May 2023 - Glycerine Queen Media

The National Disability Insurance Scheme is repeatedly exploited by unethical providers.

This is outrageous.

On Tuesday (19 May), the ABC reported that National Disability Insurance Scheme participants in Victoria are being “kidnapped”, exploited and abused.

The Mental Health Legal Centre’s (MHLC) report found:

Participants are being “coaxed” into changing providers. The NDIS participants are often bribed with fast food, including McDonalds and KFC.
Unscrupolous providers are taking NDIS participants to “undisclosed” locations while draining their NDIS funds
Blind people have ‘signed’ contracts and emails. Meanwhile, scammers are draining their funds

People with intellectual disabilities and mental illnesses (psychosocial disabilities) living in support residential services (SRS) have been targeted the most.

SRS’s are privately run. They are (supposed to) provide support to elderly people.

NDIS is “here to stay”

Man in wheelchair doing dishes over kitchen sink — Image: AndreyPopov, iStock

NDIS Minister and former Prime Minister, Bill Shorten, addressed concerns. He told Melbourne reporters:

The NDIS is here to stay. It’s changing people’s lives. But there is no doubt that in the last number of years, the neglect and oversight of the system has seen vulnerable people with lucrative support packages fall through the cracks, and effectively be human trafficked.

Shorten informed reporters that fifty service providers have been referred to the National Disability Insurance Agency, NDIA), the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission and the Fraud Fusion Taskforce.

Providers should be the main focus. Not people with disabilities

In the past, I’ve been critical of the emphasis on NDIS recipients ‘rorting’ the the system. Usually, journalists offer no context or hard evidence. I’ve also been annoyed at how recipients are scrutinised about what NDIS participants should be afforded.

I don’t like how people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in particular, have been scapegoated. The emphasis has been whether autism is ‘severe’ enough to be accepted to the NDIS.

The issue with autism and ‘severity’ argument is that it doesn’t take into account people’s internal (and often invisible), struggles.

According to Autism Research Institute, a high percentage of people with ASD have comorbid conditions. 84% experience anxiety and 26% experience depression.

Could being scapegoated by society contribute to these statistics?

The unethical conduct of service providers should have always been the focus of politicians and the media. Not who should have access to services. Or how ‘severe’ a disability should be.

On another note, I wonder if One Nation will make a satirical cartoon targeting dodgy providers. Or do they just punch down?

Last month, One Nation was condemned for a cartoon satirising people who ‘rort’ the NDIS. Will they do they same for fraudulent providers?

Lastly, I commend Mr Shorten for his dedication to the NDIS and to make sure it keeps going. People should be able to get the support they need!

If this post has been distressing for you and your in Australia, you can contact:

Lifeline: 13 11 14

Kids Helpline: 1800 551 800

MensLine Australia: 1300 789 978

Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467

Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636 (they also have a webchat).

Headspace (for under 25’s): 1800 650 890.

Earlier this month, ABC was widely condemned for their coverage of King Charles III ‘s Coronation.

The Australian’s Sophie Elsworth and James Madden reported that it was condemned by a number radio personalities.

3AW’s Neil Mitchell said that the ABC of “totally misread the room”. Mitchell also called for ABC’s management to be held accountable.

I really wonder sometimes why we feed these ABC people. I don’t blame the people on air, it’s whomever management decides ‘ah, here’s a good idea, let’s use footage from London while we bag the living daylights out of the monarchy.

2GB’s Ray Hadley condemned the coverage:

They had a token person who represents the monarchy… and then we had the line-up of people wanting to give it, it’s just not a platform for it, there’s no dignity attached to it.

Herald Sun/Outsiders’ Rita Panahi condemned the ABC coverage “nasty” and “spiteful”.

The ABC charter

Many critics of the ABC refer to their Charter. ABC’s Charter requires its presenters to make clear distinctions between reporting and opinion. It also requires reporters to:

Ensure that editorial decisions are not improperly influenced by political, sectional, commercial or personal interests.
Differentiating between factual reporting, analysis and opinion – Key Editorial Standards, 1.3

Also ABC are meant to:

Present a diversity of perspectives so that over time, no significant strand of thought or belief within the community is knowingly excluded or disproportionally represented.
Differentiating between factual reporting, analysis and opinion, Key Editorial Standards, 4.2

The ABC should reflect the diversity within the Australian population. It’s meant to be “our”, (i.e Australia’s) ABC. However, the public broadcaster is frequently accused of bias. Their coverage of King Charles III was no different.

Presenters focused on British colonisation, people suspected they were pushing the republic debate.

Grant’s take on Queen Elizabeth’s death

King Charles III’s coronation wasn’t the first time Grant had criticised the monarchy.

When Queen Elizabeth II passed away last September, Grant lashed out at his employer for their coverage. He told Radio National’s Patricia Karvelas:

How dare the Queen just die and this country go into mourning, what about my own people who continue to be the most impoverished and imprisoned people.

I felt in my own organisation… a sense of betrayal because the ABC, everyone donned black suits, everyone took on a reverential tone
Stan Grant to Patricia Karvelas, 19 April 2022

He also slammed Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese:

We know that the Prime Minister said, ‘now is not the time to talk about empire and colonisation, this is not the time to talk about the republic’, well it is always the time.
Stan Grant to Patricia Karvelas, Radio National 19 April 2022

ABC is biased, but people should also be able to have their own views

The bias of the ABC is obvious. Their reporters and commentators tend to have similar social and political views.

They’re guests aren’t much different.

Often, panels on shows like Q & A and The Drum predominately lean one way. One panellist may offer a different view, but not surprisingly, they are often howled down.

Update: According to Rita Panahi, ABC a thousand complaints for their coverage of the coronation. This sparked an internal investigation into whether commentators abided by their reporting and editorial standards.

Another update: Stan Grant stood down from hosting Q & A and other commitments. News.com.au reported the reason was the backlash against Grant’s coronation coverage brought on by “grotesque” raciat abuse.

This is so wrong. And it seems to hapoen when someone is excessively shamed in the media.