Speak Out April 2017 low res FINAL

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June 2017 Speak Out 7
Association news
An Independent NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission will
be established in early 2018 to oversee the quality and safety
of services funded through the NDIS. The government has
committed $209 million in the budget for the commission. SPA
is pleased to see that the commission will be independent from
governments and the NDIA and it will report to parliament. It will
also act as the formal complaints process for the scheme and
have powers to investigate issues as they arise. The commission
will be responsible for provider registration – hopefully this will
replace the fragmented system and registration requirements
currently experienced by speech pathologists in different states
and territories.
Aged care
Speech pathologists working in aged care will be pleased to
see some modest investments. The Association is hoping for
more significant dollars, but this would not be until the current
review of the My Aged Care Reforms is completed later this year.
Aged care home services have been given a boost (costing $5.5
billion over two years) and an Aged Care Workforce Strategy is
being planned. The Association has already been “in the ear” of
the departmental official who will be leading the development
of the strategy about the importance of considering the often
sub-contracted speech pathology workforce in aged care. There
is $3.1 million in the budget for improvements in the MAC IT
interface.
Schools
Regardless of which side of side of the “political fence” you
sit, most people are applauding signs that there might be an
end in sight to the “school funding wars” with the government
committing $18.6 billion over 10 years to be distributed to schools
according to need. Branded Gonski 2.0 these measures still
have to pass the senate to be realised. Mr Gonski is leading an
inquiry into the best ways to lift Australia’s literacy and numeracy
standards and the Association will be front and centre talking
about the evidence-based strategies.
Cost of a speech pathology degree
Our universities are being squeezed with an efficiency cut, which
basically means they have to do the same things and more
with less money (to the tune of $900 million less over 10 years).
Speech pathology degrees are expected to increase in cost by
7.5 per cent by 2022 and those of us with HELP/HECS debts will
begin repaying when we are earning $42K (currently it is at $55K)
from July 2019.
Federal Budget 2017 papers are available at
Regardless of which side
of side of the “political
fence” you sit, most people
are applauding signs that
there might be an end
in sight to the “school
funding wars”.
Ronelle Hutchison
Manager, Policy and Advocacy