WA holding out on disability deal Barnett said he was "waiting to see the options" but that WA would ultimately be part of the disability scheme. Source: The Sunday Times COLIN Barnett is still holding out on signing up to the National Disability Insurance Scheme despite Victoria striking a deal with Julia Gillard. But the Premier told The Sunday Times that WA would "ultimately be part of the scheme." The Premier's comments came as Victorian Premier Denis Napthine yesterday agreed to sign up. "Victoria is doing one of the NDIS launch sites so I am not surprised that they have signed up," Mr Barnett said. I do expect that WA will ultimately be part of the scheme, but we are waiting to see the options of a more decentralised model before we sign. WA has offered to host a launch site, but at this stage, that has not been taken up. From July 1 this year the first stage of the scheme will roll out in South Australia, Tasmania, the Barwon area of Victoria and the Hunter area in New South Wales, with ACT and Northern Territory commencing in July, 2014. People with disabilities in NSW, SA, Tasmania, the ACT and now Victoria will be covered as a result of agreements with their governments. Queensland could sign up to the NDIS as soon as this week, ahead of the likely passage of laws to raise the Medicare levy by half of one percentage point from July next year to help pay for the scheme. Federal Liberal leader Tony Abbott is backing Mr Barnett. Mr Abbott, who yesterday praised Victorian Premier Denis Napthine for signing up to the scheme, told The Sunday Times: "Premiers should always do what's best for their state." "WA has no better advocate than Colin Barnett," he said. Individual agreements are a matter for each state and we've no doubt the Premier will continue to put the people of WA first, including those with a disability.