheme actuary and reviewing actuary................. 143
Part 7--Miscellaneous 144
181........ Taxation.......................................................................................... 144
Chapter 7--Other matters 145
Part 1--Debt recovery 145
Division 1--Debts 145
182........ Debts due to the Agency................................................................. 145
Division 2--Methods of recovery 146
183........ Legal proceedings........................................................................... 146
184........ Arrangement for payment of debt................................................... 146
185........ Recovery of amounts from financial institutions............................. 147
Division 3--Information relating to debts 149
186........ Power to obtain information from a person who owes a debt to the Agency 149
187........ Power to obtain information about a person who owes a debt to the Agency 149
188........ Written notice of requirement.......................................................... 149
189........ Offence--refusal or failure to comply with requirement................. 150
Division 4--Non-recovery of debts 151
190........ CEO may write off debt.................................................................. 151
191........ Power to waive Agency's right to recover debt.............................. 152
192........ Waiver of debt arising from error.................................................... 152
193........ Waiver of small debt....................................................................... 152
194........ Waiver in relation to settlements...................................................... 153
195........ Waiver in special circumstances...................................................... 154
Part 2--General matters 155
196........ Method of notification by CEO....................................................... 155
197........ CEO not required to make a decision.............................................. 155
198........ Protection of participant against liability for actions of persons...... 155
199........ Protection against criminal liability.................................................. 155
200........ Evidentiary effect of CEO's certificate............................................ 156
200A..... Legal assistance for review not funded........................................... 156
201........ Delegation by the Minister.............................................................. 156
202........ Delegation by the CEO................................................................... 157
203........ Application of Act to unincorporated bodies................................... 157
204........ Time frames for decision making.................................................... 158
Part 3--Constitutional matters 159
205........ Act binds Crown............................................................................. 159
206........ Alternative constitutional basis........................................................ 159
207........ Concurrent operation of State laws................................................. 160
Part 4--Review of the Act 161
208........ Review of operation of Act............................................................. 161
Part 5--Legislative instruments 162
209........ The National Disability Insurance Scheme rules............................. 162
210........ Regulations..................................................................................... 164
Schedule 1--Transitional provisions for staff of the Agency 166
1............ FaHCSIA agreement covers staff of the Agency............................ 166
2............ Instruments about transitional staffing matters................................ 167
National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013
No. 20, 2013
An Act to establish the National Disability Insurance Scheme, and for related purposes
[Assented to 28 March 2013]
The Parliament of Australia enacts:
[Minister's second reading speech made in--
House of Representatives on 29 November 2012
Senate on 18 March 2013]
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