Centacare Brisbane Comments On National Disability Insurance Scheme This week's announcement by Julia Gillard to bring to Parliament a 0.5 per cent Medicare levy increase to help the long-awaited National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) get off the ground has been met with mixed emotions. Some have expressed outrage that they will be required to contribute towards a scheme they have no need for; others are delighted that government has finally made a commitment to ensuring the long-term success of the scheme. Whatever view individuals may take on the federal government's decision to part-fund the scheme through a public tax, we must not forget the very important fact that the NDIS - once implemented - will be life-changing for those living with a disability in south-east Queensland. Peter Selwood from Centacare Brisbane. Much of the public opposition to the levy stems from the misperception that the increase will fully fund the scheme. The reality, though, is very different. The scheme is a costly but necessary one and the levy increase will not fund the scheme in its entirety, just as the existing levy does not cover the full cost of our health services. What the levy will do is help to launch the scheme nationally. But much more will be needed to sustain it. Centacare Brisbane provides critical social services to around 2000 people with disabilities every year. We share the objective of the NDIS' lifelong approach to providing care and support. The new insurance scheme will not only help people with disabilities increase their independence and offer them a secure future, it will also allow many of them, and their carers, to enter paid employment, generating further tax revenue. Perhaps the hope is that eventually, the model will pay for itself. Empowering carers and people with a disability to return to work is the first step towards this vision. Someone earning $70,000 a year will be looking at an increased contribution of just 96 cents a day. While understandable that many people are reluctant to pay what they see as "yet another" government tax hike, the impact this could have on the life of someone living with a disability makes it seem a relatively small price to pay. The money will help provide a better quality of life for the many hundreds of Queenslanders with a disability, their families and their carers. Far too many of us take for granted the opportunities we are given in life. The NDIS will offer the chance to help more people with disabilities lead a quality lifestyle of their own choice, opening doors to opportunities that were previously out of their reach. We all have our own strengths to nurture - but some of us need a little more support than others. The additional funds generated through the Medicare levy increase will ensure those with a disability are allowed to grow and develop as equal members of the community. Ultimately, wherever the money comes from, it will not go to waste. It will be used to improve lives, to ensure every Queenslander is valued equally, and allow those living with disabilities in south-east Queensland to take greater control of their future. Peter Selwood is Centacare Brisbane's executive director.