Two west-based businesses have been banned from providing services to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
Kurunjang-based Australian Home and Community Care and Millennium Disability Care in Williams Landing have been issued banning orders, permanently prohibiting them from providing NDIS supports and services to people with disability.
Five associated individuals were also issued banning orders, with prohibitions ranging from five to 10 years.
The action was taken by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission in coordination with the Fraud Fusion Taskforce, which was recently established to investigate fraud against the NDIS.
Minister for the NDIS Bill Shorten said the NDIS Commission obtained evidence of the submission of falsified and inappropriate claims for payment to the NDIS, which had serious adverse effect on NDIS participants’ mental and physical wellbeing
He said the banning orders send a “strong message to any provider trying to take advantage of the NDIS and Australian taxpayers“.
“For too long, rogue providers have been able to make use of a lack of communication and coordination between government agencies. Australians relying on the NDIS are some of our most vulnerable, and any organisation taking advantage of their safety net must be stopped,“ he said.
“The Fraud Fusion Taskforce’s work is well underway and any provider looking to rip off the NDIS should know – the music has stopped.”
NDIS Commissioner Tracy Mackey said The NDIS Commission will take “swift action where NDIS providers and their key personnel fail to meet their obligations and in circumstances where they are no longer suitable to deliver NDIS supports and services”.
“The NDIS Commission continues to work closely with the NDIA and other government agencies to identify and address quality and safeguarding concerns, including those arising from engagement in fraudulent activity. NDIS providers have very clear obligations and we will take action when providers do not meet those obligations,” she said.
