Dylan Alcott: People With Lived Experience Should Be At Heart Of NDIS

Australian of the Year Dylan Alcott says people with lived experience should be at the heart of how the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is rolled out after he presented a new report Tuesday morning.

The report delivered to NDIS minister Bill Shorten recommended people with disabilities should be placed in more leadership decisions, as seen recently with the appointment of Paralympian Kurt Fearnley as the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) board chair.

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"I almost got up and walked out that excited when Kurt Fearnley got announced as the chair of the NDIA," Mr Alcott said on Tuesday.

"That's putting the experience back in the heart. It's about listening to that lived experience to put participants back first."

- Dylan Alcott

Mr Alcott also emphasised benefits of the NDIS so far, saying despite ongoing criticism the scheme received, it had a lot to be celebrated.

He reflected on the support he received from the NDIS which helped by providing a network of young people, care and education.

"The first third of our report is talking about all the awesome work that the NDIS has done over the first 19 years," he said.

""I think we often always talk about the cost and not the benefit. It seems like a bit of a pain for everyone when it is really not.”

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