Keith Pitt and Assistant Minister for Disability Services host roundtable discussion

With a date now set for the NDIS rollout in the Hinkler electorate, Federal Member Keith Pitt and Assistant Minister for Disability Services Jane Prentice held a roundtable discussion today with local service providers.

The NDIS will begin in Bundaberg on October 1, 2017 and on the Fraser Coast from July 1, 2018.

Representatives from services providers such as Impact, Bridges, Steps and Endeavour met with Mr Pitt and Mrs Prentice to discuss the NDIS and what it will mean for Hinkler residents.

Mr Pitt said it was a great opportunity to talk to people at the coalface of disability and mental health services.

“The NDIS has the potential to create numerous job opportunities in the region which we need to be ready to capitalise on and encourage,” Mr Pitt said.

It is estimated that the NDIS would see around 13,000 jobs created across Queensland by mid-2019.

Mrs Prentice said she valued the insight and advice that local organisations, like the ones she met with today, can provide.

“I want to speak with the broadest possible cross section of the community so I can develop a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by people with disability,” Ms Prentice said.

“I am also looking for advice on opportunities that the Australian Government can provide in helping to meet those challenges,” she said.

Mr Pitt and Mrs Prentice also toured Endeavour Industries in Bundaberg which employs 75 workers.

Some of the jobs done by workers at the organisation include packing fresh produce such as cherry tomatoes, potatoes and onions, as well as putting together sampler packs of Bundaberg Brewed Drinks.